There’s a particular kind of expectation that follows Apple and their iconic announcements—a belief that even the most familiar object can be recalibrated into something more ambient, more intuitive, or more essential. We’ve been spoiled lately. But with the introduction of AirPods Max 2, that expectation is less about reinvention than refinement. The quiet yet consequential upgrades to this device actively shape the conditions in which we live, work, and move.

Powered by the H2 chip, the second generation of Apple’s over-ear headphones leans into listening as a series of adaptive experiences—shifting through context, intention, and identity to serve personas defined by how sound integrates into daily life.

The Traveler: Silence as Infrastructure

Movement has always been synonymous with noise—the low, constant roar of airplane engines, the unpredictable cadence of trains or cars, and the friction of shared space with pedestrian traffic. For the traveler, AirPods Max 2 operate as a kind of arbiter of quiet, better negotiating that boundary between calm and chaos.

With Active Noise Cancellation now up to 1.5x more effective, the headphones carve out a private auditory interior, dampening everything from cabin turbulence to commuter chatter. Paired with Adaptive Audio, which continuously calibrates the balance between noise cancellation and environmental awareness, the experience becomes fluid rather than fixed.

The Live Translation feature subtly repositions the weary traveler as an active participant in social situations otherwise inaccessible. Language barriers soften in real time to foster meaningful exchange. And sound creates connective tissue between otherwise disparate cultures.

The Remote Worker: Focus by Design

The office is no longer defined by cubicles or traditional commercial space. Today, it’s more often a balance between home, café, car, and everything in between. AirPods Max 2 respond to this ambiguity with a suite of features that treat focus as something engineered for efficiency.

Voice Isolation prioritizes speech clarity during calls by filtering out the ambient unpredictability of shared environments. Conversation Awareness recognizes when users step out of their workflow automatically lowering audio and enhancing nearby voices, allowing for seamless transitions between concentration and casual interaction.

Most intriguing is the introduction of studio-quality audio recording. For podcasters, journalists, and creators, the line between consumption and production dissolves. AirPods Max 2 becomes a tool for making, enabling high-fidelity recording with natural vocal texture directly from the device’s microphone.

The Aesthete: Sound as a Style Signifier

Apple has long understood that technology is as much about presence as performance. With AirPods Max 2, that philosophy extends into a palette of fresh finishes—midnight, starlight, orange, purple, and blue—that position the headphones as objects of self-expression as much as technical tools.

What’s more, Personalized Spatial Audio introduces a deeply individualized listening experience, mapping sound to the contours of the user’s perception. Using the iPhone’s TrueDepth camera, listeners can scan their ear shape to generate a custom audio profile, resulting in more precise, immersive surround sound. Instruments feel placed rather than played, and music becomes architectural occupying space with greater clarity and intention.

Even the addition of camera remote functionality gestures toward a broader lifestyle integration transforming the headphones into a tool for capturing, composing, and curating one’s image. For the aesthete, AirPods Max 2 operate at the intersection of design and identity.

While this list is far from exhaustive, a larger narrative begins to take shape. AirPods Max 2 are more about tuning into oneself than escaping the world. In a culture increasingly defined by noise—literal and otherwise—that kind of control feels quite lovely.

To shop the AirPods Max 2, visit apple.com.

Photography courtesy Apple.

How do you improve upon an icon? When it came to update the 931 handbag, German accessories brand TSATSAS didn’t change a thing—the rigorous, compact design is as enduring as any mid-century classic by Dieter Rams. Instead, TSATSAS introduced a new color for the calfskin bag: burgundy. This latest tone joins the black, concrete gray, and khaki green versions released in 2018.

The piece is based on a Rams design from 1963. At the time, Rams was working at Braun, creating some of his most legendary designs, including the Phonosuper SK 4—a stereo system nicknamed “Snow White’s coffin.” Along with these industrial design breakthroughs during his tenure as chief designer from 1961 to 1995, Rams was also crafting leather shaver cases in collaboration with leather workshops in Offenbach am Main. Today, the 931 bag is made by TSATSAS artisans in that same city, with leather produced in Sweden by a tannery that meets the highest standards for traceability, environmental management, and social compliance.

It was also at Braun that Rams met Ingeborg Kracht, the photographer who would become his wife, and the muse for the 931 handbag. “I designed this bag in the same way I designed everything else, so largely based on right angles, but perhaps a little more emotionally, more personally,” Rams said upon the original release of 931, some 55 years after he first sketched it. “Designing a handbag is undoubtedly different to designing a Braun stereo system, but I applied the same principles. It had to be functional, visually durable, and very aesthetic. Less, but better.”

The design is both a love letter to Ingeborg and an apt illustration of his “Ten Principles for Good Design”—especially its praise for products that are innovative, honest, long-lasting. In its latest, burgundy, iteration, the 931 keeps the design fresh and relevant.

To shop the 931 handbag, visit tsatsas.com.

Photography courtesy of TSATSAS.

Swiss brand Swatch first emerged in the early 1980s as a fresh, sportier alternative to the more staid luxury producers making up the country’s timepiece industry. It was the quartz crisis—a period marked by decline in the market due to shifts in mechanical systems and international competition—and the emergent company seized the moment by fully embracing the new technologies. And while its established counterparts eventually bounced back, Swatch remained a rebellious favorite, an accessible go-to for BMX-ers, skateboarders, surfers, and young gen-x looking to define their era: the 1990s.

One innovation the brand introduced during this period was the ultra-think SKIN line. The near-weightless design—available in a variety of materials—has been refined and re-styled over the past four decades; reflecting changes in taste. The minimalist, no-nonsense contour of this slim chronometer serves well as a canvas of these stylistic shifts, an agile quality that has largely ensured its longevity and enduring popularity.

The just released Painted Paradise Collection represents an exuberant, naturalistic take; a breath of fresh tropical air for this particularly dark timeline. These four deftly imagined compositions are transportative; wrist-bound portals to soft white-sand island beaches paired with the turquoise waters of the Caribbean; the dense greenery of a Brazilian rainforest with bright sunlight flickering through these verdant canopies; vibrant blooms from Central Africa captured in the half-light of dust; and a cornucopia-arrangement of lush South Asian fruits.

There’s little need for immediate, intrusive connectivity—hundreds of emails, text messages, or news alerts popping up at any moment. Checking the classic dial head—rendered in captivating yet pattern-molifying metallic purples, baby blues, fuchsias, and silvers—is a far less stressful experience.

In expressing this feeling on an implicit rather than explicitly representational level, Swatch’s design team chose to adorn the bands in viscerally expressive motifs: marble, watercolor puddling, cloud, and sfumato effect effects that incorporate different tones. These silhouettes become freeze framed landscape paintings: abstracted representations and distilled depictions of these somewhat universal settings culled without the need of AI Slop generative image-making tools. The visual quality is engaging yet not overpowering, playful but elegant, serious but not so serious.

To shop the collection or see more from the brand, visit swatch.com.

Photography courtesy of Swatch.

Color often belongs to a moment or place, sometimes even an attitude. A peculiar bright blue-green might recall a subversive era of design; a deep brown could summon the warmth of espresso bars and polished leather interiors; and a rich red might elicit passion. In this sense, color operates much like architecture itself—quietly structuring how we experience the world while keeping time through shadow and light. But what happens when that atmospheric language undergoes a kind of transmutation?

The collaboration between Tonester and Italian watchmaker D1 Milano explores exactly this question. Founded by Tony Piloseno in 2021, Tonester built its reputation on moody, cinematic paint hues that behave almost architecturally across interior surfaces. With this collaborative collection, those same tones migrate from the scale of rooms to the scale of the body—transforming spatial color into wearable design.

In the process, pigment shifts from background to protagonist. Architecture becomes fashion. Surface becomes object. And color carries the emotional energy of a place into an entirely new medium.

The limited-edition watch collection comprises colors showcased during Milan Design Week 2025, translating the spirit of the city into four distinct tonal narratives: Love & Sins, a velvety jade green recalling historic facades; Street Art, a deep mocha echoing espresso rituals and leather interiors; Evening Galore, a dark umber-black evoking Milanese sophistication; and Cursed by Milano, a rich oxblood imbued with romantic intensity.

For Piloseno, the challenge lay in understanding how color behaves when it shifts scale. On a wall, pigment operates in dialogue with architecture and shifting daylight. It becomes environmental. On a watch, the experience is far more intimate.

“It’s something you see up close and repeatedly throughout the day,” he explains, noting that translating Tonester’s layered tones to a smaller object required precision and restraint rather than visual boldness.

Materiality also introduced new constraints. Tonester’s palette is typically achieved through the flexibility of paint formulas—mix, adjust, remix. In contrast, the watches rely on polycarbonate components whose colors must be carefully matched and calibrated to preserve the depth associated with Tonester’s pigments. The process required extensive testing to capture the brand’s muted tonal complexity within a completely different medium. What emerged from that exploration is something almost sculptural: monochromatic objects where case, dial, and strap are immersed in a single atmospheric tone.

If the collaboration feels unusually cohesive, it may be because its conceptual starting point was not form but color itself. In many product collaborations, color appears as the final layer—an afterthought applied once design decisions are complete. Here the logic was reversed. Tone and emotional resonance led the process, while the watch became the vessel through which those qualities could manifest.

That reversal reflects a broader shift in Tonester’s identity. While the brand emerged from viral paint-mixing videos and an online fascination with color experimentation, Piloseno has always envisioned something larger: a platform centered on color as a cultural language.

“Color shouldn’t live only on walls,” he notes. “It should live in objects, in fashion, in design—in the way we move through the world.”

The collaboration with D1 Milano marks the first physical manifestation of that idea. It signals Tonester’s transition from architectural surface treatment to design authorship across objects and lifestyles—what the brand describes as a movement “from surfaces to silhouettes.”

Milan provides a fitting stage for this evolution. Few cities understand the dialogue between architecture, fashion, and industrial design as fluently. In that context, the partnership reads almost like a cultural exchange: Tonester bringing an intuitive, emotionally driven approach to color, while D1 Milano contributes the discipline of Italian product design and watchmaking precision. The balance between these perspectives—American creative spontaneity and Italian design rigor—anchors the collection in both experimentation and refinement.

More importantly, the watches reveal how color can redefine the identity of an object. Stripped of ornament and unified through monochrome treatment, each piece functions less as a traditional accessory and more as a wearable color study. In that sense, the collaboration occupies a curious intersection: part fashion object, part architectural pigment, part collectible design artifact.

If architecture shapes the environments we inhabit, fashion shapes how we inhabit them. And timekeeping, it seems, has become the freshest canvas.

Love & Sins (Jade Green)—a deep, velvety teal echoing historic façades and winter skies.

Cursed by Milano (Oxblood)—a sultry burgundy reflecting passion embedded in the city’s design heritage.

Evening Galore (Black with Umber Hues)—a sleek, inky black embodying Milanese sophistication.

Street Art (Deep Mocha with Red Hues)—a rich brown reminiscent of espresso rituals and worn leather interiors.

To shop the collection, visit d1milano.com.

Photography courtesy of Tonester.

Playing games—a term sometimes used by adults to describe a child’s playtime, and just as often, another adult’s less-than-mature behavior. Yet this diminutive framing overlooks something essential. In an increasingly unstable world, play is not frivolous—it is foundational. Play is essential for developing relationships, keeping brains sharp, and improving strategy skills. Traditional games derive their value not from ease, but from difficulty: by structuring activities through rules and resistance, they transform simple actions into meaningful pursuits.

A new collaboration between PRINTWORKS and Rosewood embraces this ethos with intention, presenting a collection of Playing Cards, Classic Chess, and Classic Backgammon that elevates analog rituals through thoughtful design and tactile pleasure. Rooted in a shared appreciation for craftsmanship and meaningful connection, the partnership draws inspiration from the Scandinavian philosophy Leva I nuet—“to live in the moment”—encouraging players to slow down, engage, and savor uninterrupted togetherness.

Cards are ubiquitous within the gaming sphere, everyone having their own favorite, and ultimately, their own way to play. The Classic Double Playing Cards capture a balance between order and delight. Two decks, adorned with Rosewood’s signature trigon motif in Discovery Green and grey, offer both aesthetic wit and graphic clarity. The visual language, bold yet classic, underscores another tenet of amusement culture: the aesthetics of play matter. Colors, shapes, and contrasts heighten engagement, adding festivity to the act of competition.

The Classic Double Playing Cards set captures this balance between order and delight. Two decks, adorned with Rosewood’s signature trigon motif in Discovery Green and grey, offer both aesthetic wit and graphic clarity. The visual language – bold yet classic – underscores another tenet of amusement culture: the aesthetics of play matter. Colors, shapes, and contrasts heighten engagement, adding festivity to the act of competition.

The travel-sized Classic Chess set distills “serious play” into object form. Designed with a smooth acrylic board and elegantly carved wooden pieces, it invites high-order thinking within a beautifully defined system. Serious play, after all, is a means of learning in situations that demand creativity and purposeful commitment. Weighted pieces settle softly into place, reinforcing the quiet discipline that chess demands.

Meanwhile, the Classic Backgammon set—one of the oldest games in the world, reimagined in Rosewood’s signature green—opens like a book, creating a portable arena for strategy and chance. The sleek acrylic surface and contrasting 24 points create a clear visual field for pursuit, reminding us that structured difficulty sharpens cognition as much in adulthood as it does in childhood.

The graphic design features two sleek hues, a grass green paired with a darker, hunter shade, contrasting nicely on a warm white board. These pieces also carry a nice heft, extra glossy to play off the tactility of the exterior fabric.

Throughout, the collaboration feels natural. PRINTWORKS’ nostalgic reverence for analog culture meets Rosewood’s refined visual identity in objects that function as both pastime and statement piece. More than decorative accessories, these games are small worlds unto themselves—spaces where effort is meaningful and connection unfolds thoughtfully, move by move.

To learn more about the Printworks x Rosewood game collaboration, visit shop.rosewoodhotels.com.

Photography courtesy of Rosewood.

Photo by David Mercnik

Canada’s First Balloon Florist: Ballooms

Bright, bouncy bouquets of larger-than-life florals, these inflated creations—crafted from 100 percent natural biodegradable latex by the Toronto-based studio Ballooms—offer so much more than the average twist-up giraffe or other air-filled animal. Aside from being well-crafted design objects in their own right, Ballooms arrangements are playful—and full of opportunity. In my last catch-up with founder and self-proclaimed balloon boy Dylan Kwacz, we dug into the idea of building a world beyond balloons. What does that look like? Perhaps more dynamic installations and exciting partnerships with brands like Lululemon, PowerPlant TO and Aritzia (check, check and check). Perhaps something entirely different. But one thing is certain: Ballooms is blowing up.

Statement Flowers: Ste. Marg Scot

Are brooches the next big thing? I’m no Carrie Bradshaw, but with a statement flower as big as this, a girl can dream. Designed by Canadian wool goods company Ste. Marg Scot—the world’s first gender-inclusive outerwear company made of sustainably-sourced materials—this line of floral brooches is both timeless and modern. Plus, their entire locally-made collection is 100 percent wool. As a regular exhibitor at IDS Toronto and the One of a Kind Show, Ste. Marg Scot is a go-to for high-design wool garments. Shown here: Peony Brooch in sky blue.

Photo: David Pike

Photo: David Pike

Photo: David Pike

Cover to Cover: A Mini Magazine Conference

Attention writers, designers and magazine-lovers of Toronto! This one-day magazine conference is for you. Presented by Issues Magazine Shop, this event explores the people, ideas and stories shaping the world of magazines today — and features panel discussions with industry experts, indie publishers, magazine founders and more. Pictured here, the inaugural conference last October brought in a full house, lively conversation and lots of reading material (Spotted: Assistant Editor Sophie Sobol in the pink sweater vest.) Don’t wait to grab your tickets for the upcoming event on March 22nd and long live magazines!

Photo: Katya Koroscil

Photo: Katya Koroscil

Photo: Katya Koroscil

Touch Point Sconce

Debuted at DesignTO this year, the Touch Point Sconce by Toronto-based industrial designers Mark Khoury and Devansh Shah offers a playful take on wall lighting. With an interactive spirit, the design requires the central disc to connect to a hanging puck in order to achieve full brightness. When you pull the pendant away, the light fades in accordance with the distance. A celebration of moments of physical touch and human connection—a hug, a kiss, a hand held, an arm brushed—this made-to-order sconce is a testament to the light touch of Khoury and Shah, and a substantial addition to any interior.

Eagle-eyed readers can also spot the shoes in an earlier article image.

Shoes, Glorious Shoes: Fluevog

No Take 5 roundup would be complete without my all-time favorite shoes (and one of my favorite Canadian designers): Fluevog. A SS25 addition, these cheetah-print Super Provog Inder Thick-Laced Sneakers with thick red and black laces are a maximalist’s dream. Founded in Vancouver in the 70s, John Fluevog has long been Canada’s most adventurous footwear designer—and an international shoe icon to boot. His home in Vancouver is as bright and dazzling as his designs (think: an angular, citrus-coloured exterior facade plus powder-blue kitchen, designed by MA+HG Architects). But his shoe game is unparalleled for its playful use of colour and form.

A thought-provoking series, the 3Dtachable Collection by designer Liat Brandel plays on layers of identity – what we choose to show the world and what we choose to hide. Regular shapes form patterns, coming together to create fantastic depth within the fabric as its surface folds down to a fraction of its former size. Brandel shares, “3Dtachable is more than a fashion statement – it is a conversation about identity, perception, and conscious consumption in a digital world.”

Collapsables

Able to be worn in multiple ways, this wearable collection’s versatility can be leveraged to accentuate certain features while concealing others. The designer forges a conversation between our corporeal selves and our digital personas. What is real, what is manufactured, and what is acceptable changes by the moment. These wearables, including collars, scarves, and necklaces, suggest a fashion future brimming with possibility at the flash of a camera.

This duality is represented in the 3Dtachable form: an unassuming flat plane of folded material transforms into wearable gestural sculpture. Creating divots and folds, sometimes ballooning out, the wearer can entertain every passing fancy in a choose your own adventure of style.

Detachables

Modular elements add even more customization to the collection, reflecting on the theme of hiding and showing once more. More covered is a choice, less covered is a choice. A lack of choice is indeed, still a choice. The societal pressure around social media has left many feeling isolated, prompting Brandel to investigate these themes in her work.

Expertly made, the 3Dtachable Collection utilizes lightweight yet durable materials to remain flexible enough to position and rigid enough to keep its signature folds. This required many iterations of experimentation to replicate traditional, origami-like paper folds. The crispness of every bend in tandem with the body of the fabric is remarkable.

In a response to traditional garment design, the multifunctionality of the 3Dtachable Collection creates multiple uses with two wooden stoppers to create different looks. Those fashion-conscious know styling is essential, and this collection doesn’t hold back. The sky is the limit with the silhouettes possible, allowing for free expression within the confines of our physical reality. 3Dtachable helps to foster a conversation about how we lead our lives, online and off, and cautions how these two selves could become one.

To learn more about the 3Dtachable Collection by Liat Brandel, visit liatbrandel.com.

Photography provided by Liat Brandel.

One of the biggest names in industrial design, Australian talent Marc Newson is best known for his smooth lines, amoebic silhouettes, and a long-standing aversion to sharp edges. Iconic works such as the 1988 Lockheed Lounge chair – crafted from riveted aluminum using techniques borrowed from aircraft manufacturing – signaled the beginning of an era. The fluid, tech-forward restraint of the 1990s emerged as a counterpoint to bombastic Postmodernism, embracing material experimentation and unconventional form without excess.

That same approach to coherent, though never rigidly monolithic, form-giving informs Newson’s latest project: the TYPE 3 Marc Newson watch, developed in close partnership with Antwerp- and Geneva-based watchmaker Ressence.

At its core, the TYPE 3 MN showcases Ressence’s proprietary co-planar surface with mechanical display module, the patented Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS 3). Beneath a domed sapphire crystal, the dial appears to float within a sealed chamber filled with 4.15 ml of silicone oil – an ingenious solution that cancels light refraction, eliminates glare, and creates a magnified, almost holographic effect. The result is a seamless, elliptical form that reads less like a traditional watch and more like a luminous orb: a slim, ergonomic “spaceship” anchored effortlessly to the wrist.

The watch’s cohesive design and engineering emerged through a close collaboration between Newson and Ressence founder Benoît Mintiens. Its otherworldly silhouette subtly nods to Newson’s iconic Ikepod watches of the 1990s, while Ressence’s distinctive time display lends a quietly sporty sensibility. The pairing evokes the refined performance of a 1960s Aston Martin DB5 – elegant, precise, and meticulously finished in polished metal.

Time is displayed via three rotating discs – hours, minutes, and a 180-second runner – rendered in bold, minimal forms. Their striking yellow markings suggest motion and speed, punctuated by restrained tones of celadon green, gray, and black. The Grade 5 titanium discs feature four eccentric biaxial satellites inclined at varying angles, with engraved indications filled with blue and green Grade A Super-LumiNova®, ensuring legibility in all lighting conditions. The intent is a dematerialised time display: time made visible without distraction, appearing to hover directly on the glass itself.

“I wanted to merge our universes,” says Mintiens. “Knowing Marc Newson’s design universe, I saw a pioneer of industrial-design thinking in fine watchmaking, and that really interested me. I wanted to bring Marc’s and Ressence’s vision of watchmaking into one perfect product. How often do designers work together on one product? In my eyes, one plus one can become more than the sum of its parts.”

Mechanically, the TYPE 3 MN is equally refined. It features a magnetically driven movement with a caseback winding and day, date, and time setting, a 36-hour power reserve, and 47 jewels. The Grade 5 titanium dial is finished with DLC and PVD coatings, while the watch is paired with a synthetic rubber strap and titanium ardillon buckle – reinforcing its balance of luxury and wearability.

“As a longstanding admirer of Benoît’s pioneering engineering and unique approach to watchmaking at Ressence, this collaboration provided a wonderful opportunity to synthesize our approaches; to conceive of a design that was distinct and innovative, yet cohered with my design language,” says Newson. Drawn from decades of exploration across automotive, aviation, furniture, and product design, the Type 3 MN reflects his ongoing oscillation between past ideas and constant reinvention.

Photo: Phil Poynter

Ressence founder Benoît Mintiens and Marc Newson \\\ Photo: Phil Poynter

Limited to just 80 pieces, the Ressence TYPE 3 MN by Marc Newson is available for $59,800, ideal for the seasoned horologist or high-end watch collector, via ressencewatches.com.

Photography courtesy of Ressence.

10. A Muskoka Lakeside Cottage Blends Architecture With the Canadian Shield

Barbora Vokac Taylor Architect’s latest Muskoka retreat earns its top-spot with a design that feels deeply rooted in its surroundings yet thoughtfully future-focused. Rather than imposing on the dramatic Canadian Shield terrain, the cottage settles into it, creating a sequence of warm, wood-lined spaces that shift from playful to serene across its three levels. With its Shou Sugi Ban exterior, open-air Muskoka Room, and a layout shaped around multi-generational living, the home captures both the rugged character of the site and the rituals of family life.

Photo: Ethan Gordon

9. A California Courtyard House With Japanese-Inspired Serenity

SHED Architecture & Design’s Cupertino Courtyard House earns its place by weaving global influences into a distinctly Californian modern sensibility. What appears reserved from the street opens into a serene sequence of courtyards, garden views, and softly lit interiors that feel both intimate and expansive. The contrast of white stucco, charred timber, and warm natural materials creates a quiet tension that enriches the home’s atmosphere, while subtle nods to Japanese traditions – from the genkan entry to the engawa porch – shape the daily rhythm of living.

Photo: Courtesy of Yanko Design

8. The ClearFrame CD Player Puts Album Art Front and Center

Riding the wave of the retro-tech resurgence, the ClearFrame CD Player stands out as a clever fusion of nostalgia and display-worthy design. Its transparent acrylic body transforms the simple act of playing a CD into a kinetic spectacle, revealing every mechanical motion inside. By turning album art into a rotating visual centerpiece, it revives one of the most charming aspects of the CD era and reframes it – literally – as part of your decor.

Photo: Courtesy of Casio

7. Casio’s Newest Watch Is Purposefully Built for the Sauna

Casio’s CPP-002 brings a surprising level of intention to a scenario some of us hope to avoid: wearing a watch in the sauna. Instead of melting under the heat, this purpose-built model is engineered to thrive in extreme temperatures and humidity, offering spa-goers a reliable companion where most timepieces fail. It’s a niche idea executed with classic Casio practicality, turning a common mishap into a design opportunity.

Photo: Courtesy of Nothing

6. The Nothing Phone (3)’s Glyph Matrix Turns Notifications Into Pixel Art

Nothing launched the Phone (3) marking a pivotal moment in the brand’s evolution, pushing its signature transparent aesthetic and light-based communication into more expressive territory. The new Glyph Matrix condenses the familiar rear lighting into a tight grid of micro-LEDs, opening the door to far richer animations and symbolic cues without demanding the user’s constant attention. Building on the retro-futuristic charm of Nothing’s Dot Matrix interface, this pixel-level system transforms notifications into playful, glanceable visuals that feel both personal and dynamic.

Photo: Courtesy of Syitren

5. The Syitren R300 Is a Modern CD Player With a Retro Feel

The Syitren R300 CD Player stands out in the retro-audio renaissance by pairing analog warmth with a refined, modern sensibility. Its sculptural two-zone design – matte black on one side, rich wood on the other – creates a visual rhythm that’s as intentional as its interaction logic, separating the tactile controls from the mechanics of the CD tray. Details like the compact LED display and transparent lid add a fun aspect to playback, letting listeners watch the disc spin while keeping track info understated.

Photo: Michael Moran

4. A Michigan House Designed for a Collector of Bourbon Whiskey and Rare Porsches

Khanna Schultz’s House for a Collector stands out as one of the year’s most compelling residential projects, offering a bold rethinking of suburban living. Fragmented into sculptural volumes wrapped around a shared courtyard, the home brings rare Porsches, bourbon displays, and daily life into a single, cohesive orbit. Its mix of industrial materials and intimate spatial moments gives the residence a striking duality – part gallery, part sanctuary – making it a prime example of how architecture can honor a client’s passions without sacrificing aesthetics.

Photo: Courtesy of Oakley and Meta

3. Oakley’s Meta HSTN Smart Glasses Give You Constant Access to AI Features

Meta’s collaboration with Oakley marks a clear evolution in its wearable AI strategy, bringing a sport-driven sensibility to a category previously dominated by classic styling. The new Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses blend Oakley’s performance-forward design language with Meta’s increasingly capable AI features, offering a bold alternative for users who want tech that looks as dynamic as it functions. With multiple frame and lens configurations, seamless hands-free controls, and context-aware AI that interprets the world in real time, the HSTN frames feel less like a gadget and more like a natural extension of an active, on-the-go lifestyle.

Photo: Courtesy of Google

2. Google Ups Its Design Game With Newly Updated Pixel Devices

Google’s latest hardware lineup signals a confident shift toward bolder design and more intuitive AI, suggesting the brand is finally ready to challenge its biggest rivals head-on. The refreshed Pixel family – from the color-forward Pixel 10 series to the refined Pixel 10 Pro Fold – pairs sculptural surfaces and durable materials with genuinely useful, user-controlled intelligence. Alongside the brighter, more premium Pixel Watch 4 and the redesigned Pixel Buds 2a, the collection shares a cohesive vision: devices that look sharper, feel better, and use AI to quietly enhance everyday life rather than overshadow it.

And the top post of 2025 is…

Photo: Courtesy of Huawei

1. Huawei’s New Laptop Is One Giant Foldable Screen

Huawei’s MateBook Fold Ultimate Design claims the top spot this year for good reason: it’s the most compelling vision yet of what a foldable laptop can be. By transforming the entire device into a seamless 18.3-inch OLED display that bends without visible interruption, Huawei leaps past early foldable experiments and rivals still tiptoeing around the concept. Ultra-thin, incredibly flexible, and adaptable to everything from professional workflows to creative sketching, the MateBook Fold feels less like gadgety and more like the future of mobile computing – one that finally makes the “all-screen laptop” feel within reach.

As always, thank you for reading and supporting Design Milk in 2025 and beyond! Check out the rest of Design Milk’s end of the year coverage here!

10. Nik Bentel Debuts the Playfully Clever Speaker Bag and Mixer Bag

Nik Bentel starts off our top 10 roundup with the Speaker Bag and Mixer Bag, to unleash our inner DJ, wherever inspiration happens to strike. The bags are exactly what they seem, the Speaker Bag, featuring a built-in bluetooth speaker, and the Mixer Bag, with a multichannel mixer in handheld form, melding the formal qualities of current fashion trends with increasingly powerful and compact audio technology.

Photo: Courtesy of Taras Yoom

9. Cyber Zombie by Taras Yoom Is Jewelry You Can Build + Rebuild

The Cyber Zombie collection by Taras Yoom is the latest installment of the Bangkok-based artist’s Yoomoota, an ongoing “universe of art” that represents a world of his own creation through sculptures, furnitures, paintings, and now, jewelry. “These tangible creations resemble visions drawn from dreams. They are not merely adornments – they are symbols of belief in an envisioned future, a testament to faith in such a destiny,” Yoom explains.

Photo: Courtesy of Ressence

8. From Wall to Wrist: Daniel Engelberg’s Art Gets Scaled for Ressence Watches

Concentric circles and subtle gradients draw the eye into an illusion of depth in Daniel Engelberg’s work. Known for his Inside Out series, the Munich-based painter and sculptor has teamed up with Belgian watchmaker Ressence to bring his work to life in constant motion. Limited to just 40 pieces in two striking colorways, the TYPE 8 Daniel Engelberg timepiece transforms the watch dial into a gallery-worthy work of art in perpetual motion.

Photo: Courtesy of SHORE

7. SHORE Dives Into New Footwear Collection Made of Recycled Rope

SHORE takes a step outside the box with their newest footwear collection, utilizing recycled paracord to craft four distinct styles: the Boot, the Moc, the Clog, and the Slide. This collection is completely handmade in recycled nautical rope, all made to order using their signature weave pattern. With a rugged Vibram sole, these shoes are ready to take their first steps with you in their new life.

Photo: Courtesy of Marimekko and Crocs

6. These Crocs in Marimekko Prints Are Kind of Perfect

Marimekko, known for its bold patterns, is never afraid of color either. The brand teamed up with Crocs to create a cheerful shoe collaboration, with the iconic Unikko blooms front and center. Need matching merch? They’ve got a complementary printed tote bag, coordinating socks (in orange and green), and a 5-pack of Jibbitz charms for extra personalization.

Photo: Courtesy of Allbirds

5. M0.0NSHOT Zero: Allbirds Designs the World’s 1st Net Zero Carbon Shoe

The M0.0NSHOT Zero is the world’s first net zero carbon shoe, not only in its materials, but also in its manufacturing. Released by Allbirds, this limited-edition shoe signals a dedication to environmental protection by the footwear brand, a notoriously resource-heavy industry. The upper and sole are made from a carbon-negative wool sourced from a farm in New Zealand called Lake Hawea Station that sequesters more carbon than it actually emits, thanks to its regenerative practices.

Photo: Courtesy of HOKA

4. StudioPROBA Brings Maximalist Magic to HOKA’s Most Iconic Sneakers

Maximalists, rejoice: the HOKA x StudioPROBA collaboration takes HOKA’s most iconic sneakers and transforms them into walking works of art, with candy-colored palettes and playful patterns. Alex Proba, founder of StudioPROBA has an unmistakable aesthetic – a vibrant fusion of color, joy, and pattern, lending this unique lens to the medium of footwear.

Photo: Courtesy of SUNNEI and Camper

3. SUNNEI and Camper Launch PELOTISSIMA Multicolor Textile Sneakers

The PELOTISSIMA sneaker collection from SUNNEI and Camper is a super chic way to get your steps in. Featuring a double plush sole that is geared for a comfortable experience while walking, the chic colorblock design and support in all the right places create the perfect conditions to get outside.

Photo: Courtesy of Leica

2. Leica’s Latest Watches Are Designed To Show Off Nature’s Elegance

Leica is known for its iconic cameras, but its craftsmanship extends well beyond photography – introducing two striking new watches: the Leica ZM 1 Urban Green and Leica ZM 2 Urban Green. Both models feature a captivating “fumé noir” green dial, a gradient design that transitions from deep black at the edges to a rich forest green at the center, a perfect balance between utilitarian precision and subtle luxury.

And the most popular style + fashion post in 2025 is…

Photo: Courtesy of Vinylize

1. CYKLO Eyewear From Vinylize Gives New Life to Old Bike Cables

Crafted from discarded bike cables and vinyl records, Vinylize transforms them into luxury eyeglasses and sunglasses. Each pair is one-of-a-kind, celebrating the minute differences of reclaimed material, not hiding them. Breathing new life into material previously discarded (and notoriously hard to recycle), this line provokes welcome conversation around where things go when we’re done with them.

Check out the rest of Design Milk’s end of the year coverage here!

Charm bracelets have a distinctive jangle and a particular flare. It’s different from keychains, bangles, or stacked necklaces. It’s light, ethereal, eclectic, and often wispy, but when moved slightly, the curated collection of charms knocks together to produce a seductive tinkling, glinting in the sun.

The AVGVST Berlin x Crosby Studios collaborative jewelry capsule – by Natalia Bryantseva’s AVGVST Berlin and Harry Nuriev’s Crosby Studios – comprises an eclectic smattering of (mostly silver and a few gold) pieces celebrating traditional objects: cutlery, household items, and electronics, to name a handful.

The creative synergy is focused on the ready-made tradition – or what Nuriev calls “Transformism” – turning everyday items, familiar artifacts, and the typically mundane, into striking pieces of artful jewelry with subtle irony. Small but mighty, the charms take center stage as the collection’s hero in the 16 Trinkets Bracelet. Otherwise, pendants may be hooked on a chain or earring, and placed wherever you desire.

Anything can be adorned, be it a boot cuff, collar, or bag – your own imagination is the limit here. A charm lover’s dream, these are trinkets you cannot find at your regular shop – an Oyster, Heels, and a Tamagotchi are just some of the more niche, fun items that you may mix and match to fit your style in the moment or collect over time.

Notable elements in support of the charms include a hoop earring, flat chain, and bracelet allowing wearers to don pendants in a layered or mixed fashion. The collection also includes some preconceived, distinctive pieces in the form of rings, bracelets, and earrings, such as the
Glasses – Comb – Heels Ring, 7 Trinkets Bracelet, and Hand – Brush Earring, respectively.

In particular, those who enjoyed the early aughts or just loved the culture may rejoice in a playful, special themed series entitled “Rock’N’Droll,” which features four pendants inspired by music – a Mic, CD, Headphones, and a Cassette Tape – that can be worn on a hoop earring or chain.

This collaboration felt natural for the Nuriev and Bryantseva, having first collaborated in 2023 on AVGVST’s flagship store in Berlin – complete with jewelry store, tattoo shop, and secret garden. Last year, they collaborated on an immersive, temporary jewelry store called “The Fountain” at The Palais-Royal in Paris. With a communal attitude, intense attention to detail, and a meteoric rise, the only thing left to do is wonder what’s next?

Natalia Bryantseva and Harry Nuriev

To learn more about the AVGVST Berlin x Crosby Studios jewelry collection, visit avgvstjewelry.com.

Photography by Yann Weber.

As artists and designers, we are often destined to build upon what is already known – sometimes adding our own distinct twist. We can either uphold the norms and practices outlined for our respective industries or opt for a different path by pushing the boundaries of tradition. Takashi Murakami is a lifelong student of the latter, constantly experimenting in the realm of visual and tactile art.

Stepping into the pop culture spotlight once again is the acclaimed designer and returning collaborator CASETiFY with their newest, limited-edition collection FLOWERS BLOOM. Previous releases were some of CASETiFY’s most popular drops, and fans are excited for the new range. Anchored in modern sensibilities, this series is emblematic of the Japanese saying ‘setsugetsuka’ – meaning snow, moon, and flowers – which encompasses and represents the beauty of nature.

Flower Bloom Pink Phone Case, Flowers Sticker Mania Phone Case, Smile Blue Phone Case

Flowers Snappy Grip Stand in Blue, Rainbow, and Pink

The phrase originates from an ancient work by Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi, which became popular in the late Edo period. The three motifs represent the seasons: snow for winter, moon for autumn, and flowers for spring. A popular theme that historically decorated art and accessories, the quiet beauty of time’s passage still captivates audiences. Updated with modern colors for contemporary appetites, Murakami translates each of the three motifs into distinct palettes within the FLOWERS iconography – dotted by a few cheeky references to the past.

Special Edition Flowers Phone Cases Featured in the Blind Box

The FLOWERS RIPPLE PHONE CASE – available as a single blind box or 4-in-1 box set – adds a fun twist to accessorizing your electronics, morphing a typically mundane shopping experience into an immersive art exercise. Depending on your phone model and blind box of choice, colors may include Rainbow, Pink, Blue, Red, or Black. In particular, the exclusive, ultra-rare 18K Gold Plated Edition is the clearest in its historical reference, nodding to the technique of gold foil found in traditional Japanese art.

Special Edition Flowers Phone Case in an Ultra-Rare Gold Edition

Murakami’s iconic motif is somehow even brighter and bolder with every facet of the release: the FLOWERS SNAPPY GRIP STAND comes in five colors, including a premium rainbow version; the FLOWERS BLOOM SNAPPY RING HOLDER is available in two patterns; and the MagSafe Compatible FLOWERS BLOOM SNAPPY MIRROR GRIP STAND in another two.

Flowerian Dangler Rainbow Edition

Interested in something more interactive and adorable? Meet the FLOWERIAN DANGLER BLIND BOX. This collectible item features a small figurine designed to attach to a wide range of phone cases or devices. Each blind box contains one of five colorways: rainbow, pink, blue, red, and black.

Flowerian Collectible Earbuds Case in an Exclusive Gold, as well as Rainbow and Black

The FLOWERIAN EARBUDS CASE features Murakami’s FLOWERIAN motif scaled up, boasting superior durability and lightweight protection with a glossy, protective coating and material thickness. For those on the go that can’t keep track of basic cords, the FLOWERS MAGNETIC WIRELESS CHARGER takes the guesswork out of where your charger might have disappeared. A wireless connection creates more flexibility and ease when in use, and with five bold colors, looks good doing so.

Flowers (Rainbow) Charm Keychain

The FLOWERS PHONE CHARM keeps your phone by your side but not necessarily in your hand, with a loop of rainbow FLOWERIAN friends to keep you company and your tech secure.

The Flowers (Rainbow) Phone Charm & Charm Cube Set and Exclusive Flowers Charm Keychain

The customizable FLOWERS PHONE CHARM & CHARM CUBE SET allows you to pick up to two charm cubes with initials, or leave it just the way it is for a fun way to decorate a bag or device. And for those who appreciate Murakami’s illustrative whimsy but prefer something more subdued, the LIMITED EDITION MULTI-FLOWERS PHONE CASE – RAINBOW CAMERA RING EDITION features an impact-safe case, MagSafe compatibility, and the signature FLOWERS motif without the coloring.

Ever been in line at the luggage carousel, straining to see where your bag might be? Not anymore with the FLOWERS RIPPLE CARRY-ON SUITCASE, coming in bright colors – and even some more reserved hues – making a usually stressful process much easier. Even in the black, the molded casing stands out. Murakami’s FLOWERS, emblazoned in 3D, offering a bold, eye-catching surface for even the weariest of travelers to lock on to, making it simple to get to your final destination in style.

Their Bounce Custom Suitcase is also now available in two sizes and a sweet new colorway, Glossy Primrose Pink, as well as Matte Black, Cobalt Blue, and Cherry Red – all of which complement the larger FLOWERS collection. With four directional wheels, a zipper lock, and bumper pads on all eight corners, this suitcase embodies that elusive “rugged but cute” vibe. Hard to achieve, yet you know it when you see it.

A natural collaboration, Murakami and CASETiFY continue to further the productsphere as art and technology overlaps, creating even better when working together and adding more color to the world in doing so. This third iteration even extends into other accessories like laptop sleeves and smartwatch bands as well as MagSafe compatible wallets and cardholders.

As an added bonus for collectors, a special Promo Card Program grants every purchase of a limited edition product a FLOWERS BLOOM promo card, for members only. The 4-in-1 blind box sets include four cards rendered in colorways black, red, blue, and pink, plus rare rainbow cards and ultra-rare gold cards. Become a member and see for yourself how wearable art can transform any look or bring vitality to any trip.

To shop FLOWERS BLOOM, the iconic collaboration between Takashi Murakami and CASETiFY, visit casetify.com.

Photography courtesy of CASETiFY.