DESIGN DISPATCH

Louis Vuitton and Sotheby’s Auction Artycapucines Bags, and Other News

Our daily look at the world through the lens of design.

Louis Vuitton Artycapucines bags. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s

The Design Dispatch offers expertly written and essential news from the design world crafted by our dedicated team. Think of it as your cheat sheet for the day in design delivered to your inbox before you’ve had your coffee. Subscribe now

Have a news story our readers need to see? Submit it here

Louis Vuitton and Sotheby’s Auction Artycapucines Bags

Each year, Louis Vuitton asks six bold-faced artists to reimagine the coveted Capucine bag. Sold in a limited run of 200, each Artycapucine becomes a bona fide collector’s item fetching high prices. That’s why the French label teamed with Sotheby’s to auction 22 “exceptionally remade” bags, with proceeds benefiting the likes of UNICEF, Médecins sans Frontières, the United Negro College Fund, Teach for China, World Central Kitchen, and Opendorf Afrika. Artists like Alex Israel, Paola Pivi, Ugo Rondinone, Tschabalala Self, and Kennedy Yanko are participating in the auction, which will be conducted online between June 28 and July 12. —Ryan Waddoups

The National Portrait Gallery, London. Photography by Jim Stephenson

London’s National Portrait Gallery is reopening after a major $52 million renovation.

London’s National Portrait Gallery is set to reopen after a $52 million renovation—the first since its establishment in 1896. Noteworthy features include Tracey Emin’s bronze doors depicting women, contrasting the male-dominated imagery on the facade, and the incorporation of contemporary elements like short films and screens showcasing London street life. The reopening coincides with the First Look Festival, featuring Paul McCartney and Tracey Emin, while inaugural exhibitions include “Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64” and “Yevonde: Life and Colour,” highlighting the work of suffragette photographer Yevonde.

Hickok Cole utilized ChatGPT to help design a building—with enthusiastic results.

Hickok Cole has utilized ChatGPT in a research project to design a 24-story mixed-use building with a green roof and swimming pool. Project architect Jack Lynch expressed enthusiasm about AI tools’ potential to aid the design process. While ChatGPT demonstrated the ability to remember and evolve design ideas, it also made errors, prompting Lynch to suggest further integration of specialized AI chatbots into architectural software. Lynch sees AI as a tool that enhances the profession and predicts a new wave of architectural innovation.

“Cnidarian Stool, Medusa Phase” by Jeremiah Barber. Image courtesy of SFMOMQA

SFMOMA recently showcased chairs made using 75 percent post-exhibition materials.

The Architecture and Design department at SFMOMA aims to create a diverse and ever-changing gallery experience. Recognizing the environmental impact of exhibitions, they launched the Scrappy Chair Challenge, inviting the community to design chairs using 75 percent post-exhibition materials. Surpassing expectations, the challenge received 133 proposals, and five winners were chosen to showcase their chairs alongside the Conversation Pieces exhibition. This initiative not only encourages creative reuse but also fosters new engagement with the museum, demonstrating the potential for future innovative projects.

The FTC sues Amazon for using deceptive design tactics to manipulate consumers.

The Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against Amazon for its use of deceptive design tactics, known as “dark patterns,” which manipulate consumers. The lawsuit accuses Amazon of confusing users and making it difficult to cancel Prime subscriptions. This legal action is seen as the first step in a broader battle against deceptive practices in online marketplaces, and may prompt other companies to examine their platforms for similar issues.

Titanic director James Cameron calls out flaws in the OceanGate submersible’s design.

James Cameron expressed shock over the OceanGate submersible tragedy, stating that such disasters had never occurred in private ocean exploration. As an experienced submersible expert, the Titanic director emphasized implosions at such depths were unprecedented. He criticized OceanGate’s lack of certification for their tourist submersible and highlighted a design weakness in the use of carbon-fiber composites, which lack compression strength.

“Scrounging,” the new cookbook by A24. Image courtesy of A24

Today’s attractive distractions:

A trove of art is hiding—and thriving—in an unassuming Flushing mini-mall.

A dedicated boyfriend spends 60 hours making his girlfriend a Birkin replica

On that note, A24’s new cookbook nods to cinema’s most unsettling meals.

Meet the Sullivanian Institute, an Upper West Side cult that hid in plain sight.



All Stories