Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim High Intensity Refillable Lipstick
Company Hourglass Cosmetics
Introduction Date July 13, 2017
Project Website https://www.hourglasscosmetics.com/confession-ultra-slim-high-intensity-refillable-lipstick
Why is this project worthy of an award?
Hourglass Cosmetics is a cosmetics company at the intersection of science, beauty and luxury, and the team behind cult favorites such as Veil Mineral Primer and Ambient Lighting Powder. Upon developing the brand’s next beauty favorite, Hourglass’ founder Carisa Janes, realized she wanted to create a product that would elevate lipstick to a new level of luxury. With a comprehensive research and development process, Hourglass created the Confession Ultra Slim High Intensity Refillable Lipstick collection. The curated collection with 32 shades of nudes, mauves, pinks, berries and reds, delivers a creamy, saturated, longwearing color with a satin finish without smudging or feathering. Each shade name offers users to spill their latest ‘confession’ such as the bright red tone, ‘I Crave’ or the nude rose ‘I’ll Never Stop’. In addition to being pigmented and easy-wearing, Confession Ultra Slim Lipstick is also vegan, gluten-free, and free of parabens, phthalates, silicone D5, talc, triclosan and mineral oil.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
Each Confession Ultra Slim Lipstick is designed to be paired with a sleek gold applicator that provides ultimate control when applying it to your lips. The applicator allows you to precisely accentuate, contour and define your lips for the perfect finish. Plus, all Confession Ultra Slim Lipstick Refills are sold separately and can be used interchangeably with the sleek gold applicator, a unique feature unlike any other lipstick in luxury beauty. The refillable aspect speaks to the company’s sustainability efforts, incorporating Hourglass’ standard of luxury into everything from the product to its packaging.
Who worked on the project?
Hourglass Cosmetics
View the project video:
Knix Don’t Sweat It Tee
Why is this project worthy of an award?
Knix has been addressing the white space of the first layer market from day one. Since it launched in 2013 by Joanna Griffiths, body inclusivity, diversity and customer feedback have been at the center of the brand. This commitment can be seen through the 0-22 size range, pioneering the wireless movement, and its powerful brand campaigns with Knix’s real customers - having shot over 500 customers to date. Every part of Knix’s product development strategy has been heavily influenced by real time consumer feedback, allowing the brand to innovate with the confidence that each new product will fill an unmet need for customers. In doing so, the brand has moved from hero product to category leader in the intimate’s category. A direct to consumer brand, Knix introduced the Don’t Sweat It T-Shirt ($48) on knixwear.com in February 2018. Working closely with customers and listening to feedback, Knix designed a t-shirt that is both comfortable and functional, that wasn’t active wear, and could be worn by real women on a daily basis as a layering piece or on its own. The fitted silhouette allows the Don’t Sweat It T-Shirt to layer seamlessly under blouses and dresses while the breathable 4-way stretch fabric moves and molds to your body keeping you cool and comfortable. The construction of the tee is unique in that ‘pockets’ are knitted into the underarm panels. The panels are constructed with patented Fresh Fix Technology® which makes the panels water-impermeable - preventing sweat stains as well as blocking odor. To create the Fresh Fix Technology®, which was first launched with the brand’s leakproof underwear, Joanna sourced a fabricator who was well known for manufacturing gear for competitive cyclists. Always looking to secondary industries as a source of inspiration for innovation, Joanna was able to work with the team to create a technical performance fabric that, inspired by top athlete’s requirements, would translate to real women’s needs. True to the brand’s mission of focusing on consumer feedback and needs, Knix tested the Don’t Sweat It T-Shirt on real women before sending it to market. By listening to customers, Knix is creating apparel that women love to live in and helping women take life on with courage, confidence and comfort. Combining performance fabrics and innovative designs with patented technology, Knix allows women to lead active lives, uninterrupted by blood, sweat and tears.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
Knix’s focus on inclusiveness and customer feedback allows them to be at the forefront of creating products that real women need. But the brand goes beyond that with a commitment to fabric innovation to ensure that every knix product is better than what is currently in market. And it shows in consumer feedback. The first run of the Don’t Sweat It T-Shirt sold out within three weeks and to date over 400 customers have submitted online reviews with 73% of those being 4 and 5 stars. By always putting the consumer first, knix is able to continue to problem solve through creative innovation and design.
Who worked on the project?
Joanna Griffiths (Founder)
View the project video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIHukOTaL9U
Kohler Artist Editions Collection
Company Kohler Co.
Introduction Date January 8, 2018
Project Website
Why is this project worthy of an award?
KOHLER Artist Editions Products provide the canvas for the marriage of art and fashion in the plumbing industry. Selecting one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted objects for the home is a driving force in the resurgence of the artisan movement. Balancing artistry and craftsmanship with utility, Kohler Artist Editions collections bring art into the bathroom space, creating a striking centerpiece from everyday fixtures, inviting you to celebrate beauty and creativity each day. Each piece is hand-crafted in Kohler, Wis. by pottery and pattern artisans. The most recent and striking additions to this collection include the Sartorial collection which draws inspiration from 19th-century European textiles, the Kensho hand-carved stone sink with patterns akin to the intricate kimono stitching, the Shagreen pattern which alludes to the texture and aesthetic of shagreen leather, and the Dutchmaster Floral collection named for the painterly style and tying directly into fashion and art.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
The Sartorial collection pays homage to the refined elegance of 19th-century European textiles. Inspired by an exuberant French block print from 1850, the intricate paisley pattern has an organic quality, showcased beautifully on the Carillon vessel sink. Inspired by haberdashery fabrics, this herringbone pattern strikes a modern, geometric note, showcased beautifully on the Carillon vessel sink. The Shagreen pattern features an unusual finish, originally inspired by the oil spot glazing that became popular during China’s Song Dynasty, is painstakingly created using an organic two-step mineral glazing process. The result is a sink with a rich, granular texture and velvety iridescence. Shagreen, or stingray hide, was made popular by 18th Century French aristocrats, and has been used over the centuries on furniture, personal accessories, and book bindings by those who prize its distinctive grainy texture and durable, water-resistant finish. The leather’s exotic appearance and uniquely pebbled patterns have sustained its popularity over the years and made it an enduring mark of luxury and refinement. The Dutchmaster Floral collection captures the movement and beauty of florals in its newest pattern to join the brand’s globally-popular Artist Editions offering. Named for the painterly style that inspired the sink’s pattern, the new Dutchmaster collection explores dramatic botanicals in lush and moody hues that are sure to capture the eye of discerning consumers. Bold floral patterns reside in fashion, textiles, and prints, but Kohler innovative and creative nature takes bold floral to a new level through this audacious visual within the unexpected context of a bathroom sink. Kohler’s history in decorated products is largely rooted in developing curious, culturally relevant patterns. This particular pattern takes inspiration from Dutch master paintings and the chiaroscuro technique of contrasted light and shade, combining live florals and artistic photography to create a composition unsurpassed in today’s market. Introduction Date: Sartorial May 2016; Shagreen Jan 2017; Dutchmaster Jan 2018; Kensho April 2018
Who worked on the project?
Kohler Co.
View the project video:
Koio x Ben Medansky
Company Koio
Introduction Date February 22, 2018
Project Website https://www.koio.co/blogs/the-collective/ben-medansky
Why is this project worthy of an award?
In February 2018, NYC-based luxury leather goods label, Koio, teamed up with LA-based ceramicist, Ben Medansky, to create a unisex sneaker inspired by Medansky’s story and art. Referencing the artist’s signature ceramic style, the shoes feature grey-speckled white Italian calf leather mimicking iron-rich clay, a striking cobalt blue rubber sole in ode to the artist’s favorite color, and ‘shoelery’ in the form of ceramic accents on the laces. While Ben is well-known in the art world, with some of his work recently being acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, these sneakers mark his first foray into footwear - staying true to the industrial integrity and minimalist aesthetic for which his work is known. A product of true collaboration, where two sides come together to make a completely new thing, the Koio x Ben Medansky sneaker appealed to both sneakerheads and art and design aficionados alike. Retailing at $348 and available for purchase via the Koio website and in Koio stores, the limited-edition sneaker sold out almost immediately. The project is now being shown at The American Museum of Ceramic Art - it is the first shoe featuring ceramic integrations in the design and marks an evolution both in Medansky and Koio’s respective art forms. The ceramic accents, which Medansky fondly dubbed “shoelery”, were each handmade by Ben in his LA studio. Their asymmetrical placement on the laces adds an element of visual intrigue, while the bold color blocking with the vibrant cobalt sole and contrasting white leather make this 2018’s most-sought-after white sneaker. In the end, each shoe is a wearable work of art - combining Koio’s unrivaled dedication to world-class craftsmanship with Medansky’s approachable industrial stamp. “I approached the design process by taking elements from my own art and applying them to the sneaker. Blue is an important color in my work because of its universal beauty which we used on the sole," said Ben Medansky. “The speckle on the leather was appropriated from the clay body I use that has a high iron content. I also wanted to create something that I had not seen before which led me to the ceramic accent on the laces that I call shoellery, like jewellery for the shoe.” “We wanted to collaborate with Ben because his innovative approach to the age-old art of ceramics feels very relevant to us. His work offers an impressively modern take on arguably the world’s most ancient art form, fusing a futuristic, industrial aesthetic with primitive, lo-fi form,” says Chris Wichert, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Koio. “Just as his work is a meditation on minimalism and mechanics, remastered in an eternal material, Koio fuses a modern, minimalist ready-for-anything aesthetic with a refreshing take on old-world craftsmanship. We loved Ben’s idea of including a ceramic accent on the shoe, in the form of 'shoelery,' as an ode to our parallel approaches to reinventing the ancient art forms of ceramics and shoemaking.”
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
N/A
Who worked on the project?
Johannes Quodt, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Koio Chris Wichert, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Koio Ben Medansky, Ceramicist
View the project video:
LACE Wedding Collection
Company LACE by Jenny Wu
Introduction Date November 1, 2016
Project Website https://jennywulace.com/pages/wedding
Why is this project worthy of an award?
The invention of the diamond engagement ring has been attributed to De Beers’ 1940 ad campaign, “A Diamond is Forever.” Since then, the wedding ring industry has catapulted into a 16 billion dollar industry dominated by large jewelry brands such as Tiffany’s, Zales, and of course, De Beers. Although at the forefront of the industry, these large companies mostly focused on quantity of diamond sales rather than innovation in design. LACE, the leading 3-D printing fine jewelry brand founded by architect Jenny Wu, revisits the traditions as well as re-imagines the future of the wedding ring in the design of this Wedding Collection. One of the fundamental issue that was addressed is the fit between the engagement ring and the wedding band. Even though the two rings are typically worn together on the same finger, they are purchased at different times and most likely by different halves of the same couple. This often results in an aesthetic conflict between the rings and a level of physical discomfort in wearing them together. In response, LACE launched a line of wedding rings that seeks to find elegant solutions for this basic issue. The Amare/Sera and Amor/Amos rings, part of the LACE Wedding collection, uniquely nest into one another creating a single statement. The Amare, a delicate engagement ring, embraces the Sera wedding band that intricately fits on top. This exquisite design creates a loose knot from two bands that merge together to form a single line. Both rings stand beautifully on their own and can be shared between partners. They can also be worn together, creating an elegant and timeless statement. The design of the Amare diamond ring also addresses the growing demand for wedding rings that are unique and not defined by the size of the diamond. The loose knot at the center of the ring not only tells the story of the union of two parts, but its profile also simulates the three dimensionality of a diamond in an unconventional and unique way.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
The LACE Wedding Collection also addresses the demands for alternative wedding bands, ones that are reflective of each couple’s own unique story and who they are as individuals. Many same sex couples have voiced their frustrations to us that there are very few wedding rings out there that speak to their relationship. Because of that, we set out to design rings that are reflective of their unique union. The design of the Amor and Amos Rings pairs the two rings in a symbiotic relationship with one another. One ring completes the other in an elegant and organic way. Just like our Amare and Sera rings, the Amor and Amos rings can be worn together or shared between partners. Since the launch of these rings, we have had customers purchasing the rings in every combination and finding the right pairing for themselves. The rings can be customized with your choice of precious metal and/or 3D printed metals such as stainless steel and bronze. Our pieces go through extensive prototyping process to check its wearability and durability. Over the past 3 years, our team worked closely with the top 3D printing companies around the world to incorporate the latest 3D printing technology and material in realizing our designs. LACE is committed to maintaining an ethical practice, from the sourcing of lab grown diamonds, to our recycled precious metals, as well as supporting local jewelry craftsmen in Downtown Los Angeles. Each LACE ring is handled with the highest standard of ethics and care in mind. This is done by purchasing and manufacturing only using reliable trusted sources. Our wood ring pedestals are designed and fabricated in our own studio.
Who worked on the project?
Jenny Wu, founder/director, Dwayne Oyler, Hans Koesters, Lung Chi Chang, Harrison Steinbuch, Eli Ratansi
View the project video: https://vimeo.com/227183955
