Smoking is Cool.

The new packaging design for Vogue cigarettes is lovely.
Obviously inspired by swirling cigarette smoke, the new packaging, designed by Slava Fedutik, is modern and colourful and really uses the packaging the way it should be used. Because it is illegal to advertise cigarettes and stores are not allowed to display them it seems that cigarette companies need to work harder at making their packet visible when in use and making it something that is desirable to carry, a fashion accessory of sorts. Vogue has always used fashion in their branding, from the minimalist all white coloring of the cigarettes to their long narrow shape and slim packet.


The packaging and design of the cigarettes makes you feel as though you will be oh so chic and sexy when smoking them, like the image below.


In reality you probably won't unless you're a gorgeous, slim, French woman. You'll probably just end up with mouth cancer, which is not such a sexy look. But who wants to dwell on that?

There is a blog devoted to images of people looking ridiculously cool whilst smoking, Le Smoking. Beautiful photos.

Norman Foster.

While flipping through an architecture book I stumbled across this fellow, Norman Foster. And he basically blew my mind. Just check out this bridge he designed with a little help from engineer Michel Virlogeux. The Viaduc de Millau spans the valley of the river Tarn in the south of France. It is the tallest bridge in the world with one pylon being 343 mt tall. The bridge is just short of 2.5km long. Holy moley.


He also built this
And this, to live in

All the Cool Kids.

Firstly, my opinion of children is hardly a positive one. I think they are unpredictable, messy and not particularly cute. That said, these kids are pretty darn cool. The following children's collections are wonderful and the styling and casting of their shoots is absolutely perfect.
The kids appear effortlessly cool and stylish without being trite. This is what all the children of the world should be wearing. Just say no to Dora the Explorer and Ben 10 merchandise.

I have said many a time that Marc Jacobs does advertising better than fashion and I'm sticking to my guns. The Little Marc Jacobs collections are lovely, the spring 2010 one especially so, but more lovely are the catalogs that accompany them. The children are who you want your children to be, they are gorgeous. And the photos are fun. Marc Jacobs has found the perfect medium between high fashion and kids still being kids, no contrived poses. The images all look spur of the moment and totally brilliant.




Talc is a french children's label. Their clothes are simple and stunning. They are all great for kids to run around in and still perfectly stylish. Never have I so badly wanted to fit into children's clothing. Like the Little Marc Jacobs catalog, Talc's is also beautifully cast. The children are stunning and are so wonderful in front of the camera. All Talc's catalogs feature children wearing masks of some sort and all their images have block coloured backgrounds and a lovely soft light. The girls in the 2011 preview catalog (last 2 Talc images) seem so effortlessly hip and chic, i wonder how they have attained this coolness at such a young age. Proving that the French really are a superior race.

(This boy is so beautifully elfish)(I want to be the girl in the brown floral jumpsuit)

I like selected pieces from Stella McCartney's collection for GapKids but in general I'm not a huge fan. The images however, I love. The simple sets and barnyard animals are brilliant. the casting isn't quite as good as Little Marc Jacobs and Talc, some of the kids appear too 'posey' and even mannequin like whilst others are great and natural. As a sucker for glitter i can't help but love the glittered animals too.