Although our pal Frank Chimero is relatively new to Portland, he’s already making his presence known. Join AIGA Portland and 52 Ltd. at Designspeaks to learn what’s on Frank’s mind.

I don’t know about you, but I listen closely to anything Frank has to say. He’s sure to delight and inform. Go get ‘em Frank!

The Cleaners at Ace Hotel
403 SW 10th Avenue
Portland, Oregon, 97205
May 13, 2010
7 – 10:00pm

Francesco Rugi and Silvia Quintanilla, the names behind the talented Milan-based collective Carnovsky, created a series of wallpapers for Jannelli & Volpi entitled RGB. Presented during Milan Design Week, the RGB collection features overprinted illustrations that are individually revealed when viewed under red, green, or blue light. I’ve always been a fan of overprinted designs and hidden layers of information, but this takes the cake. Bravo.

Photography by Luca Volpe

While this Candy Wallet by Maison Martin Margiela isn’t for everyone, it certainly is undeniably smart and yummy. Styled as an oversized candy wrapper complete with barcodes and weights, it is available in either bright metallic fuschia or gold at La Garçonne.

Kidrobot Black joins forces with New York based artist Ruslan Karablan, aka SSUR, to create SSUReal From the Cradle to the Grave, a 6-inch, matte black vinyl skull featuring gold chrome-plated ABS teeth, articulated jaw, and a unique, embossed sylvan pattern covering the entire surface. This figure is limited to 200 pieces and retails for $200.

I’m in Portland this week so it’s only appropriate that I mention Kate Bingaman-Burt’s new book. In her own words, “Our daily lives are filled with consumption…parking tickets, coffee, packs of gum, shoes, electricity bills and burritos…everything we buy has its own story to tell. Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today? represents a selection of three years of ink drawings of sundry items.”

Printed on really soft uncoated paper that feels good when rubbed against your face, you can purchase Obsessive Consumption online at Amazon, Powell’s, or directly through Kate’s website, where she’s offering a signed, limited-edition daily drawing and book package for $30.

In April 1994, Supreme opened its doors on Lafayette Street in downtown Manhattan and became the home of New York City skate culture and soon they will be releasing a monograph of their sixteen year history. Published by Rizzoli, this book is a visual history of the brand that includes an introduction by Glenn O’Brien, an essay by Aaron Bondaroff and an interview between Kaws and James Jebbia. The book surveys many of the brand’s products over the years including projects with Jeff Koons, Richard Prince, Damien Hirst, Public Enemy and Lou Reed, among others. The Supreme edition of this book will be available exclusively at Supreme stores in the U.S. and Japan, and on-line April 20th. A general release edition will be available April 27th at Amazon.com and select book stores.

Malcolm McLaren was a performer, impresario, self-publicist and former manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls. In 1971, McLaren and his girlfriend, designer Vivienne Westwood, opened a London clothing shop called SEX on the Kings Road. And in 1977 he achieved widespread notoriety for his part in the Sex Pistols release of God Save The Queen during the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

“To be bad is good…to be good is simply boring.” Malcolm McLaren’s grandmother

The moon has been a guide and object of admiration and mysticism for thousands of years. Agriculture, fertility, tidal patterns, human behavior and many other activities have been linked to the phases of the moon. Moonwatch has been designed by Barcelona-based The Emotion Lab to establish a relationship between themoon cycle and a person’s emotional states. It’s a new concept of time based on nature which invites people to reflect upon and gain a closer understanding of their mood and daily life on earth. Love it.