MOOD

Who would have thought that the Transformer toys of the past would have sparked such a huge design revolution of our future? Well, this theme is heavily reliant on 1 product with multiple uses, and in many cases it tends to be environmentally effective. The reason we use the word effective is because of examples such as the CA gym which uses the energy of stationary bikes to power indoor lighting. Another out-of-the-box idea is the Sustainable Dance Club, which, in collaboration with the Enviu environmental company and Dole architects has a wall of LED’s powered by the vibrations of body heat and people dancing. If only we could all be as creative and conscious as the geniuses behind it in Rotterdam! Other examples are a bit more organic and include actual fruit trees where the consumer picks their own organic fruit that is then made into a drink. On the hardware side, toilets flush with rainwater to preserve resources. Vehicles like the Honda Element has gotten into the swing of things and is geared towards urban guys with 64 different seating options and utility features like wide-opening cargo doors. Another car is the Toyota Scion which comes standard with accessories like an iPod doc. The point of a product coming standard with über tech gadgets is that they could all be replaced by something else (in fact parties have been thrown in mansions that contain easily transformable contents). Interior furnishings tap into this with chairs and tables that turn into suitcases, rideable vacuums, retractable tables, reversible rugs and more that you “build and break down” for easy storage. The “One Shot Stool” by Patric Jouin is a retractable table that has won design contests. And if you’re not into storage, Deldon from Denmark has created chairs that fold into an indoor/outdoor sculpture. For the toy enthusiasts, check out the Transformers + Mr. Potato Head collab.

FASHION

We’ve got to plug Nike who is seemingly tapped into what’s now and has come up with the Convoy & Megatron Nike Free 7.0 toy. The series features a 1/2-scale pair of Nike shoes that can be transformed into the Transformers toy. Of course Nike also sells a real pair of kicks to match. K-way, the original nylon windbreaker born in 1965 has come back and fits into a square pouch. Even more forward thinking is the emerging Third Earth Designs which revives old windbreakers and alters them into forward styles with multiple uses. Take for instance the jacket with removable sleeves that turns into a bag, a bolero or vest! Norma Kamali was one of the first to get on this trend, with her sleeping bag jacket that is such a staple, it’s updated in every new collection (and also reinterpreted by others like crazy). Adidas tapped into the core athlete consumer with a top that is equipped with a sports bra, and monitors heart rate. A shoe measures speed and distance and a wristwatch displays stats. A genius collaboration is the Nike + iPod Sport Kit which really takes thinking to the next level. The shoes feature a built-in pocket engineered for the iPod sensor and could do everything from play your tunes to measure activity. In the high-fashion world, you don’t have to look hard to see shoes by Shelias heels featuring a retractible heel, Prada’s jacket with zip-off sleeves, Balenciaga’s future gear inspired by “Tron” and Hussein Chalayan’s space references.