Though it does appear a good time to ask if diamond earbuds, gold-enhanced cords and this Swarovski-covered MacBook (the custom decoration costs £700, about $1, 207) are recession proof, the ideas keep blinging on.
Let them listen to Hard Luck playlists, we can enjoy the shiny shiny, while it lasts.
Via the Independent
If you live where the weather behooves you to go out without gloves or freeze your pinkies off, you’ve probably been caught fumbling for speed dial with warm woolies on.
These black leather or stretch gloves with flick-back fingers called Freehands let you “stay warm and keep in touch.” The fingertips stay back with magnets, a handy feature.
Why are they for the iPhone, specifically?
Well, because the guy who designed them, Josh Rubin, father of CoolHunting, said they are.
Rubin also went to the trouble to photograph the gloves with an iPhone, which is more than Fox could do launching its iPhone-optimized service, so we’ll take his word.
$40 for the leather version, $20 for fleece. Bike messenger-techno-geek chic.
Via Bunch of Nerds
Threadless, online purveyor of uber-cool community-designed tees, now has an iPhone app for on-the-go purchases.
Much like the Tag Show queries on Flickr or Picasa, the app connects to the Threadless database of new shirts and loads designs on your iPhone for quick perusal.
Fringe benefit: the T-shirt designs also make cool wallpaper.
The free app was designed by Ian Marsh.
Via App Craver
Wow. Blown away to discover that Tommy Hilfiger, the man whose clean-cut, simple designs spell yesteryear americana rocks out on his iPod.
Here are two of three selections on his hot button:
“The Rolling Stones: Sympathy for the Devil I like the lyrics, I like the drums, I like the guitar my favorite band ever.
Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced? It reminds me of the Fillmore East, in New York, but I also loved Hendrix’s style. I thought the way that he created this vintage rock’n’roll look was very cool.
The trouble with these features, meant to replace the “top ten desert island album” party question, with the amount of storage even on a Shuffle, how can he give such a miserable selection?
I mean, does he really have only three songs, three playlists on his iPod? C’mon.
Via The Sunday Times
For those of you who thought the Diamond Shuffle was a bit much, Swiss luxury accessories brand DEOS launched these diamond-encrusted covers designed for iPod and iPhone earbuds.
Prices for these handcrafted covers, which slip on earbuds, start at $4,500, for black and white diamond versions, climbing to $60,000 for earbuds dripping with pink, yellow or black diamonds.
Sure, they cost more than the actual device. Which is why some of the models, like the DEOS 32W, which has a full carat of diamonds and costs $5,000, comes with a complimentary Shuffle.
If you’d like to add a little splash to your morning run but don’t have the cash, Swarovski crystal versions run from $110 (demi-dipped) to $200 for the Full Monty.
Steve Goldstein, founder of the Geveva-based DEOS (Defining Expressions of Sound), said the idea is one whose time has come:
“Today there are more than 152 million earphones in the world. [It’s] a marvellous way of making a fashion statement. When you meet someone the person sees first your face and then looks at your ears…”
Don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that bling.
From Juicy Couture, the people who made terrycloth sweat suits hot, come three iPhone jelly cases in bright pink, blue and yellow with logo tags.
Hopefully some of the butter-fingered celebs who made Juicy famous will protect their iPhones with these, declaring “iChoose Juicy,” instead of “assistant go get me another phone” to the world.
$55 for a set of three. Available for pre-order.
Designers have tried before to integrate tech with clothing, mostly resulting in stuff you should buy, stick in a box and sell 20 years from now rather than wear today.
Exception made for Julieta Gayoso’s Indarra line, which includes this Touch Pad Jacket with wireless controls for your iPod that allow wearers to pump up the volume, turn it down or skip tracks while on the move. (The controls even look like Apple icons, so people won’t think you’re randomly poking yourself).
The design’s simple and practical enough to actually wear, with a waterproof finish, zip-out 3M lining and plenty of pockets. The limited-edition numbered topper, which also comes in also comes in “iron moss” and black, retails for about $275. Argentine Gayoso, who started designing tech-friendly clothes in 2006, also offers a line of basics for women.
Smart clothes that actually look smart. Now there’s an idea.
Via Reuters
If you’re the logo type, Louis Vuitton has launched a new iPod Widescreen case.
It’ll set you back $290, but hey it’s got “Armagnac leather lining.” And a belt loop.
It’s soft. It’s cute. It’s an iPhone, in felt.
It has no practical purpose we can ascertain, unless you count baby geek toy or dog bauble. Oh wait, the guy who made it says it’s not suitable for either of those things.
Still, it’s one-of-a-kind and uber cute. (Did I already mention that?) And, unlike the apple-shaped iPod shuffle cover in felt, which is adorable but we can’t get behind because the colors are wrong, this seems about as faithful as you can get. Using felt.
If you have to have it, bidding starts at $25 plus $5 shipping on eBay.
Via Geekologie
The Sartorialist, aka Scott Schuman, occasionally shoots his on-the-street fashion stories using Mac stores as a backdrop.
Just in time for Milan shows, he snaps a fleeting fashionista in front of the blink-and-you missed it Apple reseller on Via Mercato.
The best thing about the otherwise unremarkable store in the city’s chic Brera neighborhood are the staff’s black T-shirts candidating Steve Jobs for mayor. Now that’s a statement.
