DESIGN DISPATCH

Willo Perron Fashions a Trippy Metallic Pop-Up for Skims in Miami, and Other News

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Skims Miami by Willo Perron

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Willo Perron Fashions a Trippy Metallic Pop-Up for Skims in Miami 

Kim Kardashian and her clothing line, SKIMS, have officially landed in Miami with a distinctive pop-up experience to celebrate the launch of SKIMS Swim. Just steps from the Surface gallery and showroom in the Miami Design District, the mirage-like chrome box emblazoned with the brand’s logo and cascading water feature was concepted by designer Willo Perron. The pass-through structure’s tonal interior is inspired by the curves of the female form, with glossy molded walls and tables to showcase the new minimalist swim line of bikinis, sporty one-pieces, and monochrome cover-ups. The new category and expanded physical retail presence signify continued growth for SKIMS, now valued at $3.2 billion with a forecasted $400 million in sales this year.

Lisboeta, London

A London restaurant channels Portugal with a design inspired by its historic cafes. 

At the just-opened Lisboeta, Chef Nuno Mendes and his architect friend João Guedes Ramo have conjured an experience that transports London patrons to Portugal. Located inside a Fitzrovia townhouse, Ramos fashioned the interiors in the style of traditional Lisbon cafes with dark wooden cabinetry, Sintra limestone, and cobblestone flooring that channels the city’s historic streets. In the dining room adorned with Mendes’ personal collection of local artists, the chef serves Mediterranean specialties such as morcela blood sausage, scarlet prawn toast, and lamb stew. 

Cult clothing brand Pangaia branches out with a new line of superfood bars.

Known for its colorful pared-down basics made using highly sustainable methods and materials—ink crafted from air pollution, recycled food waste fabric, wildflower-filled down jackets—Pangaia is getting into the health food game. Named Pangaia Health, the company has released its first product—a superfood bar whose ingredients include prickly pear, goji berry, sprouted red quinoa, and coconut.  

Living Deep debuts the “world’s greenest furniture” with three biodegradable pieces.  

The sustainable design marketplace Living Deep is launching what is billed as the world’s greenest furniture line just in time for Earth Day. The 100 percent biodegradable and organic collection is crafted from FSC-certified wood and produced in the U.S. with nearly zero waste and living wage labor. Cofounders Jason F. McLennan and Scott James collaborated with eco-centric artisans to bring the pieces to life. In addition to the lounge chair and ottoman, Aimee Robinson of the Seattle-based studio EcoBalanza designed the sofa with organic Merino wool and fair trade leather from ethical farms. “My design process has always been mission-driven,” Robinson says. “The question I have been seeking to answer for over a decade is ‘can we make a product that aligns on both environmental and ethical values, pays living wages to craftsmen, and preserves traditional techniques?’ Working with Jason was an ideal collaboration given his commitment and leadership in the green building movement.”

“Tomás Saraceno: Particular Matter(s)” at The Shed, New York

TikTok is drawing a crowd to Tomás Saraceno’s web-like installation at The Shed.

Anyone on Instagram has probably seen footage being shared of people experiencing Tomás Saraceno’s recently opened exhibition at The Shed, in which humans traverse a giant web-like installation like a bunch of spiders. The installation has been going viral on TikTok, with footage of people clambering across the wire mesh netting amassing millions of views and hundreds of thousands of likes. Alex Poots, chief executive and artistic director of The Shed, believes artwork will become more interactive and immersive “with the rise of technology, the rise of being able to have more self-determinacy through technology, through having a phone, access to information, all of that,” he tells the New York Times. “Particular Matter(s)” is on view at The Shed through April 17. 

Marina Abramovic is restaging The Artist Is Present to benefit Ukraine aid efforts.

When Marina Abramović staged The Artist is Present at the Museum of Modern Art in 2010, more than 1,500 were photographed sitting across from her. Now anyone who missed out has a second chance thanks to a benefit auction to aid Direct Relief’s efforts in Ukraine. The Serbian artist is restaging her most well-known performance at Sean Kelly Gallery, where a survey of her work is currently on view. Viewers can bid for the chance to be photographed sitting across from her through Artsy’s auction platform. “We felt we needed to do something fast,” Kelly told Artnet News. “We just feel it’s a huge imperative to get money into people’s heads as quickly as possible.”

“Balldo” sex toy by Nadgerz, Inc.

Today’s attractive distractions:

This kitchen contraption prints thousands of beverages with a single cartridge.

Initial images from the James Webb telescope exceeded NASA’s expectations.

A couple who dug up the world’s largest potato found that it’s actually a gourd.

This inventive new sex toy allows the scrotum to be used for penetrative sex.

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