James Shorrock, contributor for Hypebeast.com has featured the event on their website.

This Electropolished Steel Foosball Table ($4,000) is crafted in Spain from electropolished steel and hardy iroko wood.

Creative Mornings in September was back here at the Kim Sing Theatre and we were honored to have acclaimed photographer/music video director Nabil Elderkin in the house. His claim to fame is being Kanye West’s first photographer but he eventually parlayed that initial success into working with a number of high profile artists including Frank Ocean, Bon Iver, Bruno Mars and Damian Marley.

In this particular Creative Mornings, the typical 30 minute talk format went out the window and an interview format took its place. Our host, John Setzen, mixed it up in order to fit the unique body of work by our guest speaker.

Perhaps the first question that comes to mind when an artist has been lucky enough to work with a high profile figures is, how do you get that big break? For Nabil, it started by simply being an early fan.

Raised in Australia, Nabil moved to Chicago at the age of 17 where he studied photography. He spent several years photographing Chicago-based bands and DJ’s. After hearing a Kanye West mixtape, he tried contacting the rapper via kanyewest.com which didn’t exist, so he quickly purchased the domain on impulse. Shortly thereafter, the label that just signed Kanye contacted Nabil requesting to purchase kanyewest.com from him. Instead of money, Nabil requested that he be allowed to meet and photograph Kanye. Those photographs eventually went on to be used as the rapper’s first publicity photos. I know. Crazy story, right?

As the audience, we had the opportunity to view snippets of his previous work and listen to Nabil recount his experiences doing each piece. The host along with the audience had the opportunity to learn about his creative process, what it’s like to create music videos, and what inspired him in each piece. Being LA, having a speaker that works in film was a special treat for many in the audience.

It was another packed crowd for Creative Mornings and another inspirational way to start our days.

Willard Ford's 722 Figueroa cards next to Geneva's Model S

The S and XS models were the the biggest hits not only because of their reasonable price points, but also because of their versatility. This is especially true with the new XS, the first portable audio system with true Hi-Fi sound. At the reasonable $249.99 price and it’s numerous travel features (hard shell, bluetooth capable, rechargeable lithium battery, etc) the Agenda attendees were definitely impressed.

Agenda attendees showed a great response to the Geneva line of products

This was among the first efforts to introduce Geneva to the fashion industry and it won’t be the last. After Agenda, we definitely see a home for these sleek designs in fashion retailers. Make sure to keep an eye out for a Geneva Sound System at your favorite store.

Now in its seventh year, Dwell on Design showcased yet another packed LA Convention Center full of the industry’s most compelling design products. Everything from chairs to solar panels, lamps, and even prefab buildings were on display. We at Ford & Ching were most excited to show our support to our brands exhibiting at the tradeshow as well as see what’s next and best in design. See below for a recap of some of the event’s highlights:

Two of Ford & Ching’s brands made their way onto the Design Innovation Stage: David Trubridge of David Trubridge lighting and Daniel Wacholder of Cerno Lighting. They were among the guest panelists in the presentation entitled, Illuminated: Independent Lighting Design for the Modern World. The range of topics in their discussion ranged from innovations in lighting to the future of lighting design. Audience members also had the opportunity to learn in depth about the history of each brand and how innovations in technology and changes in the world shaped their product lines today. 

David Trubridge displayed the newest lights in his product line including the aluminum series Coral and the Mini Grow series. The black background staging created a visually engaging booth and attendees had high praise for the new additions.

Our friends over at Cerno getting a lot of love from the event attendees.

The guys at Cerno consistently drew a solid crowd as they presented their classic pieces as well as a couple of their new pieces. Make sure to visit them at cernogroup.com to see their full product line.

Modfire’s second showing at Dwell on Design was an even bigger hit than their first. They’ve added to their product line since their 2011 showing and the attendees were pleased with what they saw. From the table sized Tablefire to the giant Bonfire, Modfire put their best foot forward by presenting their entire line and the new finish options.

Shown above, designer Brandon Williams and partner Marty Young entertaining the consistent flow of traffic at their booth.

New to Dwell on Design was the Arizona brand Hard Goods. Friends of Modfire and studio neighbors, they made a strong premier at Dwell on Design by winning 1st Place in the highly competitive Furniture category. Check out their stunning concrete chairs above, especially how good the Modfire “Urbanfire” looks next to them!

Overall, it was an exciting 3 days for Dwell Magazine and for the entire Ford & Ching team. We look forward to next year’s Dwell on Design and what they may have in store for us then. We’ll even do our best to bring back the VIP after party to the Kim Sing Theatre (fingers crossed!) but no promises.

A modern take on the outdoor fireplace, the propane-burning Modfire (2011) is handcrafted in Arizona. Designer Brandon Williams designed the first Modfire for his own use, and today he has a team of craftspeople working in his studio. Typically, a single artisan will work with a Modfire from start to finish, hand-forming the distinctive openings, ensuring the strength of each weld and the matching the consistency of each curve. “It’s difficult work, but this is what we do to make beautiful, compelling pieces,” says Williams. “Clean lines and great design compel me.” With the simple turn of a valve and flick of a lighter, the Modfire provides an instant fire that’s wonderfully smoke free. The organic shape of the opening nicely frames the flames, and the two-sided design allows enjoyment of the fire from multiple viewpoints. A modern star burner mounted to the firebowl provides an evenly dispersed flame, and a 10-foot-long flex-hose is included for attaching the Modfire to your propane tank. Made in U.S.A.

• This is a propane-burning outdoor fireplace.
• Attaches to a 20lb propane tank (not included) like most gas grills.

White is a DWR Exclusive.

The design world is heading west this month as Dwell on Design comes to Los Angeles June 22-24. The three day lifestyle event features the newest products and innovations from industry giants and up and coming kick starters. With over 2000 products scheduled to showcase this year it is hard to image how attendees will be able to fit in at least one of 150 lectures, three tours of modern homes, an inside look to the future with 5 full scale prefab houses and a slew of demonstration. While creatively exhausting, the event is must for industry insiders and design enthusiast alike. This year is exceptionally exciting as Ford&Ching brands David Trubridge and Modfire have some new tricks up their sleeves.

New Zealand lighting designer David Trubridge (booth 907) is set to showcase the much awaited and highly anticipated Coral 600. Based off his famous Coral design, the aluminum constructed lights take Trubridge’s icon designs into the outdoor arena, perfect for patios and courtyards alike. Lacking an outdoor space or room for a traditional Trubridge light? The new Mini-Grow series has you covered. A fraction of the size of their bigger brothers, the Mini-Grow is available in the Hinaki, Koura and Kina styles and will be showcased at this year’s event.

Downsizing seems to be a common theme this year as fire feature brand Modfire (booth 1006) releases Tablefire: a scaled down version of their Urban Campfire. Ideal for both indoor and outdoor use, the Tablefire provides the same design presence to your table top that our larger Modfire products give your outdoor space. Designer and Modfire craftsman Brandon Williams is already a Dwell favorite having won the 2011 Dwell on Design award for Best Furniture and Accessory Design.

So as you meander through some of the design world’s best and brightest designers, be sure to stop by and see what’s new with both David Trubridge (booth 907) and Modfire (booth 1006).

Creative Mornings Los Angeles played their part in this uniform theme by inviting Victoria Davis, CEO/Founder of Space Dog Books. They’re an interactive book publishing company for the iPad and the desktop app store. In other words, they take children’s books to the next level, the 21^st century level. Readers can now tap, rotate, swipe, and shake their iPad ebook for a full interactive reading experience. Victoria’s background as an illustrator and graphic designer influences the central theme of Space Dog Books: high quality art and content. By pairing a strong aesthetic with innovative interactivity, Victoria is breaking new ground in the book publishing industry.

Photo courtesy of Spacedogbooks.com

Now for those traditionalists out there, you may already be lamenting the death of the printed page and these type of ebooks are added salt to your wounds. We know, it’s tragic; magazines no longer publish, books no longer print, and everything goes online. But the magic of a good story isn’t lost in an electronic medium. At least that’s the case that Victoria Davis makes in her 30 minute talk. In fact, she may even go as far as to assert that her interactive ebooks can enhance the reading experience for her readers, and by readers I mean first-time readers—children.

Courtesy of Spacedogbooks.com

Today, Victoria’s presentation began by addressing ebook critics by recounting the many times throughout history when a technological innovation was fused with art and met resistance by society. You can call it an elaborate route to state her case for adopting the tech-based book format. Transitioning from history lesson to practical professional advice, Victoria spoke of actionable steps that fellow designers and artists in the room could apply in their own pursuits. These steps included collaborating with other artist/designers and focusing on your particular strengths instead of chasing the newest trends or aesthetics.

Victoria rounded out her presentation with a little Q&A and motivational talk leaving the room satisfied with another successful Creative Mornings.

Another packed Creative Mornings at the Kim Sing Theatre!

Make sure to check out Victoria Davis and Space Dog Books at www.spacedogbooks.com and of course our good friends over at creativemornings.com. Next week, Creative Mornings takes a break from the Kim Sing Theatre and hops over to the other side of town at Launchpad in Santa Monica. Check out creativemornings.com for details.

With the rise of mechanization in the design world, traditional crafted object are becoming relics of a relinquished handcrafted past. Despite this, Los Angeles based furniture/jewelry designer Tanya Aguiñiga dedicated herself to designing, hand dyeing, hand sewing, and hand crafting creating furniture that responds to the user’s spatial needs. Such practices result in a playful and organic modernist approach to form.

Tanya’s work is informed by border experiences: the interconnectedness of societies, the beauty in struggle and the celebration of culture. Her understanding of the dynamics of life results from a childhood spent traveling between her country of birth, the United States, and Tijuana, Mexico, the place of her upbringing. She uses furniture as ways to translate emotions into a three dimensional objects and tell stories trough color and touch. Her work encourages users to reconsider the objects they use on a daily basis by creating work that explores an objects’ unseen aspect, such as half chairs that rely on the wall to function and whose image is only complete as its shadow is cast upon the wall.

Tanya has also dedicated much of her time to using art as a vehicle for community empowerment. While studying design at San Diego State University, she began working as an educator at the San Diego Museum of Art and created collaborative installations with the Border Arts Workshop BAW/TAF, a bi-national artists’ group that engages the languages of activism and community-based public art. Through BAW/TAF she helped to build and run a community center in an impoverished area of Tijuana built on trash from the US. For the 6 years she worked there, she focused on bringing national and international attention to the community’s plight through arts only based programs.

After earning an MFA in furniture design from Rhode Island School of Design in 2005, Aguiñiga settled in Los Angeles where she continues to designs and hand makes all of her work. Still focused on her community outreach efforts, Tanya hopes to deepen her commitment to ethical design by working with traditional artisans to connect local craft traditions with a global economy. With such valiant achievements in the design world, international accolades were bound to follow.

Tanya has been an artist in residence at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts and The Native Art Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. Her work has been exhibited from Mexico City to Milan and she was recently named a United States Artists Target Fellow in the field of Crafts and Traditional Arts. Further, Tanya has been included in major international publications such as Wallpaper magazine, “Pure Design, Objects of Desire” published by Monsa Editions in Spain, and has even made the cover of American Craft magazine.

The Infinity Bench is available for view and purchase from our friends at Property in NYC.

New York based design house Lerival continues the spirit begun by the great modernist architects by bridging the gap between architects and product designers. Fueled by co-founder Dominique Gonfard’s passion for contemporary architecture, Lerival’s line exhibits elements of contemporary architecture’s advanced design sensibility  such as versatile modularity, personality-driven forms and high performance in one cohesive package.

Gonfard’s architectural background began at the Parsons School of Design where she earned a Masters of Architecture. During her time at Parsons, Gonfard placed strong focus upon material research and the design-build process which gave her a first-hand understanding of the importance of a comprehensive design, one in which materials, detailing, and end-use are considered throughout the design process.

Gonfard later moved on to become a Project Architect at nARCHITECTS, involved in projects ranging in scale from temporary installations and interior renovations with custom furnishings to city-scale urban planning. While she appreciated the fundamentals of architecture, Gonfard was aware of its possible drawbacks; mainly the cost and duration of projects which greatly limited its audience.

Lerival was founded when Gonfard learnt many contemporary firms were exploring furniture design alongside their architectural projects. This notion of designing from the inside out is a key element to Lerival’s overall philosophy, essentially translating an architectural mindset onto a much smaller scale which in the process allows a much larger clientele a chance to own a piece of design history in the making.

Each Lerival design is developed within a contemporary mindset which evokes urban, elegant, confident, and forward-thinking sensibilities. With sculptural, strong personality forms, innovative materials, and meticulous fabrication, Lerival offers a true market alternative, ushering in a new era of independent, entrepreneurial and multifarious designers who want to elevate the design discourse in the US and beyond.

]]> http://fordandching.com/2012/06/spotlight-on-lerival/feed/ 0 http://fordandching.com/2012/06/design-milk-features-david-trubridge-lighting-in-ny-design-week-recap/ http://fordandching.com/2012/06/design-milk-features-david-trubridge-lighting-in-ny-design-week-recap/#comments Fri, 01 Jun 2012 20:27:30 +0000 Intern http://fordandching.com/?p=3295 http://fordandching.com/2012/06/design-milk-features-david-trubridge-lighting-in-ny-design-week-recap/feed/ 0 http://fordandching.com/2012/06/coolhunting-features-david-trubridge-lighting-from-wanted-design/ http://fordandching.com/2012/06/coolhunting-features-david-trubridge-lighting-from-wanted-design/#comments Fri, 01 Jun 2012 20:13:30 +0000 Intern http://fordandching.com/?p=3294 http://fordandching.com/2012/06/coolhunting-features-david-trubridge-lighting-from-wanted-design/feed/ 0 http://fordandching.com/2012/06/rs-barcelona-featured-on-notcots-favorites-of-ny-design-week/ http://fordandching.com/2012/06/rs-barcelona-featured-on-notcots-favorites-of-ny-design-week/#comments Fri, 01 Jun 2012 20:00:16 +0000 Intern http://fordandching.com/?p=3293 http://fordandching.com/2012/06/rs-barcelona-featured-on-notcots-favorites-of-ny-design-week/feed/ 0 http://fordandching.com/2012/05/inhabitat-features-david-trubridge-lighting-from-wanted-design/ http://fordandching.com/2012/05/inhabitat-features-david-trubridge-lighting-from-wanted-design/#comments Thu, 31 May 2012 23:06:05 +0000 Intern http://fordandching.com/?p=3291 http://fordandching.com/2012/05/inhabitat-features-david-trubridge-lighting-from-wanted-design/feed/ 0 http://fordandching.com/2012/05/rs3-wood-featured-on-gizmodo/ http://fordandching.com/2012/05/rs3-wood-featured-on-gizmodo/#comments Wed, 23 May 2012 19:30:44 +0000 Intern http://fordandching.com/?p=3287 http://fordandching.com/2012/05/rs3-wood-featured-on-gizmodo/feed/ 0 http://fordandching.com/2012/05/creative-mornings-with-nguyen-tran-of-starry-kitchen/ http://fordandching.com/2012/05/creative-mornings-with-nguyen-tran-of-starry-kitchen/#comments Wed, 23 May 2012 18:06:23 +0000 Intern http://fordandching.com/?p=3279

The May installment of Creative Mornings was a little unusual to say the least. To begin, our assortment of donuts and coffee (courtesy of Media Temple) were sans cups, not normally a problem but being a line was forming around the block, it was not the ideal way to start the morning. Secondly, as Creative Mornings’ Los Angeles director Jon Setzen was greeting guests during interim period between cups, an Asian mustachioed man sporting a commodore hat burst in and explained that his balls would taste great in our mouths’. Probably the strangest of all, however, was that this man was the speaker.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the bizarre antics of restaurateur Nguyen Tran (known as Commodore Boobie McHooters during the lecture), he is the illegally inspired, underground driven cofounder and “social media whore” of Starry Kitchen.

Operating (illegally) out of their North Hollywood apartment, Starry Kitchen became famous when they became the #1 rated Asian restaurant on Yelp, even ahead of the two-star Michelin rated Urasawa. Written about in everything from Los Angeles Magazine to The New Yorker, Starry Kitchen is no longer a secret culinary gem with a permanent, and legal, restaurant in downtown LA.

Tran explained over a roar of laughter how Starry Kitchen, like many of his past endeavors, was a result of “constantly fucking up.” When his wife Thi lost her marketing job, Tran had the wild idea to open their apartment up as a restaurant. Eventually the word spread and Thi’s fusion dishes were attracting dozens if not hundreds of people to try their home made cuisine.

Fans of Starry’s cuisine include Jonathan Gold, Los Angeles magazine food critic Garrett Snyder, and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (who admitted he “loved Tran’s balls in his mouth.”)

Mayor Villaraigosa and Nguyen Tran- image courtesy of starrykitchen.com

As the morning wrapped up with a Q&A session, Tran in his true social manor invited everyone to come down to his new location to eat or just talk. As everyone filled up their last cup of coffee, perused through the last of donuts and set off for the day ahead they were undoubted feeling creative and confused.

After the show antics with Jon Setzen, Nguyen Tran and the Poketo Team.

This week, New York City plays host to the best of contemporary design. A variety of design-centric events will unfold this month but none bigger than the International Contemporary Furniture Fair on May 19-22. This year marks the 24^th year of the annual event and is poised to be another huge success. ICFF showcases the “newest frontier of what’s best and next in design.” Taking place at the Jacob K. Javits Center and sprawled out over 145,000 square feet, this year over 500 exhibitors will be seizing the opportunity to feature the best of their work.

We’re most excited to see our brands, RS-Barcelona at ICFF and David Trubridge at Wanted Design. RS continues to feature playful interpretations of traditional design; effortless combinations of conventional items with a touch of whimsy. Take note of the Hot Dog sofa; no doubt RS-Barcelona is having fun.

This year, their booth features adaptations of familiar favorites. This includes the addition to the RS#3 series with the RS#3 Wood, the UP’s storage system, the Joint Venture bookshelf, and the recent re-issue of the aluminum Eiffel Stool in color.

UP’s is on

After showing the first prototypes of
the UP’s storage system at ICFF
2011, RS is proud to release Werner
Aissinger’s flexible and innovative
modular system. Multiple combinations allow it to be built up from a simple buffet for the dining room to an extensive library for the home or office.

Joint Venture Bookshelf

RS shows you what can be done with just a tube and a shelf. The Joint Venture bookshelf, designed by Matt Gagnon, can be as simple or complex as you wish. The shelves can be placed in four different positions, and joined to the tubes to create patterns and borders that can be repeated or combined, building walls and partitions of blended textures and colors.

Eiffel Stool in Color

First it was paper. Then aluminum. And now, color. The Eiffel stool by Fujishiro Shijeki now comes in color in its aluminum version. In addition to chrome and anodized finishes, they’ve added white, black, yellow, red, and blue. The Kid’s Eiffel is downsized for children and built to take punishment.

RS#3 Wood

For the first time ever, RS is using wood in their football tables. Strong, durable, and lightweight, the RS Wood is an indoor/outdoor table at an attractive price point. Beautiful Iroko wood replaces the metal legs of the original RS#3 and adds an element of sophistication and earthiness to the piece.

Running concurrently during the ICFF weekend is the design event known as WantedDesign NYC. From May 18-21, WantedDesign NYC invites exciting and influential international designers, architects, interior designers, editors, manufacturers, curators, and the media to gather under one roof. New to the design scene, last year marked WantedDesign’s very first event and it achieved an overwhelming positive reception by the design community. This success propelled them to move forward with more events. More than just an exhibition, WantedDesign features design workshops, conversation series, school projects, a pop-up sore, lounges and cafes. It’s a needed supplement to ICFF and serves as a convivial platform to showcase, discuss, collaborate, and inspire.

David Trubridge, all the way from New Zealand, will be manning his booth all weekend.  His designs are contemporary with a strong connection to nature and the sophisticated flavor of the South Pacific. Known for his engaging personality as well as his groundbreaking designs, David Trubridge is sure to be a highlight of the event. His showcase will include additions to his previous Grow Series and Coral lighting and will make the US premier of his Baskets of Knowledge series.

Mini Grow

This series builds on the very successful Mini Coral and Floral launched in 2011. The new offerings are scaled-down versions of the Kina, Koura, and Hinaki lights. Mini Grow is the result of two years of material research and development that yielded a remarkable 3-ply bamboo material 1/32” thick which is durable enough to perform, while still flexible enough to bend to tight design curvatures.

Outdoor Coral

David Trubridge’s seminal Coral design is now available in durable anodized aluminum. Suitable for indoor and outdoor use, these striking lights are equipped with wet location IL electrics and an optional suspension rod is available for stabilizing the light in windy conditions. Lights are available from stock in Black, Gold and Silver with other colors available by special order.

Baskets of Knowledge

Inspired from New Zealand Maori belief that there are three knowledge sources (namely rationality, spirituality and Earth), Baskets of Knowledge is an excellent example of Trubridge’s use of storytelling through design.

Make sure to come by both ICFF say hi to RS-Barcelona and David Trubridge!

Hall 1C, Booth 1004

And don’t forget to make it out to Wanted Design NYC and say hello to the very talented David Trubridge.

It seems too simple that a single purchase can bring prosperity to a troubled and neglected few. Ford&Ching is happy to announce that the enLIGHTen Project seeks to make this a reality. Now through the May 17th,  the charity Kids of Kathmandu’s will be auctioning off lights to raise funds for solar panels, batteries and water purification at our Nepali orphanage. Designs by David Trubridge, Cerno, and Matt Gagnon will be available through the auction and will help provide electricity to those who desperately need it. Your purchase will allow the kids to have lighting, clean water, refrigeration, computers as well as other basic, fundamental sanitary conveniences. The improvement will be profound. And in the long run, measurable, as we see their health and schooling improve. Please click here to participate in this noble event.

]]> http://fordandching.com/2012/05/delabs-obscura-day/feed/ 0 http://fordandching.com/2012/04/creative-mornings-w-dkng-at-the-kim-sing-theatre/ http://fordandching.com/2012/04/creative-mornings-w-dkng-at-the-kim-sing-theatre/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:30:40 +0000 Intern http://fordandching.com/?p=3212 This edition of Creative Mornings returns to the Kim Sing Theatre! Today’s talk featured the innovative design team of DKNG, the letters representing partners Dan Kuhlken and Nathan Goldman. Their most notable clients include Adam Carolla, Aziz Ansari, The Black Keys, Phish, Portlandia, and Flight of the Conchords. Originally known for their prolific work as the Troubadour’s gig poster designers, they’ve successfully branched out and now work with TV shows, entertainers and companies seeking a fresh perspective. In their 30-minute talk, we had the opportunity to look inside their creative process, how they began as a collaborative team, and how they’ve evolved from novice to highly sought-after professionals.

As with every Creative Mornings, doughnuts, coffee, and Boxed Water were on deck.

This Creative Mornings, we mixed it up with the help of Tommy B Photography. For the first time, guests of Creative Mornings had the chance to experience Tommy B’s photo booth and post pics directly to their Facebook and Twitter accounts. Thanks Tommy B! See more of his work here.

The DKNG duo- Dan Kuhlken and Nathan Goldman.

Packed house. Thank you everyone for coming to the Kim Sing!

DKNG showcased their design portfolio and even sold limited edition prints. See their online store here.

Thank you Jon Setzen, DKNG, and everyone that was a part of Creative Mornings. Dan Kuhlken and Nathan Goldman’s presentation was incredibly insightful and I’m sure a great help for aspiring designers and artists. Make sure to drop by the Kim Sing Theatre May 18 where Creative Mornings will be showcasing the founder of Starry Kitchen! Keep an eye on creativemornings.com for details and RSVP info.