60th Anniversary of Arne Jacobsen’s Egg Chair

Arne Jacobsen’s SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen represents one of the designer’s most defining career moments. Jacobsen designed every aspect of the project, from the building and furniture down to the bathroom taps.

It was for this project in 1958 that the ‘Grandfather of modern Danish design’ created the iconic Egg Chair. The roaming contours that make up the classic silhouette were achieved using a hard foam shell covered in upholstery - a technical innovation at the time.

Since the 1950s, the chair has been produced by Danish design brand Republic of Fritz Hansen. Crafted by specialists at their Denmark factory, each leather Egg Chair is stitched by hand, with an impressive 1100 stitches required to add the two large leather hides needed to cover the chair.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of this design classic, Fritz Hansen have released a limited number (1,958 to mark the year of design) of extra special Egg Chairs featuring exclusive materials that enhance the personality of each one from head to toe.

Upholstered in a pure, natural leather and finished with a luxurious 24k gold base, the Limited Edition Fritz Hansen Egg Chair will put you back a cool £9,280. It’s a hefty price but given the history involved and the timeless nature of the Egg Chair design, it’s a price many Arne Jacobsen fans will be only too willing to pay.

If you have that sort of cash laying around you can pre-order the Fritz Hansen Egg Chair here.

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Kinfolk: The Entrepreneur Review

As with everything produced by the Danish lifestyle publication, Kinfolk, 'The Entrepreneur’, as a product, is aesthetically stunning.

It’s undeniable that the book makes for a great decorative object – regardless of whether you leave the clean minimal dust jacket on or opt to peel it away, exposing the earthy tones of its sophisticated hardcover. It’s hardly surprising then that we’ve come to see it pop up so frequently on the Instagram grids of our favourite accounts in 2018. But once that visual appeal is stripped away, does it have any substance?

Author and Kinfolk co-founder Nathan Williams introduces ‘Kinfolk: The Entrepreneur’ by remembering a study in which Studs Terkel interviewed over 100 working Americans in an attempt to better understand what they do and how it makes them feel. Terkel concluded that work was ultimately a search; ‘in short, for a sort of life rather than a Monday through Friday sort of dying’. 

It was this idea that inspired Kinfolk to meet up with more than 40 creative business owners from around the world for whom work is more than a simple job to be discarded at the end of a long day. 

"A search for daily meaning, as well as

 daily bread"

Studs Terkel

Among those featured are people I hold in extremely high regard; Rolf & Mette Hay of the eponymous Danish design brand, former pro athlete turned perfumer (and founder of ByRedo) Ben Gorham and furniture design duo Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec to name but a few.

The result is an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at entrepreneurship, offered up as a collection of real-life stories, valuable advice and business tips. Split into four sections; A Single Vision, the Power of Partnership, Creating a Community and Tips, Kinfolk get answers to the questions you’d not normally get the chance to ask. Rather than just offer business advice, Kinfolk as they so often do, invite you to dream; in this particular instance, of a more meaningful approach to work.

Kinfolk: The Entrepreneur is available to buy in the UK here, and worldwide here.

You can find Shaun at - Manimalist Blog | Instagram | Twitter  

Cereal Magazine Volume 14 Preview

The digital age has created a civilisation obsessed with convenience. An endless stream of media is available at our fingertips and instantly accessible through a device that fits in our pockets. Images come and go at the swipe of a screen and news stories circulate so quickly that newspapers struggle to remain relevant.

Why then, do I still choose to spend my money on a large, not-so-portable printed magazine?

For me, delving into a beautifully curated, thoughtfully put together magazine and stealing 20 minutes to myself offers me something that my iPhone can’t provide. It’s like hitting pause on all the distractions. With an uninterrupted focus I’m able to fully immerse myself in the words, the copy and the personality of a publication.

Founded by Rosa Park and Rich Stapleton, Cereal is a bi-annual travel & lifestyle magazine based out of Bristol. The couples ability to combine thought provoking words and stunning original imagery in a manner that exudes authenticity has seen Cereal amass a loyal cult following since their inaugural issue in 2012.

In the latest volume, Rosa and Rich visit the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed Farnsworth House, spend a day at Wimbledon and escape to the Shetland Islands all in between interviewing Vincent Van Duysen and Grant Achatz.

My pre-order copy is in the post along with an exclusive A5 print and while I look forward to receiving it, I’m off to grab a tea, put my feet up and revisit vol.13.

Cereal Vol. 14 is available to pre-order online now - pick up your copy here.

You can find Shaun at - Manimalist Blog | Instagram | Twitter

Hey Gents Magazine

 

In early 2016, in a bid to find an online publication that spoke to me as young man with an interest in great design, I stumbled across Hey Gents.

With a focus on design and style, the Sydney based men's lifestyle website explores products and experiences that aim to enhance the life of the modern man. Under the tutelage of Editor Nick Vodicka, a man who shares my love of a minimal aesthetic, Hey Gents quickly became my go-to source of menswear, grooming, interiors and design inspiration.

So, when Hey Gents announced recently that they were releasing a print magazine I wasted no time in ordering my copy.

Issue 1 features everything from home styling tips courtesy of 'Hunting For George', a guide to indoor plants, tips on men's skincare essentials, a look at modern architecture in the Maldives, an interview with Sydney based menswear label Venroy and plenty more. Printed on uncoated paper from sustainably managed forests, the 72 page publication is perfect bound and printed in their home city of Sydney.

In his Beats One show this week, Apple Music’s Zane Lowe claimed that "when it comes to 'lifestyle' nowhere does it better than Australia". I may not always agree with Zane's choice of music but from what I've seen of Hey Gents so far, I see no reason to doubt him.

Hey Gents Issue 1 is available to order online now - pick up your copy here.

You can find Shaun at - Manimalist Blog | Twitter | Instagram