Beginning today, New York's Film Forum celebrates the nouvelle vague and its criminal pursuits with a lengthy series called The French Crime Wave. We wouldn't advise looking to any of the films for heist advice—these guys botch their capers as often as not—but for sartorial inspiration, there are few better. Their adherents abound among contemporary rogues: Pete Doherty, for example, seems to have lifted his entire wardrobe from Jean-Paul Belmondo's in Breathless (pictured). Another reason to go? These guys hit the town with beauties like Jean Seberg, Catherine Deneuve, and Brigitte Bardot. We haven't seen the girls Johnny Loi keeps company with, but we're willing to bet he can keep them.

Click here for our favorite hommes and femmes from the series >

The French Crime Wave runs through Sept. 5 at Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St., NYC, (212) 727-8110, filmforum.org

For months, car bloggers have been wondering what's up with the Corvette that's been spotted on the set of the Transformers sequel. (It's a tough life, we guess.) Turns out the early consensus—that it's an early version of the brand's next C7—isn't quite right. Instead, as Jalopnik reports, it's actually something called the Centennial Design Concept, created to honor GM's 100th anniversary. More importantly, the site's source says it will not, in fact, be used as the basis for future 'vettes. Our apologies to those who do their car shopping at Shia LaBeouf movies.

As a collection, Dutch designer Corné Gabriės' weather-themed Storm pullovers are a bit, well, corny for us. (Unless you're Captain Marvel, you can probably skip the lightning-bolt sweaters.) And yet, this cloud-patterned selection seems downright wearable, even if (for now) you're only able to see it as part of the exhibit Elements, organized by Amsterdam's Artemis hotel. The show runs through November; check out the rest of his stuff here.
Through Nov. 5, Hotel Artemis Amsterdam, John M. Keynesplein 2, 1066 EP Amsterdam, artemisamsterdam.com

[via Diane Pernet]

Maybe those $1.3-million Veyrons aren't quite the cash cow you'd expect: The carmaker has branched out into fashion with the new Bugatti Collection. The stuff's not bad, if a little (shall we say) indebted to Barbour, among others. And at 400 euros (about 600 greenbacks), the steppjacke (pictured) is probably the most affordable (if not the most stylish) way to get a Bugatti under your roof.
bugatti-collection.com, site only in German for now

[Autoblog]

Just in time for their menswear debut, the duo behind cult British label Blaak are opening their first-ever store. The location: London's Old Curiosity Shop, made famous by Charles Dickens. The place was built circa 1567, and makes a fitting home for Blaak Homme, as the line takes equal inspiration from old-timers like Henry VIII and Churchill and younger-timers such as Malcolm McLaren and Ray Petri. (The collection's officially called "Buffalo Soldier," which suggests Aaron Sharif and Sachiko Okada got their hands on some vintage copies of I-D while at Central St. Martins.) The boutique will also carry frames from the brand's collaboration with Oliver Goldsmith, and handmade shoes from Japanese designer Daiko Kimura—whose workshop is in the basement. A shoemaker in the cellar? Sounds plenty Dickensian to us
13-14 Portsmouth St., London, +44-207-405-9891

A mere five years after releasing the already retro-minded T610 (among the first camera phones), Sony Ericsson has introduced its successor, the T700. Despite the time elapsed, it doesn't really look all that different (if it ain't broke, we guess). The specs, of course, are more '08 than '03: a smaller form factor, a higher-resolution screen, and a 3.2-megapixel camera. Should you throw out your iPhone for this? Probably not. But it's probably time to toss your T610.
Price TBD, sonyericsson.com

[Gizmodo]

"Fame," according to Aaron Rose, "was never part of the plan." Suffice it to say, the gallerist got more than he bargained for when he set up the now-notorious Alleged Gallery on the Lower East Side in the nineties. Showing work by self-trained artists like Mike Mills, Margaret Kilgallen, Geoff McFetridge, and Shepard Fairey, the place helped foment the decade's skate-inspired, DIY design aesthetic. Now Rose is memorializing the moment (again) with Beautiful Losers, the documentary (codirected by Joshua Leonard) that follows his Beautiful Losers touring exhibition and Beautiful Losers book. Out this weekend, the film is an unapologetically subjective overview of the scene—a trip down memory lane for hipsters who were there, a handy guide for everyone who wasn't.

Tonight's NYC screening is presented by Nike Sportswear, which has also tapped the Alleged crew's talents for a series of "Make Something" workshops for kids in New York, San Francisco, and L.A. Naturally, there's a shoe, too: a series of Beautiful Losers-inspired Dunks, covered with still shots from the film. Fame, meet frame.
beautifullosers.com

At precisely 8:08 a.m. Eastern time, Beijing kicked off its little two-week sporting event. Inside the Bird's Nest, director Zhang Yimou oversaw 15,000 performers, while artist Cai Guo-Qiang lit up a massive firework display. Schmaltzy? Maybe. But when a new superpower introduces itself with the director of House of Flying Daggers and a budget of $41 billion (with a "b"), we're kinda curious. Bob Costas fans (you know who you are) can tune in tonight for NBC's tape-delayed broadcast, the rest of us can enjoy CCTV footage via YouTube right now (see below).
7:30 p.m., NBC, tonight (12-hour tape delay)

Toucan Sam, fashion icon? Tomorrow, Classickicks' Nick Santora will debut his collaboration with Vans, based on the classic Era style from the seventies—another epoch in which luridness was deemed close to godliness. Good news for more modern appetites: The Froot Loops-hued styles won't rot your teeth—or your budget.
$65, available tomorrow at Classickicks, 298 Elizabeth St., NYC, (212) 979-9514, classickicks.com

[Freshness]

The product placement, the promotion, the fancy camera work—yep, the Olympics are pretty much one long sporting goods ad. So in the spirit (if not the Spirit) of the Games, we picked the five most compelling pieces of gear you'll see in the next few weeks—some of which (like the Adidas Lone Star racing spikes, pictured) might actually be headed to your local sporting goods store. (And only three of which are from Nike.)

Click here for a slideshow >

Opening today inside Hollywood Trading Company (which is itself inside Fred Segal Santa Monica): a pop-up store from The Generic Man. The shop will have a few exclusives, including Canvas Chuckmans in black or gray from TGM's Spring '09 collection. But the real action happens at the August 23 opening party, where the brand will launch its new Re-Edit collection (pictured). The kicks are handmade from vintage army materials, making them both eco-friendly—after all, this is the land of the Prius—and stylish. (Note: Enthusiasm for actual militarism not required.) Can't make it to L.A.? The shoes will see an international release next January.
The Generic Man Pop-Up Store, Hollywood Trading Co. at Fred Segal Santa Monica, 420 Broadway, (310) 451-9002, thegenericman.com

Five things worth knowing today

- Not sure if you've heard: There's something going on in Beijing.
- Aspiring arena rockers bare their teeth at the US Air Guitar Championships in San Francisco.
- Soulful gentlemen Cass McCombs and Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson play a free show at New York's South Street Seaport.
- Today in 1974, Richard Nixon announced his resignation from the presidency.
- And today in 1937, Dustin Hoffman was born. Acting legend and two-time Oscar winner, but not above the occasional conversation with an Italian Rubik's Cube:

A questionable addition to the ever-expanding world of Google Maps mash-ups comes to us via Thrillist: CityFile.com's map of celebrity owned-, backed-, or promotionally indebted-New York City restaurants. Vintage Law & Order fanatics may be pleased to discover that Benjamin Bratt and Jill Hennessy are cobackers of a Gramercy-area market restaurant; everybody else will be irked to remember that it's co-investor Courtney Love who took their table at The Spotted Pig. Say what you will about Ms. Love: That is one shrewd businesswoman.

Not included just yet: Graydon Carter's newest acquisition, Midtown's historic The Monkey Bar. And if it turns out to be anything like Carter's ultra-exclusive bastion of class, the Waverly Inn, you and Courtney have about equal chance of a table.

If the prospect of celebrating Beijing by watching 88 hipsters beat drums is a turnoff, consider Manhattan's Opening Ceremony, which is offering more eclectic fare—72 hours of it, actually. The party begins tomorrow night and continues over the weekend, featuring such diverse activities as a Scrabble tournament hosted by MTV's SuChin Pak (6-9 a.m., Saturday); tattoos by Saved Tattoo's Scott Campbell (9-11 a.m., Saturday); astrological readings by Susan Miller (8-10 p.m., Saturday); and our favorite, a Ping-Pong tournament hosted by jewelry designer Philip Crangi, who reportedly has never played the game before (1-4 a.m., Sunday). "My business partner Carol [Lim] and I grew up in the suburbs with stores that stay open late, like Kmart and Target," says Opening Ceremony cofounder Humberto Leon. "We liked that idea, but it didn't work for us when we took the staff into account." They're making up for it now, apparently: If there's no one working the floor on Monday, you'll know exactly what happened.
Aug. 8-10 at Opening Ceremony, 35 Howard St., NYC, (212) 219-2688, openingceremony.us

I've given up feigning interest in sports—yes, even in pre-Olympic Beijing. But that's okay, I wasn't there to watch Michael Phelps. I went to see the city's art scene, second only to Berlin's on the list of ones to watch. Galleries are mushrooming there faster than branches of American Apparel (yes, Dov Charney's in China, too). They pop up so fast that printed guides like Red Box can't keep up: a sticky problem when the only way of directing taxi drivers around to the next spot is smiling hopefully while jabbing repeatedly on a map.

Many of the best spaces are in the oddly named 798 District, where a Communist-era weapons factory is now a throbbing and crowded art mall. The must-see space is the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, a sprawling complex funded by sugar magnate Guy Ullens and his wife Myriam, a couple of charming, well-bronzed Belgians (no, Belgians aren't typically bronzed, but trust me, these two make George Hamilton look pasty). The center's summer show opened last month with "Diving," a queasy performance from He Yunchang that had the artist trussed up, head first, for a David Blaine-style endurance test. The gallery was so hot from the hordes of gawkers, who were skittishly arranged in a wide circle round the artist, that Mr. He hired a handkerchief-brandishing flunky whose sole role was to mop his sweaty brow.

With no warning whatsoever, Aston Martin just dropped a new supercar: the One-77, which (as the name suggests) will have a limited run of 77 editions. (Yes, it's a rendering, but the vehicle is headed for production.) It's the carmaker's first new design since Ford sold it, and as such, probably provides a pretty good hint as to where the new owners are headed. (Also only a hint: what's under the hood. The engine's a 7.0-liter V-12, but no word on exact horsepower.) Be ready to save up, though: It'll cost one million pounds, or roughly two million greenbacks.

[Left Lane News]

They might not be reinventing the sound system, but even still the components in Boston Acoustics' new Vista series cut an intriguing silhouette: The speakers are molded in a wavelike design, which helps to reduce resonant noise bouncing off the panels. Like the 500-watt subwoofer pictured here, each is available in a high-gloss cherry or black lacquer (and comes in floor-standing and bookshelf models). But be advised, potential buyers: Just because Boston's in the name, doesn't mean you have to waste the system's power on the band.
$1,700, available at bostonacoustics.com

Tweed and camo might not usually go together, but they've actually got more in common than you'd think: The estate tweeds worn by Britain's landed gentry not only allowed families to differentiate themselves, they also blended into the landscape—all the better for hunting. That's what attracted camouflage obsessive and cultish British streetwear purveyor Hardy Blechman of Maharishi, who's releasing a collection featuring the material this fall. For the line, Maharishi collaborated with Moon & Son, a venerable Yorkshire-based mill. "They are so stuck in their ways," Blechman says. "They were shocked when we wanted an orange windowpane in our pattern." The line features the fabric in crewneck sweatshirts, shoes, and military-style hunting jackets (pictured). And while orange windowpane won't exactly allow you to go incognito, the idea's there—in spirit, at least.
$546, available at emaharishi.com

Looks like somebody's a fan of the iPhone: Nikon just announced its S60, which has only two (count 'em) buttons—one for power and one for the shutter. Everything else you do via touch screen. We're not sure how well that'll work (just try reading, let alone using, your LCD screen on a sunny day), but the clean design is undeniably appealing. Look for it this September, when it will set you back $350.

For an extra $150, Nikon will sell you its Coolpix P6000 (below), which includes not only a bunch of buttons but also a pop-up flash, an Ethernet port, and GPS, for geotagging your pictures. (It's helpful if you use Flickr or just habitually forget where you were last night.) You'll also find some top-of-the-line specs (a 13.5-megapixel sensor, 4x optical zoom) when it's out next month.
Nikonusa.com

For her latest project, French industrial designer Matali Crasset took to drink—literally. Crasset created a series of glass bottles, decanters, and goblets to be displayed at In Vino Veritas at Bratislava's Gandy Gallery, all of which are slightly off-kilter: Bottles perch on two legs, balance teetering funnels, or spout Crucifix swizzle sticks from their necks (pictured). (If you're looking for a drinking vessel to complement your Justice jeans, you won't find better than this.) Not headed to Bratislava anytime soon? Dezeen has a full gallery, luckily enough; we're betting this show will be the talk of the louche Eurasian oligarch scene this fall.
Opens Sept. 22 at Gandy Gallery, Panenską 30, Bratislava, Slovakia, gandy-gallery.com

[Dezeen]

August has its detractors, but fashion makes good use of the month: Fall clothes begin to hit stores, and as they do, ad campaigns hit the magazines. Given their lavish budgets, they often rival editorial for finesse (not our editorial, mind you, but hey, we can't speak for everyone). Below, we've rounded up some of the best from some of the best. From Prada's blue mood to Dolce's raffish farmstead to Lanvin's Chaplin-esque crowd (pictured), there's something here to suit every taste. Sure, you've probably seen them before, but have you seen them before in one place?

Click here for our slideshow >

Last summer's BoaDrum, a Brooklyn drum circle organized by avant-rock Japanese band the Boredoms (pictured), was so successful—even among those who don't wear American Apparel—that the band's repeating it tomorrow. Called 88BoaDrum, this year's event, set in Manhattan, is to feature 88 drummers, arranged in a circle, who will drum for precisely 88 minutes, beginning, of course, at 8:08 p.m. (One more way to commemorate the Olympics, we guess.) In the meantime, an identical event will take place at the La Brea tar pits in L.A. starting three hours later. Those who'd like to attend should start with Craigslist—tickets to both events are completely gone. It's no wonder: Despite the racket, the energy here ought to put other outdoor concerts to shame. Your move, All Points West.
88 Boadrum NY, East River Park, NYC, 8:08 p.m.; 88 Boadrum L.A., 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, 8:08 p.m.

Just in time for make-believe outrage over the censoring of Eva Mendes' nipple, IFC premieres a new documentary, Larry Flynt: The Right to Be Left Alone. Those seeking smut should be advised: Joan Brooker-Marks' film is light on titillation but heavy on First Amendment saber-clashing, featuring Flynt's early diatribes from prison (jailed after he wore a diaper made out of the American flag to court) and vintage interviews. Less sanitized than the '98 biopic, this is the version of the story Michael Moore would prefer. Check the extended preview below.
9 p.m., IFC

Last we checked, "hat head" referred to that unflattering matting effect usually seen in baseball cap-enthusiasts. But in the hands of Brooklyn milliner Victor Osborne, we're inclined to think the phrase has a future as a compliment. (Barneys must think so too—it's picked up the line for fall.) Ditch the McCarren Pool-adored fedora for the unexpected bowler, or, if you must, at least freshen it up a bit with Osborne's textured reworking. Hats off to the man for a worthy revision? Nah, we'll keep ours on, thanks.
Bowler, $250, available at Victor Osborne, 364 Leonard St., Brooklyn, victorosborne.com; Miles Fedora, price TBD, at Barneys New York, barneys.com

Five things worth knowing today

- The PGA Championship kicks off in the long shadow of 8/8/08. Sorry, guys.
- The continent's best roll into Basel for the European Skateboarding Championships.
- The American Black Film Festival begins in L.A.
- Today in 1782, George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit—later renamed the Purple Heart.
- And today in 1975, Oscar-winner and Dior model Charlize Theron was born. Below, Theron's seductive wiles:

That's the cue we're taking from HP's upcoming new line of ultralight notebook PCs. Based (as most new computers tend to be) on Intel's new Centrino 2 processor, the laptops come with solid specs (Wi-Fi, upwards of 320-gig hard drives, HDMI inputs) and are, of course, tiny (12.1 inches, and about four pounds). Hey, who couldn't afford to drop a few pounds for fall?
From $999, shopping.hp.com

[Crave]

Open this week at London's Victoria & Albert Museum, Fashion vs. Sport chronicles the colorful intersections between the two fields, from Vivienne Westwood's Spring 2008 tracksuits and obsessive sneaker collectors (like one we know) to recent work from designers like Aitor Throup, Bernard Wilhelm, and American-born Jeremy Scott. There's hardly a look here that would be suitable for the Olympic fields, but at least athletically minded Britons can spectate in style.
Through January 4, at V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Rd., London, (011) 44-020-7942-2000, vam.ac.uk

The world of vegan accessories has not typically yielded much that works beyond the ashram or Lilith Fair, so it's a compliment indeed when we say that if we didn't know that Vancouver-based Matt & Nat's line was all-veg, well, we might not know. The Jobs briefcase and laptop bag—guess they're Mac guys—is smart, understated, and, at $258, pretty affordable. You may miss the missing ingredient, but think of it this way: Less cow for briefcase, more cow for eatin'. (Just don't tell Matt & Nat.)
$258, available at Alter, 109 Franklin St., Brooklyn, alterbrooklyn.blogspot.com

Somewhere in an HBO conference room, a producer's getting chewed out—Ari Gold-style, no doubt—for not covering the Cuban-missile-crisis that is Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. The silver lining? In this season's Hardknocks, premiering tonight, NFL Films follows a team just as likely to implode: the Dallas Cowboys and their new professional wrestler (Pacman Jones), humble receiver (Terrell Owens), and good-luck charm (Jessica Simpson). The five-episode series follows the team as they prep for the fall: Expect the action on the field to pale compared to what happens off of it.
HBO, 10 p.m.

Congratulations, America: Even as our currency continues to falter, it takes home top honors in at least one category—having the highest amounts of trace cocaine of any bills on the planet. This according to a new study by those party guys at Trends in Analytical Chemistry, which found traces of the drug on nearly every bill in circulation in every country. It bears noting that currency in Germany and Ireland showed significantly lower concentrations, presumably because their citizens prefer their countries' native liquid vices.

[Live Science via Scandalist]

Seems like they'll let practically anybody into the Playboy Mansion these days: Weezer, Larry David, and now those who are willing to pony up for admission (and wear pajamas and/or lingerie). According to Page Six, Hef and staff are selling tickets to the annual Midsummer Night's Dream party this Saturday, which used to be the exclusive province of "A-list celebrities and the world's most beautiful women." (In other words, prols not allowed.) Probably unrelated: Playboy Enterprises Inc. just posted a second quarter loss—only $2.1 million, but even still. Those smoking jackets don't come cheap.

Rachel Comey has just released images of her men's footwear for Spring 2009, a cheeky collection of simple, oxford-inspired bucks in a rainbow of sherbet colors. (For the less adventurous, they also come, as pictured, in neutrals.) Comey's discreet updates of classic styles show she knows when not to mess with a good thing, or a good investment: Anyone who's sunk a month's pay into a Thom Browne suit will be glad to see that the forecast looks ankle-happy at least through next spring.
For more information, visit rachelcomey.com

Perhaps. Rumor has it that Mazda will introduce a hydrogen-powered RX in four years. Based in part on the RX-8 Hydrogen RE—an eco-friendly coupe first introduced at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show—the new RX-9 will be 20-percent more fuel-efficient than a gas-based model. More importantly, it'll take the shape of the Taiki concept (pictured), a mean-looking machine introduced last year at Tokyo. All this is conjecture, of course, and even if it's true, you won't see one of these on your tail anytime soon.

[AutoExpress via Autoblog]

Is scrimping and saving on an HD TV a good idea? Hard to say—satisfied Vizio customers will tell you one thing, while Sony Bravia aficionados will tell you another. Somewhere between those extremes is Sharp's new moderately priced SB series. They offer solid specs—full 1080p high-def, decent response time (for scenes with a lot of movement), and an affordable price. The 42-inch model goes for $1,400, while the 52 retails at $2,300—but expect those numbers to come down once they hit big-box retailers later this month.

[Gizmodo]

Steven Sebring's directorial debut is a rock doc of sorts—in Patti Smith: Dream of Life, screening now in Manhattan, the renowned photographer examines the hard life and tough poetry of the pop and literary icon. As you'd expect with a project that's been over a decade in the making, there's a book attached: A limited number of copies will be available for purchase in New York during the film's run. The published stills are stunning, which comes as no surprise (the doc won the Cinematography Award at this past year's Sundance Festival). If you're not in New York—or not quick enough to nab one of the 75 copies—not to worry: It'll be available to even those who are less art-rock-inclined come the end of the month.
$31.50, available Aug. 26 at amazon.com; Patti Smith: Dream of Life is playing through Aug. 19 at The Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St., NYC, (212) 727-8110, filmforum.org

Perhaps inspired by the success of Common Projects, a boatload of shoemakers have been rolling out logo-free sneaks. (We're not complaining.) The latest? Adidas, whose Rod Laver Clean Pack kicks come in all-white, in either low or medium tops. Think of 'em as Adidas for people who hate the Adidas logo.
About $108, zozo.jp

[Hypebeast]

Summer's not even over, and already they're memorializing it: Bring Me Back a T-Shirt, a new group show opening tonight in Manhattan, offers four artists' ripostes to the sort of prefab keepsakes sold at souvenir shops. Curator Erik Lindman figured artists could do better than the ubiquitous T-shirt: Works here include Ezra, a mixed-media piece by Sam Moyer that recalls a recent trip to the Badlands; Davis Rhodes' diamond sculpture, which reflects the gallery through its prism; and Lindman's own abstract paintings. But be advised: Like summer, the show is fleeting. It's only up for three days, so see it by Saturday, or you won't have anything to remember at all.
August 6-9 at V&A, 98 Mott St., 2nd fl., NYC, (212) 966-5754, vandanyc.com

Five things worth knowing today

- It's Nag Panchami, the day when India and Nepal celebrate the sacred cobra. (If not duly honored, it apparently screws up the monsoons.)
- Expect to hear plentiful strains of "Don't Worry, Be Happy" at Jamaica's Independence Day celebrations.
- Tonight on the Discovery Channel, the MythBusters guys tenderize steak—with explosives. Medium-rare is probably off the table.
- Today in 1926, Houdini submerged himself in water for 91 minutes before escaping.
- And today in 1928, Andy Warhol was born. Pop artist, filmmaker, music impresario—and ineffectual spokesperson? See below:

Fashion has its fair share of scenery-chewers—those who place themselves in the spotlight as frequently as they do their clothes. But there are quieter oracles to be found in sartorial quarters, too: Case in point, the reclusive Belgian designer Martin Margiela, who rarely gives interviews and is never photographed. At JC Report, Jason Campbell profiles the man and the brand, whose impeccable tailoring and understated elegance has won a loyal following—especially among those who don't care to advertise their good taste. As the Margiela-wearing designer Edward Buchanan says, "I like that it is in a sense discreet, but those who know, know." Fancy that: Without a word, message received, loud and clear.

[JC Report via Selectism]

There's no stopping Zaha—the globe-trotting architect and her firm have released the design for their latest project, a high-end residential development in Singapore. It's business as usual for the Pritzker-winner: The complex's organic shapes (seven undulating towers and 12 villas enclosing private gardens and terraces) are typical Hadid. So is the project's grandiose scale: The completed development will be the largest in the history of the city.

[World Architecture News]

The basics-retailer's latest ad campaign features notables like Visionaire editor Cecilia Dean, screenwriter David Benioff, and (our favorite) photographer Scott Schuman, a.k.a. the Sartorialist. Nice to see him on the other side of the camera for once—not commenting on trends, mind you, but actually representing them.

Concerns about fuel economy and increasingly modular design might have conspired to make the average modern automobile, well, boring, but that wasn't always the case—or at least it wasn't supposed to be. Opening this Saturday at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, 1950s and 1960s "Dream Car" Model-rama features 69 models from student competitions run by GM from 1937 to 1968. Winners received scholarship funds and some went on to careers in the auto industry; the 1961 design pictured here is by Ron Will, for instance, who later worked for GM and then Subaru North America. The designers were only teens when they built these—prime model-building years, we guess—but together they depict a vision of the future that sadly never was (outside of science-fiction comics, that is).
August 9-10, Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston, (617) 267-9300, mfa.org

Click here for a slideshow of our favorite designs >

Industrial designer James Piatt's prototype touch-screen (pictured) offers an intriguing vision of mobile design (for those whose fingers, say, are just too big to work their iPhones). The Plica's touch-screens comprise almost the entire device: It folds opens to reveal two of them, which can operate either in tandem as viewing screen and keyboard or as a single screen, allowing for a much larger usable area. It's got a headphone jack and USB port, too, but as yet, pricing, availability, and any other specs are TBA. In other words, Apple needn't worry—yet.

[Device Daily]

For three years, Sonos has been refining the art of streaming music wirelessly. (Don't say we didn't tell you.) Today, it introduced two new devices: the ZonePlayer 120 and ZonePlayer 90. Each will help you blast your tunes anywhere in the house, though the former (center) includes a 55-watt amp inside its tiny five-pound frame. The line still ain't cheap—$1,000 for the whole system (including the $400 controller, left), though you can buy each element separately.
ZP120, $499; ZP 90, $349; available as a unit for $999, sonos.com

Corporate killer? Match your neckwear to your attitude with Rag & Bone's dagger tie. But keep it symbolic, please: Blood and silk/wool blends don't mix.
$108, available at Blackbird

Japanese label Sophnet has been raiding the classics for years, and its Fall/Winter 2008 collection is no exception. The designers have borrowed liberally from the plaid playbook—Malcolm McLaren's, that is, not your grandfather's. Their one-button wool tuxedo jacket, pictured, is an appealing sneer at formalwear, a black eye for black tie. Unfortunately for would-be Pistols in the States, it's only available in Europe and Asia.
Approximately $616; for more information and stockists, visit soph.net

[via Guillotine]

Having spent the past few days reading fellow Minnesotan David Carr's The Night of the Gun (maybe you've heard of it?), I'm more than ready to declare it the stand-up-and-cheer crackhead memoir of the summer (on that Arianna Huffington and I apparently agree). Carr's reportorial approach to the material—his own—deserves the props it's received, but in the end the draw is pretty much the same as with any other worthwhile memoir: good writing, plus the universal appeal of rubbernecking at someone else's wreckage. (If only other people's wreckages were so wildly entertaining.) The book, which hits stores today, also happens to be a handy reminder of two other immutable truths. Crack? That shit really is wack. But Minneapolis in the eighties? Not such a bad place to be.
The Night of the Gun: A Reporter Investigates the Darkest Story of His Life—His Own, $15.60, available at amazon.com