The work of Takashi Iwasaki

CREDITS:
Takashi Iwasaki

From top:
Sanhurst

Embroidery floss and canvas (hand embroidered)

17cm x 17cm

2006

Isogashiyumekojo
Embroidery floss and canvas (hand embroidered)
17cm x 17cm
2006

Tanuhanabi

Acrylic on canvas
40.5 x 40.5cm
2007
Private collection

CAF and Amaridian hand-in-hand for 2010

CAF is thrilled to announce that we have been signed on to be the creative team behind Amaridian USA's 2010 trade show campaign. Amaridian is the vision of South Africans Fraser Conlon and Mary Slack who work to bridge a new idea of Africa with America through the arts. The Soho-based gallery showcases beautifully curated works from both emerging and well established South African artists such as Egg Designs, Ronél Jordaan, Ardmore, Andrew Early, Zenzulu and many more. 

CAF will be working closely with the Amaridian team to design, build and produce smart, marketable trade show campaigns over the next 12 months. Here are some images from our Winter Market booth for Accent on Design showcasing the resplendent work of Ronél Jordaan.

CREDITS:

Creative Direction & Design: Courtney Fikri, CAF Creative

Product Design: Ronél Jordaan, Ronél Jordaan

Represented by: Fraser Conlon, Amaridian USA,
31 Howard Street, New York, NY 10013 T. 917.463.3719, info@amaridianusa.com

Construction: James Harmon, WorkShopDesignBuild

What a lovely Package...

Vichy Catalan wanted to remember the origins of its creation in 1881 with the launch of a new limited edition bottle. The bottle aims to evoke the cultural context of the Catalan Modernista movement in which this mineral water was born. The 1881 Mineral Spring Water packaging was designed by TBWA Barcelona and it's making us feel inspired and thirsty for more.

CREDITS:

Packaging design: TBWA Barcelona

Launching soon: AmandaJenkins.com

CAF is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of AmandaJenkins.com

Amanda, a master stylist and director of education at Arrojo Studio, originally moved to New York to join Toni & Guy as their art director. Six years in the role ensured her work was recognized worldwide at seminars, hair shows and photo shoots. She is a true master of the hairdressing art, twice receiving the Toni & Guy editorial award. She has had requests from Alternative Rockers, the Kings of Leon, Good Charlotte and Audio Slave and has worked on the Tommy Girl Ad campaign resulting in Tokyo-bound billboards. Most recently, Amanda presented Joan of Arc at Arrojo Underground '10 featuring helmets of hair, jewelry of armour and the empowered vision to think for yourself.

Our task is to create a simple, sophisticated online presence to enable her to showcase her work to new and existing clientele. Look for the site to launch early 2010. If you can't wait, go see her work for yourself by booking a master snip at Arrojo.

CREDITS:

Hair: Amanda Jenkins

Salon: Arrojo Studio - 212-242-7786

Make-up: Candice Forness, Erin Green

Photo: Yana Toyber, Joseph Cartwright, Andy Lin

Design & Development: Courtney Fikri - CAF Creative

Turkish Delights.

A few years back, modern turkish designers became an all-too-exciting world-wide force to be reckoned with.  There was Derin at ICFF, Autoban making headlines in the world of architecture, interior and product design and Inci Mutlu in Milan to name a few. With all of this excitement and new school education of what exactly Turkey is all about, I think it has become very easy to overlook or simply forget how stunning the many traditional Ottoman and Anatolian-inspired designs really are. Some of my very favorites come from the boutique division of Paşabahçe - or Mağaza Bütik which boasts limited edition pieces showcasing what they describe as "the cultural heritage of the future". Collections include: Osmanli Koleksiyonu,  which focuses on contemporary interpretations of Ottoman art dating back some 700 years: Camda Sanatli or Art on Glass and Mozaik Koleksiyonu, a collection using the mosaic technique dating from 2600 B.C using Anatolian works of art as inspiration.

You can view the entire collection online (available in Turkish only) here.

What once was old is new again.

CREDITS:

Paşabahçe Mağazaları A.Ş.

Genel Müdürlük

Ankara Asfaltı E-5 Karayolu İçmeler/Tuzla

İstanbul/TR

Tel : 0216 560 25 25

Fax : 0216 395 54 30

E-Mail : magaza@sisecam.com.tr

Architect of the Month - Yabu Pushelberg for Smyth Hotel

December's Architect of the Month goes to Yabu Pushelberg for the Smyth Hotel.

It is certainly most common to commission an architect who exudes and can execute a style that you personally connect with or desire. Yabu Pushelberg however, seem to execute every style with the utmost grace and personality each time they get their hands on a project. The Smyth Hotel is no exception to this rule. The hotel shines with warmth, humor and a whispering attitude of sophistication that can only come from this undeniably invincible team.

CREDITS:
Yabu Pushelberg - 88 Prince Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10012
Tel. 212-226-0808

CAF Creative begins building the ZEEBOZ Brand

I'm thrilled to announce that CAF Creative has been hired to build the brand identity of an amazing new company - Zeeboz. Founders Laurie Couture and Cedric Auger not only rival the trophy position of best clients in the world - but are planning on giving you little pieces of the world: delivered in the form of re-purposed vintage military jackets.

Both Men's and Women's jackets are made of various  materials discovered throughout their  global encounters; Coconut from Bali, Chinese silks, Columbian burlap, Brazilian Bonfim bracelets to name a few.

Our challenge is to develop a brand that matches the young, free and passionate minds of its co-founders. We are drawing inspiration from travel documents, keepsakes, polaroid pictures, earthy-washed colors and hand-written notes.

Keep your eyes wide open for Zeeboz...it's coming soon and it's - From the world. For you.

CREDITS:

Client: Laurie Couture & Cedric Auger, Zeeboz

Branding & Creative Direction: Courtney Fikri - CAF Creative

Photography: Marcin JM

Comfort Food...Tented Spaces

Between the current recession and the falling temperatures outside, I am not sure which feels colder. During this

time I am finding my focus on the warm, protective feeling these tented spaces bring.

From top:

1. Stockholm's Le Rouge Restaurant.

2. Maedaya Grill & Sake Bar, Melbourne from Architects Eat.

3. Overture Films premiere event for Mad Money.

Tramezzini at Arrojo Studio

I've recently opened a restaurant. More specifically, a tiny Italian Snackbar named Tramezzini located within Arrojo Studio. Tramezzini is a collaboration project with my husband + business partner Cenk Fikri, who's business actually is the restaurant business. It's also a wonderful opportunity to work on branding and design without any parameters.

Tramezzini is located at:

180 Varick Street (at King St), New York, NY, 10014 - inside Arrojo Studio, 212.255.9200

View our menu here

CREDITS:

Owners: Cenk Fikri, Courtney Fikri
Branding: Courtney Fikri

Photography: Jenny Acheson

CAF gives Silent Gypsy a slightly different booth design...

This month, CAF Creative was approached by debut jewelry designer Monique Malkowski of Silent Gypsy Jewelry to design and build a booth to remember at Accessories the Show in NYC's Jacob Javits Center last week.

Check out her quietly sexy, boho-chic and truly recession-friendly collection at www.silentgypsyjewelry.com.

Here are some other images of her pieces and CAF Creative's booth design...

CREDITS:
Accessories: Monique Malkowski

Creative Direction: Courtney Fikri

Heather Knight Ceramics

A perfect display of monochromatic textures from Heather Knight at Element Clay Studio