Chika Kako, Lexus Chief Engineer, Discusses the First-Ever UX

A manga character helped the design team make the right tweaks to the all-new vehicle

When Chika Kako, the first woman chief engineer at Lexus, saw designs for the brand’s all-new UX subcompact crossover, she thought of childhood days spent watching anime cartoons with her brother. The SUV’s rear lights reminded her of Mazinger Z, a hulking manga robot on the small screen in the late 70’s and early 80’s. It was a good look for an animated character, she …

North America’s Cabin Typology Explored

In the Cabin Fever exhibition, at the Vancouver Art Gallery, dozens of images, artifacts and paraphernalia trace the development of the North American cabin—from the 1600s to present day. Stepping beyond architecture and typology, the exhibit addresses the cabin’s changing role in culture—from simple shelter to idyllic lodging. Curated by California-based writer Jennifer M Volland, the gallery’s senior curator Bruce Grenville, and associate curator Stephanie …

Collaborative Kia Telluride Concept Unveiled at Brandon Maxwell’s NYFW Show

Texas ruggedness meets big city glamour in this new car

Brandon Maxwell is quite a big deal in the fashion world (he’s dressed Michelle Obama, Oprah and more), and yet he speaks humbly at New York Fashion Week about his Marfa, Texas roots, and how they’ve influenced his design sense and this latest runway show. In fact, he dedicated his spring 2019 line to his 81-year-old Texan grandmother, Louise Johnson. It makes sense then, that the designer …