Celebrity collaborations are nothing new. When a product gets a nod from a famous face, we all know that sales will likely soar. A year ago, I featured Proper Attire, Planned Parenthood’s latest campaign, addressing the issue of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among 18-25 year olds. The program has been a success and a phenomenal example of how decorative rebranding can reinvent the message of an everyday product. Most recently, Jeremy Scott and Brian Reyes have joined the cause to share their creative visions. Scott’s Flintstone-esque brights are electric, graphic and Gaga-approved, while Reyes’ designs tap an ethereal nature-inspired look and feel. Two designs for two different girls, all for betterment and health of society, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Bubbles have been inching their way into our commercial consciousness.  Be it a translucent outfit for pop starlet Lady Gaga, chemically treated typography on the visual tagging website, ffffound, or a high-end glass necklace made by the Sent sisters of Italy,  we can’t help but fixate on the transparent quality of this effervescent material. Danish poet, Hans Christian Andersen illustrates our voyeuristic sentiment best in his famous novel, The Emperor’s New Clothes.  Just as the emperor assigned value to the concept rather than the final product, the idea of wearable bubbles is certainly the definition of “fashion over function,” at least when sitting’s involved.

As Lady Gaga’s fame rises, so does her love for all things flashy.  Beyond her dance beats and uniquely costumed performances, her devotion to the disco ball is a constant for most of her shows.  As we noted last month, the convergence of fashion and nightlife continues to intersect in the most literal of ways, spurning metallic fabrics for nighttime use as well as day.  This pyramid studded pocket, which we spotted on one of our favorite inspirational blogs, JBlyth, showcases two trends in one: hidden details combined with punk attitude- the perfect blend for a fashionable night out.

Delicate sophistication is synonymous with origami.  Though simplistic, there’s a beautiful complexity to every folded 3D figurine.  As of late, creative pop culture has embraced this ancient art with a modern tune.  Using color, form, figurative interpretation, and various materials, designers throughout the fashion, media, and home industries have embraced this budding trend, making unique, yet paralleling commercial interpretations.

See above for various examples: The Unrising Intl’s Keane poster with graphic animal forms, A futuristic dress, worn by pop vocalist Lady Gaga, homeware ceramic plates, sold at Lancelotti’s in the East Village of Manhattan and delicate metallic pendents by Origami Bijiou.

A more functional and figurative take can be found by the Italian design team at Lago Casa with these tanagram bookshelfs.   Movement is balanced by stillness in this beautifully playful [...]