Inside adidas’ MakerLab With Three Emerging Designers

Helen Kirkum, Alex Nash and Shun Hirose discuss their collaborative sneakers, and what it's like to be a part of every step of the process

The adidas‘ MakerLab is essentially a hub for all of the brand’s ideations—those released and those archived. Within the walls of the previously inaccessible studio space, there are endless swatches of fabrics, space for sketching and crafting, a wealth of references, on-hand talent and advisors, and all of the machinery to bring concepts from paper to pavement. In the spirit of spotlighting emerging talent and …

Space-Ready Rockets Made by AI-Powered Robots

Within LA-based rocket-maker Relativity’s factory space you’ll find a handful of the largest metal 3D printers in the world working around the clock—as they’re commanded by AI. One 30-foot-tall machine, equipped with two massive robotic arms, is in charge of building rockets up to 95% completion—with wiring, rubber finishing parts and a few other assets to be handled manually. But this isn’t merely an instance …

Rotate’s Mechanical Watchmaking Kit

This easy-to-follow kit opens the door for customization and preservation of the talent

For many, horology and understanding the inner-workings of watches remains elusive. But the team at Rotate simplifies the process by offering at-home watch-making kits at an affordable price. Co-founders Rebecca Lee and Jennifer Zhang started the company because of their interest in mechanical watches and DIY projects and it grew into a project that also aims to honor watchmaking, to keep analog alive and to make …