Massimo Osti Studio Aims to Keep the Designer’s Spirit of Innovation

Fashion

In certain circles the late Italian designer Massimo Osti is a demiurge, a semi-mythical figure who in the ‘80s created a new language of design by combining his love of innovation with his love of functional clothing. He applied his graphic-design-trained mind, devoid of usual fashion preconceptions, to reimagining military gear and workwear in the context of modern city life, creating a new type of casual wear that gave equal weight to form and function. With C.P. Company and Stone Island Osti launched new chapters in menswear, one that was rooted neither in traditional tailoring of the old generation nor in the fanciful extremes of the new one. He combined form and function into a new aesthetic that spread like wildfire, first in Italy, then all over Europe and then the rest of the world.

Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage

Culture

In the method / madness of photography a collage holds a rather underexplored space. It is a bit of an afterthought, compared to the pantheon in which most memorable photographic images rest. This is an oversight. A collage occupies an in-between space of still and moving image. It’s not exactly animated, but it’s not exactly static either. A good photo collage has a kinetic quality to it that adds time to the space-time continuum; it has the ability to shift perspective just so.

COMME DES GARCONS OPENS A NEW PARIS FLAGSHIP

Retail

The newly reopened and refurbished Comme des Garçons Flagship on 56 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré features 4 floors and 7,500 square feet of everything from the  Comme des Garçons universe. This is the only location in the world to also stock the brands furniture line, with an exclusive red re-edition made only for the Paris store.

WORK:SPACE – ARPA STUDIO

Design

Baranabé Fillon has been creating perfumes for years. Behind the scenes he is known as the nose for Aesop, the fabled Australian skincare line, but he also has been quietly working on his own brand, ARPA, where he aims to elevate the olfactory experience to an interdisciplinary phenomenon by collaborating with artists and musicians. Fillon’s signature will be familiar to anyone who’s ever stepped into an Aesop store – there is an earthy sophistication in his scents, and an incredible amount of storytelling. At ARPA he takes it to the next level, not only through the scents, but through their packaging and installations. No wonder he calls ARPA the Institute for Synesthesia.