http://libertylondongirl.blogspot.com/
Because I’m flying back to England shortly, I need to get my head around Christmas presents a little earlier than usual, deciding whether to get clever in New York, or just order it all on the interweb, and have it waiting for me in the UK by the time I get back. I’m quite tempted by the not having to lug shopping home option now that airlines are charging for a second case, and websites like CultureLabel do make the whole process super easy. This new breed of online consolidators take product from all over, present it thematically in one place, and then leave you to follow the direct links to the website that actually sells the product. What makes them different from normal shopping consolidation & affiliate sites is that they curate the products they sell, rather than just mindlessly listing a load of old tat. Their USP is a collection of products garnered from sixty leading galleries, museums, artists and culture institutions, (everywhere from the Saatchi Gallery to English Heritage), many of which are either artist-designed or limited-edition products. And, if you think this all sounds a bit po-faced, may I direct you to my current favourite pick from the site?
Radio Controlled Tarantula £24.47 from The Natural History Museum: Scuttle, spin and scare from up to 140m away? Yes ,please for my godson who would LOVE driving everyone up the wall with this little horror.
Ally Capellino Satchel Bag created especially for the Tate £35.23: From the sublime to the chic, this bag from the ever fabulous Ally Capellino is a brilliant present for, well, everyone.
And for the always impossible to buy for designer-y friend with impossibly high standards, may I suggest the V&A Pattern Limited Edition Box Set at an extremely reasonable £30?
A repository of ideas for designers of all kinds, this box set contains the first four titles (William Morris, Digital Pioneers, Indian Florals and The Fifties) in a new series of books containing patterns from the V&A archive. Each book includes a CD of all the images which can be redrawn or reworked.
Most of the 60 sites will ship internationally, so usage isn’t restricted to the UK.
Archive for November, 2009
Are we in it? Are we in it? Are we in it? Are we … oh. Online city guide to West London WestLondonLiving.co.uk, have just launched brand new interiors and design pages featuring the best in interior design, fashion, new trends, one’s to watch and of course, the hottest new websites.
In The Frame: New website Culture Label showcases top artist-designed products and limited editions from cultural institutions including the Natural History Museum and the Saatchi Gallery.
CultureLabel in Spanish on Sheila Tonini Blog
This Wednesday is the inaugural Krug Mind Share Charity autction. Taking place at Christie’s on 5 November, the highest bidders will each win a private audience with one of the best business “Minds” around. Several leaders in their respective fields have agreed to give up their valuable time in exchange for money donated to their chosen charities as part of the inaugural auction. Participating “Minds” include Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger and Sir Philip Green who might share some top tips on how best to beat the credit crunch. For those who don’t win, there’s always the consolation of plenty of free flowing champagne! Read more here.
The life and work of Damien Hirst, Britain’s most controversial – and wealthiest – artist is being used to teach MBA students and managers how to develop winning business strategies.
The London Business School courses are run by Jamie Anderson, visiting professor, who believes that Mr Hirst’s ability to reinvent his art form and manipulate the art market holds important lessons for business generally. Mr Anderson said he used the rise of Mr Hirst over the past 20 years as a case study in original thinking about business strategy. Mr Hirst’s wealth was put at £235m in this year’s Sunday Times Rich List.
“Strategic innovation is all about disrupting established industry sectors – and that is precisely what he has done,” said Mr Anderson. “He identified new customer groups such as oligarchs, collectors from east Asia and [people who have benefited from] oil money, who had been ignored by the snobbier galleries in the art world.
“He made new forms of art, which would appeal to those new customer groups. And he also realised that collecting art was not just about ego and snobbery, but investment. He created a strong brand.
“And finally he found new ways of distributing his art which broke all the rules of the market, such as last year’s Sotheby’s auction in which more than £110m of his art was sold.”
