My Macintosh Plus
[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="148" align="left" lightbox="true" size="medium"] My Mac Plus is like an old friend for me. In the early days (I buy one, used, in the early 90's when other mac more faster was on the market, but with impossible prices!) he would help me to organize my thought, design my first lay out and print out in high resolution (yes, I have only a laserwriter 300!) when PC's was only a sort of ugly box with a black screen and amber graphic (if you can call graphic those letters and numbers!)and let the typographer astonished… oh, I forget to tell that they was using those Linotype machine, a kind of "frigidaire like" monster with a monitor and a keyboard where to write the letter "A" they must type some like :/HGT ""/ "A" or some like this!
Last night while working on my G5 desktop system… I have check it and is still very faster and ready, with is System 5.0.4 and no Hard Disk! Only 1 MB of Ram and his very fine keyboard that is a pleasure to use.
Aeron Chair
[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="144" align="left" lightbox="true" size="medium"] This week two new chairs are coming in the office. I have finally bought those chair from the Herman Miller Aeron series, because their perfect and outstanding quality and design, and, of course for the perfect ergonomic construction! I think those chairs will be perfect together the four vintage "Aluchair" that I already have!
Rosie Vela
[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="140" align="left" lightbox="true" size="medium"] Today I have decide to go deep in the old stuff that is inside one of my various storage box all around my very, very busy apartment… in the box of music tapes I have find a recording of "Zazu" an incredible album out, I think, in the last months of 1986, and performed by a former topmodel Rosie Vela.
This fantastic album was produced by Mr. Donald Fagen of Steely Dan, and this made Zazu a must for me.
I have try to search on the bay a copy of this album... but I have find only few vinyl's… uhmmm... I think it's time to buy a turntable again, it seems that this need becomes necessary day by day cause I have discovered also few interesting vinyl's in my stuff… one is very special and rare: a 7" single from the movie soundtrack "Bright Lights, Big City" performed by Mr. Donald Fagen and the title is "Century's End" never released, I think, on CD.
By the way, make a search and try to listen "Magic Smile" from Zazu, and tell me what do you think about it.
6 JUNE 1944
[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="136" align="left" lightbox="true" size="medium"] This June, for the third time since 2006, I have take few days to come again in Normandy to bring my tribute to all the soldiers and civilian that was dead during one of the worst war theatre of the second world war.
As usual I have experienced a big emotion walking in the same place where thousand of person was died fighting for freedom.
One of the place where I was totally shocked was the Memorial of the Battle of Falaise Pocket, where hundreds of thousands of German soldiers was drive in a only three kilometres corridor and attacked by any side while they was escaping, it was the last battle of Normandy and more than 250.000 victims will leaved on the battlefield.
What really make me sad, was to see the pictures of the more than 5.000 horse dead, beautiful and regal horses, the most beautiful horses ever seen.
Even them they are dead, without any reason in the horror of war.
I have bring my simple tribute also to all them, I think they was truly innocent.
Finally I'm here again...
[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="131" align="left" lightbox="true" size="medium"] Literally the last six months they was so hard for me.
I have to change lot of strategy for my work, study new perspectives and make a fine tuning of my vision for the future in the fashion system.
This kept lot of time, lot of study, lot of effort... but finally I'm here.
I have not change at all my idea that the future in the fashion system, especially in the denim and jeans oriented market, where I'm a specialist, will be the great attention to quality, to research and of course to keep a strong identity.
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[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="132" align="left" lightbox="true" size="medium"] Here in Italy, the "motor" is starting again, slow and not trust by all the company (who not trust is definitely in the road of decline) but who is trusting to this vision is going on and I think they will be next succes case in the future.
My customer believe in me and they have approved my idea to get strong in their identity and fight to make quality, research and dare in the product...
Of course there will be some that have not trust in me and they have loose the opportunity to be stronger in this very hard market.
The New MacBook Air
[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="126" align="left" lightbox="true" size="medium"] Yesterday Apple Computer have released the new MacBook Air.
I have follow the Steve Jobs Keynote, connected via iChat with my fellows Max and Chuck, they provide me opinions and support to help me to see the keynote due to my low band connection. Thanks!
The New MBA is something that let me astonishing.
I've dream about a Mac like this for years, and now I'm so ready to put one in my bag...
Just a question: PATA Hard Drive or Solid State?
The price will make the difference, but I'm sure that Apple have opened the road to Solid State technology and soon the only options available will be SSD. So my opinion (this morning) is: wait a little bit and see what happen...
But can I really bear this wait?
Designing the perfection
[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="120" align="left" lightbox="true" size="medium"] When I think about something that I really can define “perfect” I must look at the Omega Speedmaster Professional, a tool watch for the connoisseurs.
So far to be a watch for fashion victims, the Speedmaster is a unique example of the old saying “the function determines the design” and infact the NASA choose this watch after a very hard series of test to prove the performance under the worst condition (imagine only the temperature changing from the direct sunlight to the shadow in the space) of some of the most know watches in the early sixties, many of them was refused (and, yes, also the Rolex was in the list…) and finally the winner will have the opportunity to be the first watch on the moon at the wrist of Astronaut Neil Armstrong.
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It’s a simple piece of design, that well explain how much important is to “balance” your pencil when you approach to design something new and fresh… and not only in watchmaking, but also in any other field of design.
Some fine example? The “Alu” Chair of Ray Eames, the Chrome Limited Edition Luxo lamp made in the early 90’s, the Levi’s 501, The Leatherman Tools, The Airfix Figures of 60’s and 70’s…
A Very Fine Military Blouse
[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="109" align="left" lightbox="true" size="medium"] This is one of my favorite, it's a tropical female military blouse produced by Compton, Sons & Webb Ltd. from the R.A.F and it's dated from around 1965. I have buy this blouse as my intention to make deeper research about female military garments.
It's no easy to find female military issued clothing, but to discover one is always a great find.
The R.A.F. Blosue is very rare and have a intonse beautiful labelling with all the issue inscriptions, also the hand-stamp mark is very nice and interesting.
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[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="110" align="left" lightbox="true" size="medium"] Note the sought after fabric wich is made this blouse: it's a satin-based weave, with a kind of micro design on the surface, I have never seen this fabric before, and I'm tryng to reproduce it with one of my fellows friends that own a fabric company.
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[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="111" align="left" lightbox="true" size="medium"] The neck also is interesting, it miss the back and the two lapels are inserted in the cut of shoulder.
Welcome. Please have a cup of coffee.
[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="89" align="left" icon="zoom" lightbox="true" size="medium"]A cup of coffee. In my "Cassandra's" cup.
Something that make me feel better, especially when I'm working around some new idea, or when I'm reading my favourite books, or, better, when I'm here tryng to write this first post, in front of my Mac…
I know, my english is not so good, so please don't mind if this blog will be write in English or Italian, I will be free to change my language! I'ts funny if I think I have study French at school and I have learn English language translating the lyrics of the Beatles songs… I've passed lots of afternoon listening the Red and the Blue Album, with the lyrics in one hands and the dictionary in the other… so, I think, we can say that the Beatles, in some way, they was my teachers ;-)
This Blog is my first experience (apart from my web site) to show in the internet my thought, my ideas, things that I like, and things that I dont' like, things that inspire me and things that let me totally indifferent, it's a way to share some experience and to learn more from the world outside, I hope that new friends will enrich me with their experience, and share with me new ideas about design, music, graphics, fashions.
Welcome in the K-Workshop.
ps: you'll probably will know more about the "Cassandra's" cups… Ok, I tell you the story. This cup is a present of my girlfriend that find this cup in a common shop… she immediately realize that this cup look like exactly of my beloved dog Cassandra, that leave me about one year ago. Cassandra was more than a dog, and probably in some other post I will talk about she. So, drinking a coffee in that cup, make me feel more better, because I can see again my Cassandra near me.
My New Stole
[image source_type="attachment_id" source_value="80" align="left" icon="zoom" lightbox="true" size="medium"]Few days ago, my friend Tom from the 45RPM shop of Paris, send to me some pics of the new stoles they are just receiving from Japan. I have choose this one, and yesterday it's coming to me.
I love the basic colours, the softness of the wool, the perfect size.
This stole is perfect for that cold days of november. I love the simplicity of the checks, it remind me the old artisan and farmers of the place where I leave. I love the way they dress.
They wear older classic elegant coats and simple striped shirts, but used and abused, and instead to throw away they put on for work. They wear simple work trousers in a shade of blue that is coming from the industrial workers, a perfect shade of blue, it's like an indigo, but more brilliant. They always wear a hat. Is a simple hat in Herringbone Twill, Prince of Wales Checks, or plain Brown.
Sometimes, they wear a stole like this.
The boots they wear sometimes are very dirty, but they dont' care, they show a kind of elegance that is very difficult to see.