Schweizer Plakate is a growing online gallery of Swiss Posters. Sort by type, stile or color. Wonderful!
(Thank you Martin)
Yay! SIGG!
Photo by Julia Robbs.
Part of my latest Quarterly mailing was a custom SIGG Bottle. In my letter to my subscribers I explained that I am struggling with keeping hydrated when at the studio. In the mornings, I would get in, sit down at my desk and just be swallowed up by the busy-monster and not take time to walk over to the water fountain. I would literally forget to drink water.
I realized that I needed to trick myself by filling up 2 bottles in the morning when I come in and have them sit on my desk, with the goal to empty them by the end of the day. Otherwise I would not drink enough water. After talking to a few of my studiomates I realized I wasn’t the only one struggling with the hydration problem and so I decided to send out a custom Sigg bottle.
I grew up on Sigg bottles, they’re a staple in every Swiss household. They’re designed and manufactured in Switzerland and the SIGG HQs is a 15 minute drive from my hometown. So, I admit, there’s a bit of nostalgia packed into my latest Quarterly. Yay for things that carry from you childhood into grown-up land. In my case, one of them is Sigg.
(The YAY illustration on the bottle is by the wonderfully talented Jen Mussari)
Swiss Alps Panorama Knife
Now here’s a gift for the chef that has it all: Swiss Alps Panorama Knives. From top to bottom: Berner Alps Panorama, Lake of Constance Panorama and soon to be available the Zurich Panorama. Made me smile.
(warning their shop is in German only)
Filo Tape Dispenser
(photo by ECAL- Julien Chavaillaz)
I have no idea if this Filo Scotch Tape Dispenser is at all easy to use, but it sure made me look for it’s minimal aesthetic. It is the brainchild of Swiss designer Marie Schenker.
Fou Lard (Bacon Scarf)
I just nearly fell off my chair. In a package that was just delivered here at my studio, I discovered a Silk Bacon Scarf, named Fou Lard. We just all had a good laugh, but my Studiomates agreed, this is so utterly ridiculous it’s awesome. Fou Lard is a brainchild of Swiss designer Natalie Luder. The scarf is made of 100% silk, digitally printed and hemmed by the artist herself. Available on her site for $170. Bacon lovers unite!
Elsa – The Raclette Machine
Stadler Form released this new Raclette Grill and I am giddy over it. (Melted cheese rules my world!)
How does it work? Put a chunk of Raclette cheese on the tray, melt it, then scrape it on your place. Enjoy with soft boiled potatoes. YES!
FREITAG – Out Of The Bag
FREITAG recently published a new book called Out of the Bag. I got my hands on a copy and if you’re like me, fascinated by the FREITAG story, then you should get yourself a copy. The book looks at how this small, SWISS creative start-up became a large brand with such an incredibly strong identity. FREITAG’s history and processes are explained, commented upon, and presented in often surprising ways.
V71 F-Buch / V72 F-Book from FREITAG lab. ag on Vimeo.
And this is the newest bag I am currently drooling over. #youcanthavetoomanyFRETITAGbags
Kajütenbett
This modular bunk bed called Kajüttenbett made me look. I love multifunctional kids furniture that can adapt to your changing needs. It’s a design by Swiss Roland Jaggi and available over at Refurnished.ch.
Also, for all you grown-ups that like the idea of a minimal bunk bed, check out this one.
(Thank you Thierry)
F60 JOAN
FREITAG’s new cyclable handbag F60 JOAN went on vacation in Zurich, Davos, Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Tokyo, New York, Paris and Amsterdam. Documented in this little gem of a video:
FREITAG – F60 JOAN from FREITAG lab. ag on Vimeo.
swissview
SWISSVIEW is my new go-to-iPad-app when I am in desperate need of some major zen. It features more than 1,600 films of spectacular helicopter footage of Switzerland. Every film comes with useful information on the overflown regions and places. Nice.
(thank you Ted)
Peter Megert
Thinkingform posted the above graphic by Swiss designer Peter Megert. I find the three interlocking arrows fascinating.
Where I am From…
While browsing the new *fantastic* Flipboard iPhone App I stumbled upon a photo essay on on Appenzell Innerrhoden, the place I grew up in Switzerland. (well, I grew up 20minutes from there, but I consider it my home) It’s one of the most charming, greenest places on earth. If you’re into hiking, this is your place.
Appenzell Innerrhoden is the smallest canton of Switzerland by population and the second smallest by area, Basel-City having less area. Wherever you look you see dairy farms which produce the amazing Appenzeller cheese. Next time you go to a cheese shop, ask them for Appenzeller. It’s a super-yumme hard cheese and comes in all kinds of ‘stinkiness levels’, at least in Switzerland. Here in the US I usually am only able to get one kind.
The images are by Jean-Yves Roure.
Caran D’Ache Red Metal Pen
Oh, the (Swiss) memories that just flashed in front of my eyes upon discovering the Caran D’Ache Red Metal Pen over at Kaufmann Mercantile. Trust me, these pens are a pleasure to write with and last forever, as you can refill them easily. Two swissmiss thumbs up!
Retirement Facitlity Signage
This is not your usual wayfinding system. Hat tip to Tina Staeheli for designing this refreshing, minimal signage system for a (fancy) Swiss retirement home.
How To Work Better
I just stopped over at my friend BB’s blog and had to chuckle upon discovering the-above-oh-so-familiar photo. It’s the »How to Work Better« Mural is by Swiss artists Fischli & Weiss and covers an office building in Zurich-Oerlikon. You can prominently see it from the train when you get into Zurich station.
Wickelfisch
As swimming in rivers is big in Switzerland, the invention of the Wickelfisch makes total sense: The Wickelfisch is a waterproof bag that allows you to take your belongings with you, while you go for a swim. Why would you want to do that? Well, as the stream in a river makes you float away from where you started out it is oftentimes not possible to get back to your belonging all that quickly and easily.
Hat tip off to the designer. At this point you can only get it in selected stores in Switzerland, listed here (all in German). There’s a contact email over here.
(thank you Jaqueline)
Pluï
Now, here’s a charming new water toy for little ones. Immerse Pluï in water to fill up and then use it to create ‘rain’. The key is how you control the flow of water simply by sealing or opening the top nozzle with the tip of your finger. I can see our little Tilo loving this one. It’s called Pluï and was designed by Swiss Johanna Rickenback and Alex Hochstrasser.
(thank you Ueli)
