Some time ago I have mentioned about MAX.TAN – a fashion label that impressed me with their debut collection in 2010. Now, I am once again pleasantly surprised by their new collection called ‘Liberate’ for Spring/ Summer 2012. A combination of eastern understanding of drapery and western precision in tailoring, ‘Liberate’ recreates the Asian faith traditions on clothing similar to robes in a square form. Precision drafting and menswear elements are formed into new identities to reveal the best of the soft geometrical shapes. The collection of MAX.TAN for the summer season of 2012 states that fashion at its purest form must begin and end with fine construction even when strict tailoring rules are liberated.

We all know that tea is a noble drink and has very strict rituals, but we also know that many people like to enjoy it just for the sake of pleasure. I came across this interesting tea infuser in the form of a small robot that floats in your glass. All you need to do is to put some tea inside the machine and dip it in hot water. The result will not be much different than using an ordinary tea infuser, but the view of robot floating in your glass will definitely be cheering.

If you are tired of the banal images of frozen smiling people, here is the solution. This camera has an integrated slingshot! Yes, this sounds a bit like those jokes when someone asks you what would happen if you merge one thing with another, but this is not a joke. The button of a standard camera is replaced by an elastic band which is activated by vibration. This way you would always surprise/ scare people when you take their pictures. The idea belongs to Sung Young Um and Jung Eun Yim. I'm sure that if you own this device, your photos on Facebook will become much more "popular".

You already know about some of the artists you should not miss from the Istanbul Biennial in 2011 – Eylem Aladoğan and Elizabeth Catlett. And here are two more: Adrian Esparza – the artist born in USA created ‘Now and Then’ in 2010. This is the latest piece of his series utilizing Mexican serapes. The serape is deconstructed and after that arranged in a new structure. The majority of the works are inspired by historic landscape paintings. The one you see in the gallery references José María Velasco’s depiction of a Mexican vista in Hacienda de Chimalpa. Hank Willis Thomas – also born in the USA, he presents ‘I Am a Man’ from the ‘I Am. Amen’ series created in 2009. The artwork relates to protest posters made during the civil rights era, specifically for a demonstration in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968. Actually, a photograph by Ernest Withers of dozens of African American men standing together in protest, each holding an ‘I am a man’ sign, impresses the artist. Amazed by the power of human unity and the difference between the world he grew up in and the one eight years earlier, and also the reflection of the transition from collective statements to more individualistic ones, Hank created the series.

In the office I usually have a feeling that it has stopped, but when I am on a vacation, on the contrary, I feel that days pass like seconds. This clock is created by Igor Vig. The designer wants to provoke our sense of time and its speed. The form of the hands, and background create the visual illusion of  speedy movement. I think I like this idea, because when time passes quickly, you should be having a good time, isn't that true?!

Thе smart phone and tablet trend is about to retire the PCs and even the laptop. However, there are so many innovation in the new field that we won't have the chance to miss the old ones. . I would like to show you the conceptual model of a smart phone and tablet 2 in 1. The Part is very thin and comfortable to use, but more interestingly you can easily separate the bottom left corner and use it as a stylish phone alone.

He is young and talented, and his photo sessions can be found in some of the top fashion and art magazines such as ELLE, VISION, TRACE, GIA etc. He works actively in photography, creative and art direction. Let me present you Zlatimir Arakliev. Only for 2 years Zlatimir prooved that his qualities and potential as a photographer are indisputable. In September 2011 appeared another proof of this – ‘The Five Suns of The Aztec project’, done together with Addminimal Creative Studio (his favorite team) for the most famous Chinese art magazine VISION. This is their second contribution to VISION for a year, in May 2011 was published the ‘Indigo Child’ beauty session. Typically for Bulgaria his talent is recognized first on the world scene and then at his native country. The work of Zlatimir Arakliev as a fashion photographer also deserves attention. I suggest you too check out the ‘Still looking for him...’ photo session shot by him for the October 2011 issue of ELLE (Bulgaria) in order to convince yourself personally in this. Meanwhile you can have a look at his latest session for the fashion label Sassa Bjorg called Lost in Sunday. My favorite frame from it can also be found at VOGUE.it. While he was selecting photos for the post here, Zlatimir mentioned that the contact and work with Addminimal have always been really inspiring and motivating for him. Zlatimir's photographs can be seen in numerous websites from around the world. His career is in the beginning and I am sure it worth’s to pay attention to this young Bulgarian artist.

Although I often prefer symmetry, this coat by Rick Owens makes me become a fan of asymmetry. It is unique, different and versatile as an option for the winter months. The elegant coat is mélange and made of wool-blend. The asymmetry in the model bears the designer’s signature and the overall appearance of the coat is like an art work that reveals the full meaning of effortless chic.

The next artist that is part of the program of this year's Istanbul Biennial, whose works you should not miss is Elizabeth Catlett. In her works she pays special attention to the humanity and social change. Her iconic print ‘Sharecropper’ (1952/1968) is an early art work but clearly shows her style of graphic portraiture, done with both empathy and political undercurrents. The image of the sharecropper possesses a sense of dignity and strength that opposes the difficult situation – during this period the sharecropping is percept as a new form of slavery in the southern United States. In practice, the depicted worker appears triumphant, not downtrodden. Elizabeth Catlett wanted her work to be accessible to a wider audience and so she works exclusively figurative. Her favorite medium as an artist is graphics as prints are easy to disseminate.

After several years when this building will be ready you could easily confuse it with a tree or large bush. The reason is that her facade is covered with vertical gardens and green plants. In addition, the plan is to be the greenest skyscraper in the world because it will produce more electricity from wind, solar and bio energy than it consumes. The project is created by Vincent Callebaut and it is planned to be built in Taiwan.

The twelfth Istanbul Biennial has started and it is time to present you some interesting artists and projects that could be seen till 13 November 2011. The first project that impressed our representative on the event is by Eylem Aladoğan and is titled ‘Listen to your soul, my blood is singing iron triggers that could be released’ (2009-2011). The sculpture is in the form of a stretched, taut wing and consists of a constellation of recognizable shapes. Actually, the flight feathers are composed of rifles’ elements – barrels and butts. Besides this series of forms, in the work you can also find lines inspired from the Oriental architecture, its forms and motifs. In her work Eylem Aladoğan expresses the idea of generating willpower – the courage and capacity to discover, or rediscover, latent abilities in yourself, and to develop them. It requires strength to do things in which you remain true to your own essence and stand up for what you say and your beliefs. Before doing so, it is often unavoidable to conquer your own existential fears and impulses. Keeping this continuous process going, a process in which forces stand against each other, is the point of departure for this work.

Vladimir Karaleev – a designer of Bulgarian origin, who lives and works in Berlin for years, made his first collection for the famous brand Top Shop. The collection includes dresses, skirts, top, jacket in the typical Karaleev’s look and aesthetics. The silhouette is clean and compact and shows his affinity to geometric shapes. The used fabrics are fine and in delicate colors, and the ends of clothes are simply cut with scissors leaving the designs with open seams and edges. Vladimir is one of the most promising young designers in Europe and this year was a lecturer at Sofia Design Week 2011. Having in mind his excellent presentation at the Berlin Fashion Week and now this collection for Top Shop we can say 2011 is definitely successful for him. Congratulations and many successes in future too!

Barcelona is one of the most beautiful and visited cities in Spain. It can offer great mood and fun – from interesting sights through quality cuisine and nightlife to nice beaches and plenty of sunshine. In short what must be visited and seen: La Ramblas – a pedestrian street with cafes, shops, restaurants, and newspaper and souvenir stalls, and of course, lots of people; Sagrada Familia – the most iconic building in Barcelona; Park Güell – another masterpiece of Gaudi with wavy stone forms and fairytale gardens; Casa Batlló – surreal and majestic design, which complement the fairytale vision of the city; Picasso Museum - located in the Gothic quarter of the medieval center that is a maze of narrow streets, beautiful houses and churches, the museum traces the author's work chronologically, showing his remarkable progress; Nou Camp – a place for real football fans; Barceloneta Beach – apart from swimming in the Mediterranean, sunbathing and walking, the beach offers also other entertainment options such as beach volleyball, dancing etc. When you go to Barcelona, do not forget to try tapas, quench your thirst with sangria and enjoy every moment under the warm sun. Relax and feel the living and unique atmosphere of the city during the day and in the evening.

With this invention you can easily produce your own soap by recycling dirty water. Very easy, convenient and environmentally friendly you can use even the dirty water as a resource. Re-Q (the name of the product) is a genius idea, which brings us closer to the 0-footprint lifestyle. Pretty cool, don't you think?

The Mutewatch is designed to be simple and intuitive. If you’re looking for the arrows – don’t, it’s digital. If you can’t see the digits on a first sight – don’t worry they’re there along with the other features of the watch. A tap on the flat surface is enough to light up the touch screen. After that you can easily swipe through the functions clock, alarm and timer. 

You set the time for your alarms by tapping directly on the digits – the top of the digit leads to a higher number and the bottom – to a lower one. When you want to erase the alarm, simply pinch the touch screen. The Mutewatch has a built-in motion sensor that registers your movement and automatically adjusts the strength of the vibrations. So, whether you're sleeping, giving a presentation or doing your work out, the watch will keep you updated on your next step. The cool gadget is offered in white, red and grey. 

The summer has passed and it's time to look for a new addition to the wardrobe for new Fall/ Winter 2011. Here is a nice fashion suggestion – boots by Lanvin. The leather boots are wedge type and can be defined as a luxurious addition that can be easily combined with a comfortable knit dress or something similar by day and with a structured skirt and blouse after dark. With heel height of 75 mm, the fashion accessory helps for an elegant look without being too much. In the gallery you can see the Lanvin boots in combination with a Donna Karan cardigan, dress and belt, rings by Bottega Veneta and Pamela Love, and a bag by Stella McCartney.

The real fans of Angry Birds (like myself) will love these speakers.  They are in the form of the favorite angry birds and one of the pigs. The speakers are compatible with Apple devices and deliver sound with great quality.  Attention: There is a danger if you are really addicted to throwing chickens at laughing pigs to impinge on one of these nice speakers. This can be dangerous for you and especially the people around you.

The 12th Istanbul Biennial – one of the most important art events in Europe, started this weekend on September 17, 2011 and turned the city once again into an art platform. This edition is called ‘Untitled (12th Istanbul Biennial), 2011’ and can be visited till November 13, 2011. The title, visual identity, and themes of the biennial reference the work of the Cuban American artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres whose minimalist and conceptual artistic language is both formally innovative and explicitly political, and was a source of inspiration for the researches conducted for the 12th Istanbul Biennial. The biennial is composed of five group exhibitions and more than 50 solo presentations installed in the carefully constructed space, Antrepo. Each of the shows features a large number of artists’ works brought together under a particular argument. These group shows – ‘Untitled (Abstraction)’, ‘Untitled (Ross)’,’Untitled (Passport)’, ‘Untitled (History)’ and ‘Untitled (Death by Gun)’ – depart from specific works by Gonzalez-Torres that are reproduced in the Biennial Companion publication. The 12th Istanbul Biennial, that is organized by IKSV and sponsored by Koç Holding, hosts many important names in global contemporary art and nearly 4000 guests, including artists, critics, curators, museum and gallery managers and press members. Become part of this amazing event and experience art in an international environment. Visit the biennial at Antrepo 3 and 5 (Meclis-i Mebusan Caddesi, Liman İşletmeleri Sahası, Karaköy) from Tuesday – Sunday, 10.00-19.00. 

I know that these clothes look as if they were chewed and spit, but consider what would our ancestors think for the jeans with patches we wear today. Yitzhak Abecassis looks forward to the future and presents trends for several seasons ahead. The idea of the collection is to be as simple as possible. Not to use any buttons, zippers or even stitches. Each garment is made ​​from one piece neoprene fabric with slits cut in the right places.