London-born but raised in Ohio, Gerlan Marcel made a big splash with her Gerlan Jeans diffusion line during NYC's Fall '09 fashion week by mixing bright colors and bold prints, spicing up an otherwise drab (aka black-and-gray) week.

I was recently reminded of the line when it resurfaced in Beyonce's "Video Phone" music video (pictured in last image) featuring Gaga (which by the way is well worth a look if you haven't seen it already). Gerlan's colors, textile design and illustration all have an amazing neo-'90s look, but I especially like the cleverness of her stacked baseball cap.

Like a modern day Alice-in-Wonderland style mad hatter, Gerlan stacks several baseball caps (featuring a musical clef) on top of one another. Each progressively tilts at an angle to create a slight illusion, as if the hats are in motion.

A bit of a sartorial stretch for most, it's clearly not for playing baseball although it would block the sun no matter where it sat in the sky. We also appreciate the unisex look for those bold enough to wear it. In fact, we think it would probably look best on a tomboy type.

Gerlan admits that the her line, called Peace and Love Inc., was inspired by aliens landing and what would happen if they did. When asked about the hat specifically Gerlan comments, "how do aliens know how many baseball caps to wear."

Taking the all-over print to new heights, be sure to check out the rest of Gerlans stuff on her Gerlan Jeans site.

With Fashion week just around the corner we're looking forward to what she comes up with next, though she won't be showing this time around.

Gerlan Jeans currently sells from Patricia Field stores for now, but her aim is to make them available in malls across America.

Gerlan also founded Prints Please, a NYC based surface design studio specializing in prints "for fashion and the world."

No other brand could really close Stockholm's fashion week than the city's own home-grown independent super-brand Acne. With recent glimpses of its forthcoming venture into the world of furniture tantalizingly close in Paris, it was time to see what the brand has in store clothing-wise for the chilly months ahead.

Acne based the collection around an aviation theme, citing Amelia Earhart as a central influence. Menswear gave a variety of flight jacket options in different material options. Trousers were cut close and well, as expected from the brand which made its name from its denim options.

An exciting mix of layers and changes of proportion made up womenswear, with a key piece being the shearling jacket. Light and long skirts marked a contrast from recent micro-mini trends, while men's looks had flexibility in the form of long feminine shirting.

In all, the show was a strong way to end the week, which has saw more than a few surprises and comings-of-age from this richly creative part of the world.

See more images after the jump.

The prolific Spanish designer Jaime Hayon's elegant Valencia collection for luxury label Gaia & Gino applies his talent for refreshing the modern to must-have iterations of classic candlestick and tea-light holders in crystal.

The handmade pieces make an apt addition to the Turkish design studio's line of "affordable yet rare" products. Sandblasting each holder by hand, each incorporates a pattern mixing shapes and clefts designed to maximize light's refractive capabilities and demonstrate crystal's captivating chemical structure.

The interchangeable bases allow for assembly in a variety of arrangements while the varying heights add to the collection's playfully sophisticated tenor.

The candlestick and tea-light holders in the Valencia collection span $55-200 and debut in stores May 2010.

This Valentine's Day, celebrate love in all forms with a trip to Philadelphia to tour Steve Powers' ongoing graffiti mural project and the source of his latest book “A Love Letter for You.” Over the summer of 2009 Powers (aka ESPO) painted 50 murals on 20 blocks of Market Street as a love letter to and from West Philadelphia in a project dubbed "Love Letters." (Click on images for expanded view.)

Documenting the process and installation of the "Love Letters" adventure, the book explores Powers' fascination with using graffiti to tell a story. To mark the book launch, Philadelphia will play host to a weekend of fun-filled events, including "Oldhead," a gallery exhibit showcasing the project's process and inspiration, a book signing (get a personalized copy for your sweetheart), and a privately-chartered, slow-speed elevated train tour of the murals guided by the man himself, Steve Powers, as your conductor. Tickets for the tour run $40 per person or $75 for two.

If a Philly vacation isn't in your plans, the book makes a good romantic subsititute. As Powers explains, "The love letter book is designed so you can dedicate the book to your loved one. Just fill in the blanks with your name and theirs and let the sweet cement sentiments seal the deal." Order it from Free News Projects.

See more images and tour info after the jump.

Evoking memories of pot-soaked Saturdays or long drives on the highway, filmmaker and photographer Joe Stevens' side project " Vans and the Places Where They Were" documents the glory of the classic seventies van in an ongoing photo essay dating back to 1996.

Formatted horizontally rather than vertically, Stevens makes scrolling through the images akin to watching a lime green and candy paint parade of Econolines and Chevys travel across the screen.

With an approach that looks not just to the evolving social and economic implications of his subject, Stevens describes how the project surveys "surviving custom and conversion vans across the West and examines the dialogue which exists between a van's design aesthetic and that of its surrounding environment.”

Photographed in and around the L.A. area, the landscape enhances the retrograde effect by hinting at the bygone era of Southern California hippie culture. Palm trees and sixties bungalows add to the mystique of pictures like "Black Tradesman with Orange Stripe" and "Dodge with Duct Tape."

The fleeting quality of these old vehicles, some on their last legs, extends to the medium itself (specifically in this case, 120 film). Says Stevens, "film photography as a visual medium has also begun its slow death. Consequently the goal of the project is to one day shoot the last remaining van on the final frame of photographic film in existence. Then the project will be finished."

Generation Love, a collaboration between two friends determined to create a range of fashion-forward tees while doing "the right thing," joins the new wave of design with a conscience. The resulting collection of eco-friendly clothing also taps the current casually glam look for an effortlessly hip aesthetic.

Designers Roni Hirshberg and Audrey Bressa-Valcourt share in the design process, each adding their distinctive personalities while creating a cohesive collection. Using organic cotton and recycled polyester alongside other sustainable fabrics such as Tencel and micro modal, the duo aims to always choose materials that don't leave such a heavy environmental footprint and hope that one day this will be the norm for every label.

Their brand philosophy also includes supporting NYC's rapidly disappearing garment district, where each Generation Love tee is produced and embellished by hand.

With an interest in mixing fabrics and textures, the spring collection includes organic denim and plaids sourced from Japan and France, while fall explores faux fur and leather detailing.

Stocked in specialty stores like Barneys and Scoop and Intermix, Generation Love will sell direct on their website by the end of February 2010. In the meantime, email Audrey (audrey [at] generationlovelothing [dot] com) to order.

1. Interview with Stefan Sagmeister
Legendary graphic designer and 99% conference 2010 speaker Stefan Sagmeister recently gave a brief but insightful interview on topics such as inspiration and client handling to design blog Abduzeedo.

2. LG Retro Classic TV
LG's small but incredibly stylish retro TV even lets you change the display colors to sepia and black-and-white. Priced around $216, the kitschy TV is currently being sold only in Korea.
via Needs/Wants

3. The Urban Woodsman Primer
New York Magazine provides a comprehensive guide to the enduring Brooklyn-bred phenomenon of lumberjack chic. The anti-metrosexual feature covers the essential flannel, denim, facial hair, axes, riflery and more that any man needs to get back in touch with his rustic masculinity.

4. Method's 10x10
In the game of technological advancements, there are winners and there are losers. In honor of their 10th anniversary, San Francisco, CA-based design firm Method maps “>Cable's Lost Generation” in an ongoing series about the changing landscape of the design industry called 10x10.
via Core 77

5. The Highfliers
Commissioning NYC downtown photographer Ryan McGinley, the New York Times Magazine highlights Winter Olympians dressed in stunning custom Rodarte looks with a slideshow.

6. Thirty-One Awesome Benches
The bench, originally a simple and utilitarian way to sit, now has hundreds of creative and surprising variations. See 31 Awesome Benches for a round-up of clever takes on the concept.

7. Die Antwoord
Life hilariously imitates art from performance art band Die Antwoord, as they sweep the Internet this week with a rap about ninjas and a look as distinctive as their sound.
via Street Carnage

8. The Ice House
After the Detroit economy collapsed, a group of locals decided to freeze the entire outer shell of an abandoned house to illustrate the economic woes of this beleaguered community. Check out the gorgeous results of the project on the Ice House blog.
via Neatorama

This year's forthcoming Stockholm Design Week 2010 marks a turning point in its history, clearly cementing itself as a celebration of design in the true sense of the word. Guest of honor Paul Smith sets the tone, recognized for his unique attitude to store design and his obvious talent for blurring the boundaries between fashion and design.

With many of the world's key design brands slated to show up with their latest collections, Stockholm Furniture Fair is fast becoming one of the fixtures on any design aficionado's yearly planner.

The enticing group show "Check In" held at the Birger Jarl Hotel will exhibit some of Scandinavia's hottest new design talents. Last year the exhibit was a surprise hit, with a well-curated installation in the hotel's lobby and a basement space with some wonderful pieces of work. This year, the installation will undoubtedly deliver again with talent chosen by a jury of some of Scandinavia's keenest design eyes, including trend expert Stefan Nilsson, editor Lisa Kruse and Sara Lönmoth from design school, Konstfack.

At Galleri Moln på Marken will host the ROSBERG/SZATEK exhibition—the upshot of a collaboration between a designer and an artist including interior with wallpapers along with furniture and ceramic items.

One of the highlights of this year's packed schedule looks to be "Form Us With Friends," a concept installation devised by one of Stockholm's best young collectives, Form Us With Love. Taking over a historically protected site, the company itself will feature work, as will others including Voice and Bolon (recently highlighted on CH for their latest eco-friendly floor coverings).

With various parties and events occurring after hours, this could be Stockholm's answer to the vibrant London design mavericks Designers Block. Be sure to hop onto the website for a printable map of showroom openings from local designers in the center of the city. A blend of over twenty design houses, ranging from small cutting-edge operations to larger creative groups, there's enough scope for discovery to fill a day.

See more images after the jump.

Stockholm Design Week 2010
8-14 February 2010
Stockholmsmässan
Mässvägen 1
Stockholm, Sweden, 12580 map
tel. +(46) 87 49 41 00

Design in Vasastan
9-13 February 2010
See site for locations
Design district of Vasastan
Stockholm, Sweden map

For our winning pick for the 2010 Accent on Design Blogger's Choice Awards as part of the New York International Gift Fair, we chose this irresistible set of modular building blocks called PlayShapes by British design-duo Miller Goodman. The set of 74 rubberwood pieces debuted last fall to much buzz and includes shapes like mustaches and eyeballs for inspiration, as well as arcs, circles, drops and the like, that all fit together to create endless possibilities for 3D creations. Sure to inspire the most jaded of tots (and parents too), pick up a set for £75 from Shhhop. For info on availability in the U.S., contact the distributors Neo-Utility.

Check out the rest of the winners on the Gift Fair site and see more images after the jump

Handwoven serapes and ponchos in the stalls of Mexican markets inspire Sina Pearson's latest collection of outdoor upholstery fabrics, set to premiere early this Spring. Based off of the archetypal rib weaves and bold colors of Mexican folk textiles, Pearson infuses a modern spin for this new series named Colores de México.

Colores de México sells by the yard only, and is woven from 100% Sunbrella® solution-dyed acrylic fibers, which provides colorfastness and protection from the elements, chlorine, stains and mildew, as well as sunscreen for residential, hospitality and public spaces.

Comprised of five complementary styles (three stripes, a floral and a solid) in 23 complementary colorways spanning south-of-the-border brights (blue, turquoise, red, yellow) mixed with neutrals (Mexican chocolate, and the black and ivory from raw fleece), the collection offers options to suit any design scheme.

Pearson rounds it out with a Luis Barragán pink, a habanero orange, and a lime green. The styles consist of “Poncho,” ($136/yd) a basic, "solid" background with narrow stripes and dashes, “Serape” ($136/yd) features complex alternations of broad and narrow bands. “Rebozo” ($136/yd) is the most animated with six different sequences of skinny stripes and dashes, while the two-color “Flora” ($112/yd) is an abstract floral motif in a jacquard weave inspired by Mexican tissue paper cutouts, and handcrafted floor tiles, and “Tela Solar” ($54/yd), a coordinating solid offered in five hues.

Prices are available to the consumer through select showrooms.

Day two of Stockholm's Fashion Week brought an enticing mix of old and new together. Drawing an inquisitive crowd, the Beckmans XV show represented fifteen students from the second-year fashion program at Beckmans College of Design.

Similar to how their third-year counterparts collaborated with colleagues in advertising and graphic design courses, Beckmans XV did likewise but chose to showcase their debut collections in the more traditional catwalk format. A wise choice too, as the audience was treated to an energetic show full of color, concepts and diverting form.

Odeur, a young Swedish brand founded in 2006 as more of an experiment, showed how much they have grown since last season with their latest collection drawing on a rich melting pot of influences and seeking to challenge conventions of basic garment construction. A dark greyscale base of color offset metallic silvers, with detailing like zippers acting as accents.

Like the Bondage years of Helmut Lang, Odeur's collection also looked at controlling and adjusting shape of the garments. Adding dimensionality to already nice-looking tailored blazers, jackets and feature pieces, the tactic speaks to what seems an inherently Scandinavian approach to shape and layering.

One of the solid performers of the Swedish top-end brands, Whyred hit a typically understated note synonymous with a brand which built a name for itself around quality, style and incredibly wearable clothing.

For its menswear, tight, cropped and lean suits and blazers defined the collection. Single breasted, one-button and with a nod to the brand's mod influences, Whyred emphasized cut over flashiness. Womenswear similarly trended towards letting the wearer instill their own personal style values rather than the clothes making a statement.

With many of Whyred's pieces ending up as part of a "base collection of trans-seasonal (and even trans-annual) garments and items," several elements of the brand's AW 2010 collection will likely follow suit.

We recently had the chance to check out the streamlined LFA, the first super car built by Lexus. While we're waiting for our test drive, we did sit in and explore the car in-depth.

Marking Lexus' 20th anniversary, the LFA leverages the brand's design and engineering expertise to both celebrate how far they've come as a brand, as well as demonstrate their wide-eyed vision of their future. Built by hand, the 500 LFAs feature the specs and capabilities of other super cars but does so in a (slightly) more accessible way. Each is, of course, extensively customizable.

The LFA is constructed out of carbon fiber, keeping it ultra lightweight but extremely durable. Redlining at 9,000 rpm, the 4.8-liter V10 engine easily reaches its top speed of 202 miles per hour and goes zero to 60mph in 3.6 seconds. Each of the 500 will be custom-built according to the owner's specifications, but will be precisely engineered to function beautifully both on and off the racetrack.

One of our favorite features is the digital speedometer (see video above), which changes depending on driving mode selected. The press of a button on the steering wheel moves the speedometer to the right, exposing secondary data and controls for other functions.

While ownership in this exclusive club is extremely limited, Lexus fans can look forward to some of the LFA's technology and features (especially the CFRP construction) to be included in standard production cars. The Lexus LFA is available for order worldwide for $350,000. Contact your local Lexus dealer for details.

The most recent issue of Good Magazine focuses on a notion that's come dangerously close to extinction: slowing down. Covering such widespread topics as agriculture, communities against suburban sprawl and cheating death, the mag has a nifty "Good (and readymade) Guide to Slowing Down." One of our favorites from this DIY list is number six, "How to Cultivate Conscious Laziness."

Good posits the truly radical notion of staying in bed all day as one that's harder than it seems. The truly competent and successful among us don’t generally spend all day horizontal, but a true dedication to slowing down provides a different definition of success.

The concept involves not just sleeping to the wee hours of late afternoon, but truly and totally—in the spirit of John and Yoko—committing yourself to a bed-ful existence, and letting "sweet lethargy take over.”

With tongue-in-cheek humor, the advice doesn't forget the strangeness of such an exercise, recommending satin pajamas and smoking jackets, and a cocktail hour “to differentiate 'day' from 'night.'" The editors suggest infomercials, as well as flavored ice cubes (to keep tastebuds dazzled) and the ever useful "Fine Literature."

Read the full article on the Good site.

If you happen to be in New York City this weekend, consider yourself lucky and make a bee line to Chelsea for the closing day of "Primary Atmospheres" at David Zwirner Gallery. The group exhibition presents a survey of minimalist work created in and around Los Angeles in the 1960s from artists Peter Alexander, Larry Bell, Laddie John Dill, Robert Irwin, Craig Kaufman, John McCracken, Helen Pashgian, James Turrell, De Wain Valentine and Doug Wheeler.

By the mid-'60s, these California artists had become widely engaged with Minimalism, creating work with a distinct West Coast sensibility. Often referred to as "Light and Space," this proto-movement was shaped by the unique atmosphere of southern California, with its bright light, shimmering automobiles and boundless aspiration. These elements suffused works with rich color and reflective qualities.

At the same time, new advances in plastics and applied paints—brought about through fields as diverse as aerospace technology as surfboard design—influenced the way artists made these works. Cutting-edge materials and processes, such as fiberglass reinforced polyester, cast polyester resin, and vacuum coated glass, led to astonishing surfaces and contributed to the moniker "Finish Fetish."

In a world besieged by up-to-the-minute news cycles that makes movement-defining culture, like the slow germination of shared purpose and sensibility, seem impossible, "Primary Atmospheres" is both a look at a future that once was, and perhaps an irretrievable past.

Primary Atmospheres: Works from California 1960-1970
Through 6 February 2010
David Zwirner Gallery
525 West 19th Street
New York, NY 10011 map
tel. +1 212 727 2070

From designer Jeeves Basu, who recently pushed the boundaries of furniture and disbelief with his Rat Table, the London-based creative tinkerer is now using wax to paradoxically make a melted wax lampshade that's un-meltable.

Created by melting a candle over a glass shade, the Impossible Lamp stretches wax art into function without losing the strange, ephemeral quality of this material. Using a liquid-cooled LED bulb, Basu ensures its impossibility.

The artist-slash-designer is taking custom orders for his lamps through his website, where you can also see a motion capture video of his process and the final product. Prices available upon request.

Super-soft BMC beanies are making grannies proud not only for their hand-knit construction, but also because for each hat purchased BMC donates one hat to a child who lost their hair due to chemotherapy.

Similar in concept to Krochet Kids, BMC keeps it authentically bohemian both in style and pursuit. A comfortable elastic band around the rim, secures their slouchy beanies on the head.

The four styles—small, medium and large slouch as well as a snug fit—in classic shapes suit any face. On a recent trip to San Diego, I found my large slouch to be just the trick for keeping hair out of my face during the day and my head warm at night.

Prices vary, but average just $20. Pick one up online from BMC.

Shirking typical Hallmark sentiments, Stank Sentiments for Sweethearts offers a different kind of nostalgia with a series of alternative boldface (and type) messages that borrow from rap lyrics to woo the one who makes your knees go week.

We have L.A.-based design firm Kuro to thank for the refreshing respite from schmaltz and imitation sentimentality with simple statements like "I Love It When You Call Me Big Papa" and the classic "Oh, Me So Horny (Me Luv U Long Time)."

The letterpress cards use quotes from "such masters of hip-hop eloquence as 2 Live Crew, Lil' Wayne, Diddy and Sir Mix-A-Lot." The cards sell from their Etsy shop for $5 each, or a stack of six runs $25.

See more images after the jump.

We speak for ourselves and our partners at Behance when we say we're thrilled today to announce the first six speakers in the line-up for our upcoming second annual 99% conference on how to execute good ideas. Top billing goes to Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey for obvious reasons, but Eve Blossom, who founded Lulan Artisans as a means to prevent human trafficking, also makes a topical presenter at the NYC event.

Other big names include RISD president John Maeda and Stefan Sagmeister, who likely needs no introduction so we'll just call him a design-savant. And rounding it out with names that might not ring as familiar, but whose resumes speak for themselves, we have Fred Wilson (the venture capitalist behind some of the biggest online products and services out there, like Twitter, Delicious, Tumblr, Foursquare and Etsy), as well as award-winning storyteller Jay O'Callahan, who counts NASA as a client. More speaker announcements are to come, so stay tuned for those.

Following the day of presentations on how these powerhouses accomplished so much, a second day of workshops—from improv and meditating to making online videos—provides more opportunities for learning and networking, not to mention the opening and closing parties. Tickets are going fast, so register now to get in on what Tina Roth Eisenberg of Swiss Miss called "hands-down the most inspiring conference I have yet attended."

The 99% Conference
15-16 April 2009
NY Times Center
242 West 41st Street
New York, NY 10036 map

To express your love and keep your beloved warm, Freehands red cashmere special edition gloves make a perfect Valentine's Day gift. These soft, cheery gloves have thumb and forefinger flaps that easily slip off the finger for easy use of mobile touch-screen devices. Missed calls and unanswered texts prevented by the struggles of tearing off bulky handwear with teeth can fade into memory.

Our own CH founder Josh Rubin established Freehands with his glovemaker father to facilitate the use of technology in cold weather. The gloves come in men's and women's sizes and sell for $70 at the Freehands site.

Limited to an edition of only 45, designer Roy Dank's latest design for Wurst takes on the quintessential work shirt. Building on his downtown-meets-uptown collection (check out our story on Wurst for full details), the former music mogul applies the same technique for clothing that he used producing records—build slow for a complete focus on quality over quantity.

The new hand-tailored chambray is cut from fine Italian cloth and boasts details such as a locker loop in the back and chest and pen pockets in the front, all rounded out with a button-down collar.

The perfect shirt for spring, The Wurst Edition No. 2 is now available for pre-order online for $150.

Our affinity for the Olympus Micro Four Thirds line is no secret. After taking the EP1 for a test drive last October, we were impressed with its sophisticated functionality and small profile. The latest model in the PEN line, the E-PL1 announced today, picks up where its predecessor left off. Adding a much-needed built-in flash and a slew of admirable interface tweaks, it also all comes in a more user-friendly—not to mention cheaper—package.

Using the same large-sized sensor as larger Olympus DSLRs, it takes comparably detailed 12-megapixel images with a point-and-shoot simplicity. And unlike the point-and-shoot, it comes with a dynamic 14-42mm lens and the flexibility to change it—particularly useful after Olympus' other release today: a pair of M.Zuiko lenses (the super wide-angle 9-18mm F4.0-5.6 and wide-angle-to-telephoto 14-150mm F4.0-5.6). Smaller and lighter then previous models and made with extra-low dispersion glass, they give a professional edge to the E-PL1's intuitive functionality.

The camera's new Live Guide interface allows advanced adjustments on the LCD screen before taking pictures, and addition of iEnhance boosts targets certain colors to up them and more faithfully mimic the image captured by the naked eye. These features offer complex controls in plain language and improve usability for non photo-geek users.

The retail price falls well below most high end DSLR's at $600, keep an eye on the Olympus site for updates on availability.

Released today as part of Nikon's new Style Series line, the S8000 continues the trend of narrowing the gap between high end, image-focused SLRs and conveniently pocket-sized point-and-shoots. The diminutive camera, at 14.2 megapixels with full 10x optical zoom, ranks thinnest in its class. Barely larger than a pack of cigarettes, it's a handy everyday choice for the discerning photographer. I had a sneak preview of one last month and was really pleased with its feel and performance.

Along with an increased start-up period and shutter-release time over previous models, Nikon added a four-way image stabilization system to compensate for its small, hard-to-steady proportion. An advanced flash feature promises more natural-looking images by boosting ISO settings and shutter speeds in low light.

Other new features include a 30-frame-per-second HD movie capability, high-speed photo shooting, with up to four shots per second, and a three-inch 921,000-dot LCD screen.

The S8000 retails for $300 and comes in red, bronze and champagne silver, in addition to the black model shown above.

Rifle's Floral Heart card provides a simple aesthetic, while staying patently romantic. Each card costs $4.

Jaime Hayon's porcelain Conversation Vase for Lladró ($3,000) makes an ideal splurge for the design buff in your life. Part of his "Fantasy" series, the limited edition handcrafted piece is a modern twist on Lladró's classic theme of love.

The slender glass heart vase captures the essence of the holiday while keeping to an understated motif. It sells from Unica Home in large or small for $150 or $125.

Calligrapher Bryn Chernoff of Paperfinger will transcribe a one-page love letter in her beautiful script on equally gorgeous Italian paper. Prices run $200 for one page, $350 for two.

The Japanese wabi sabi-inspired ceramic sphere vase perfectly holds a single rose. Pick it up from Canoe for $10.

Offering a box set of 10, Dempsey & Carroll print their Bee My Honey cards on 2-ply paper and pack them with gold tissue-lined envelopes. Pick them up online for $50.

Show your craftier side with Bird & Banner's Sew In Love card. A set of five sells from Anthropologie for $20.

The fold-up small plastic vase adds a touch of color and whimsy to the oft-serious holiday. It's also light and transportable. Get it online or at A&G Merch's Brooklyn brick-and-mortar for $6 each.

Adding unabashedly dorky humor, d.Sharp's You Are Neat card is an effective way to tell 'em how you're feeling. Pick it up online for $3.

Latin for "one heart," Cor Unum offers an unusual take on classic ceramics with a faux leather vase. Unica Home carries it in three sizes for $532 each.

A collaboration between design group FX Balléry,and French boutique Domeau & Peres, Pretty Vases add an industrial-chic DIY element, while maintaining a carefully designed lacquered construction. It's available online, with prices starting at €110.

Double coded, the Binary Te Amo Print from Raw Art Letterpress is perfect for those feeling a little squeamish about the emotion-infused holiday. Spelling out "Te Amo," the hand-cut binary print is available online for $9.

Also produced by Cor Unum, the bronze Jive Vase designed by Ron Arad is reversible, offering two shapes in one. Buy it from Unica Home for $814.

Cute and perfect for friends and loved ones alike, Louella Press prints their Love Is A Hoot card by hand on Speckletone Kraft French Paper using an antique letterpress. The Philadelphia-based printers sell it through their Etsy shop for $5 each.

For their latest ad campaign promoting their Shirts line, forward-thinking fashion label Comme des Garçons tapped artist Stephen J. Shanabrook for an image that borrows from his series "Paper Surgery." (Pictured above right and after the jump.) Playing on magazines, fashion and photography, the work (made in collaboration with Veronika Georgieva) hints at darker themes seen elsewhere in his practice, like his "Works of Heroin" (below).

via White Lightning

From the talented calligrapher behind Paperfinger, these stamps add a modern handmade touch to correspondence for the upcoming holiday of love or any time of the year. With simply sweet sentiments to the more cheeky "No, but seriously I REALLY love you" and "Love(ing)"—a subtle reminder that love is a verb—the craft accessories make it easy to to express a thought with style.

Pick them up from Paperfinger's Etsy store, ranging from $6-22.