GFP-GAN is an open-source photo-restoration tool that uses AI to transform old photos that may have faded over time or become damaged. The algorithm makes an educated guess about missing or damaged details from each image, smoothing out creases and enhancing color. While the AI may not always recreate an exact replica of the original photo, the restored images have been meaningfully impressive. It’s also …
$370
Paris-based running apparel brand Satisfy collaborated with Canadian brand norda to design a dynamic version of their 001, the world’s first trail-running shoes made with durable, bio-based Dyneema—one of lightest sustainable materials in existence. Their collaborative sneakers feature a Dyneema upper that is 15 times stronger than steel of the same weight, a Vibram SLE midsole that is 30% lighter than the standard and a …
A recent study has reversed the commonly held belief that stingrays are silent. For the first time, the creatures’ sounds were captured in a video depicting two mangrove whiprays and a cowtail stingray making clicking noises. Prior to the study, the only evidence that they are vocal came from research published in 1970 that saw a cownose ray making noise, but only after it was …
On 11 August 1973 an 18-year-old DJ Kool Herc (aka Clive Campbell) performed at his sister Cindy Campbell’s back-to-school party in the rec room of their apartment building located at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the South Bronx. That event—where Herc isolated portions of funk tracks, switching between one record and the other (emphasizing the breaks)—is widely accepted as the birth of hip-hop. While Herc is …
Located in Accra, Ghana, Kantamanto Market is the largest second-hand apparel market in West Africa—and it’s brimming with clothes from North America, the UK, China, Korea and Australia. It’s partly “waste management” for those countries (and has a devastating effect on Ghana, as tons of this clothing is unusable and becomes landfill), but it has also “helped popularize the term ‘Obroni Wawu,’ which directly translates …
Habitable bridges, or bridges that have buildings within them, used to be commonplace during the Renaissance but have since fell out of popularity. South of Sydney on the east coast of Australia, Kerstin Thompson Architects revived the 520-foot-long bridge that not only houses the Bundanon Art Museum but also provides flood-proof infrastructure, a necessary attribute given the climate crisis. Featuring a corrugated metal roof canopy …
$27
Aamina Ahmad pays exacting attention to her characters’ psychological nuances in her debut novel, The Return of Faraz Ali. The neo-noir novel tells the tale of a Faraz Ali who was taken from his birthplace in Lahore (Pakistan’s second largest city) as a child only to be sent back years later by his powerful politician father, now as a police officer tasked with covering up …
$60
Swedish eyewear brand Chimi (founded in 2016 by Charlie Lindström and Daniel Djurdjevic) is best known for accessibly priced sunglasses, but they also make swim masks, goggles and snorkels. Their swimming goggles feature mirrored UV-protective lenses framed by soft silicone, and a non-slip head-strap. Available in orange, green, white or black, they’re super-sleek and sporty.
$28
Jenny Tinghui Zhang’s debut novel Four Treasures of the Sky is a surreal epic underpinned by Chinese folklore and American history. It follows the journey of heroine Daiyu who is kidnapped and smuggled from China to the US, where the Chinese Exclusion Act is taking hold. From a brothel in San Francisco to the mountains of Idaho, the story traces Daiyu’s journey to survive an …
$23
Jan Andreu had been a fan of Laia Aguilar’s work at Bobo Choses, and was thrilled when the two collaborated on The Animal Observatory—a children’s apparel brand centered on play and curiosity. Their yellow bucket hat features a minimalist flower print and pink interior and evokes cheerful and bright days under the sun. Floral and endearing, the 100% cotton hat is available in sizes medium …
Little Rock, Arkansas-raised, LA-based bLAck pARty (aka Malik Flint) releases his third album, called Hummingbird, today and from it comes the smooth and saccharine “I Love You More Than You Know.” The track features Childish Gambino (another in a string of collaborations) and possesses a gloriously languid energy that perfectly lends itself to the lyrics. bLAck pARty says that the album (which also features Saba, …
From Save Me by Empress Of (aka Lorely Rodriguez), “Turn The Table” with longtime collaborator Jim-E Stack has received a visual treatment by Jerome AB, shot in an abandoned building in Grand Cayman. In the rundown but tropical setting, the Honduran American singer, songwriter, musician and producer performs and dances alone—save for some multiples of herself. From the massive chorus to the ’90s house elements and …
In 2019 we were invited by Ferrari to participate in their Tailor Made customization program with the encouragement to expand and explore the use of colors, materials and finishes further than the luxury automaker has ever done before. We had just returned from our CH Japan trip, and as we were still inspired by indigo and traditional Japanese crafts we decided to bring some of …
Part meditation, part power ballad, Louis Cole’s “Let It Happen” is the LA-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s first new solo music since his 2020 live album. The slow-burning track about relinquishing control begins with quiet clicks and Cole’s soft falsetto, before leading to glittery synths, uplifting key changes and soaring strings. According to Cole, it’s “a timeless modern power ballad classic that taps into a …
From Barcelona-based four-piece Zoe’s Shanghai, “Stealing Me” is a shimmering, kaleidoscopic new track that blends jazz, neo-soul, warm percussion and floating vocals courtesy of lead singer Zoé Renié. The effect creates a complex and layered soundscape that simultaneously feels intuitive. From its opening groovy rhythm to its slowed-down, tender transition, the track is beautifully dizzying and lushly immersive.
$7,150
Founded by a group of artists in Tokyo, cult brand Have a Good Time has been making apparel and accessories since 2010. For their 100% cotton-canvas apron (with an adjustable rope tie strap), the team opts for utilitarian style and simple placement of their logo. Featuring three pockets, a pen-holder and a hook for a dish towel, the apron (available in white or black) will …
East London-based artist sona blue (aka Jack Adamson) has written a slow-burning, lo-fi R&B track, “soft top,” inspired by the significance of family—specifically his little brother. “We’ve always been close and I wanted to write about how love in a family situation differs from that of a romantic one,” he explains in a statement. “It’s about growing with someone whether you want to or not …
