BlackBook Media - Guides and Popular Culture

Sexy Furniture Invites You to Touch

By

Ben Barna

July 23, 2008

Dutch Sculptor Mario Philippona's new line of Sexy Furniture is enough reason for me to ditch my roommates and move out on my own. Being the respectable lads they are (and close-minded too, I guess), there's no way they'd ever go for this table. According to the artist, the table invites me to touch it, and I gladly accept the invitation. And what of this chair? On the one hand, it seems the product of a deranged mind. On the other hand, it's kinda hot. Even Kanye West is into it, and if it's good enough for him, then it's good enough for me. Probably too good, even.

FYC, Ben Barna, Art, Kanye West, Mario Philippona

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Louis, Louis

By

John Clarke Jr.

July 03, 2008

Latest celebrity shoemaker? Kanye West, of course. The rapper, dressed in threads from his own clothing line, was caught at the Louis Vuitton show at Jardins de Bagatelle in Paris last Friday, admitting he's designing a line of shoes with the vaunted brand. But he wasn't there to pitch his own kicks, he insisted to Women's Wear Daily . "I'm here for Louis."

Fashion, Fashioneer, John Clarke Jr., Kanye West, Louis Vuitton

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In Search of the Next ‘Umbrella’

By

Ben Barna

June 10, 2008

It’s June, everyone (as if you’re a complete lunatic and needed reminding), so start your internships, season your skewers, and keep your ears open, because the search for the Song Of The Summer is on. Two potential candidates: head Stroke Julian Casablancas has teamed with head Neptune Pharell and head next-M.I.A. Santogold on the garage track "Drive Thru." It’s part of a Converse campaign called Three Artists, One Song, and the song is quite fine, notable for its tres-cool trio, but it begins to grate, especially when Casablancas wails. This would have worked better if Santi and Pharell had gone in on it alone.

The Holy Trinity of Kanye

By

Ben Barna

May 30, 2008

Kanye West has released not one, not two, but three “promotional videos” for his single "Flashing Lights," off the Graduation LP. The first was the pristine Spike Jonze experimentation with the queasy ending. Number two was the photo pastiche of hot New York living. Number three looks like a Trent Reznor Reznor throwaway. Enjoy!

FYC, Music, Ben Barna, Video, Kanye West, Graduation

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Paris, je t’aime

From the front rows to behind-the-scenes, our flâneur with film discovers beauty from every angle during Fashion Week in the City of Lights.

By

Alexis Dahan

April 18, 2008

Click here for full gallery!

THE KAISER: Karl Lagerfeld at the Fendi party.

Fashion, Behind the Scenes, BlackBook May 2008, Paris, Fashion Week, Kanye West, Alexis Dahan, Karl Lagerfeld, Amy Winehouse

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Kanye West’s Fantastic Voyages

By

Ben Barna

April 03, 2008

Kanye West is at the rare point in any career where everything he touches becomes part of a brand—Kanye Inc. Whatever he wants to sell, done. Hoodies? Check. Posters? Check. Venetian-blind glasses? Ditto. Travel and tour packages? Uh, check? West has gone ahead and launched Kanye Travel Ventures, which will help you in your kwest to travel like the megastar, a.k.a. in style. Unfortunately, we don’t quite know what these means; the site looks like your standard online travel agent, with a bit of West iconography pasted on top. (A mere prank, or shades of Donald Trump’s failed GoTrump.com.) This isn’t even selling out, it’s just selling. But is anyone buying?