Thursday, December 31, 2009

Iconic Celebration



Dom Pérignon. The classic champagne that dates back to Louis XIV times. Created by a Benedictine monk in the 1600s, it's become the de facto standard in celebratory beverages. It comes in a rather humble, dark glass bottle that's a little more bottom heavy and slope-shouldered than a standard champagne bottle. The distinctive shield-shaped label is remarkably understated — one-color printing with sparse typography in a rather friendly, simplistic script on a muted background. It all comes together in a wonderfully monochromatic, unified statement, quietly proclaiming its classic name from one of the most esteemed champagne houses.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Blue Sky Umbrella


When MOMA came out with this umbrella back in the 90s, the concept was just so clever I had to buy one immediately. Designed by Tibor Kalman of the renowned design firm M&Company, it embodies the witty charm all their products were famous for. The cheerful blue sky with happy puffy clouds is silkscreened onto a separate cloth insert attached to a conventional umbrella. It's well made, with a wooden veneer-covered central pole and nicely finished hook handle. Never fails to create a little smile in gloomy weather.