sports – DesignApplause

2022 inspired home show gia product design winners.

Mar 6, 2022

DesignApplause is honored to be a gia awards judge for the past 11 years, and i looked forward to selecting the best of the 2022 product design – thank you for submitting your product. the judges used the following criteria to select all submissions:

the gia awards criteria
> appearance
> user benefits
> ecological responsibility
> market impact & positioning – note: this judge’s interpretation for example, if you’re making an ecological statement you’re letting the end-user know via the point-of-purchase (pop) packaging and/or product website – why? consumers are wanting planet saving products. how do we know for sure? give credit to the automobile industry’s dramatic shift to electric cars / if you’re making a design statement you might mention on the (pop) packaging, etc., that you’re entering your product and winning in other design competitions by displaying an award logo, i.e., a red dot award or german design award winner / if you mention that you’re product was mentioned in design-centric media, let your audience know because they want to make a statement too.

thirteen housewares suppliers ranging from well-established brands to first-time exhibitors were honored as global honorees of the iha global innovation awards (gia) for excellence in product design today. the global honorees in each of 13 categories were announced during the invitation-only gia dinner on the first evening of the inspired home show 2022, and the winners as well as the finalists were on display at the show. this is the first in-person gathering of the industry’s premier marketplace since 2019. the global winners are:

[ note: this post a work-in-progress as info comes in… ]

> bath + personal care: madesmart, drying stone™ toothbrush tray

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> cleaning: zoom broom, zoombroom tornado

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> cook + bakeware: grand fusion housewares, inc., leakproof silicone non-stick baking mat

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> home décor + gifts: wine grasp company, winegrasp™ single

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> home organization + storage: king jim, “tepra” lite – compact, palm-sized label printer

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> household + home electrics: the foundation, steamery cirrus no. 3

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> kitchen electrics: jura inc., jura z10

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> kitchen hand tools + cutlery: dreamfarm , brizzle – scoop drizzle basting brush

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> kitchenware: dreamfarm, spina – spin and strain colander

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> personal electrics: viatek consumer products group, int’l, body dryer

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> smart home: cooking pal ltd., multo™

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> sustainable products: georg jensen, sky drinking bottle – ( below )

designed to be used – and reused the new sky drinking bottle is available in both a stainless-steel version as well as in four elegant shades made from bpa-free tritan plastic: blue, pink, green, and gray. it is designed to be used time and time again, helping you limit the consumption of disposable bottles. designer: aurelien barbry

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> tabletop: gourmet kitchen works llc, olipac filare

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the 65 finalists in all categories are featured in the new product showcases in the buyers club in each show building and the 13 category global honorees are on display in the hall of product innovation in the grand concourse lobby in the north building.

https://www.theinspiredhomeshow.com/awards/gia-product/

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#TIHS22 @TIH_Show

lululemon and ralph lauren go head to toe at 2022 winter olympics.

Jan 20, 2022

above> ice dancers piper gilles and paul poirier wear the beijing 2022 opening ceremony uniform by lululemon

in the 80s i felt chicago and toronto had more differences than similarities: the size was comparable but toronto was cleaner and hipper – they have vidal sassoon you know. what i didn’t know then was that sassoon’s mix of style and performance made it the obvious choice as official hair consultant to the athletes participating in the los angeles olympic games in 1984. sassoon and his international team conducted months of research with 100 athletes to determine which haircuts performed best during different sporting activities. a huge campus salon was set up in the university of california to cut and care for the hair of 2,500 athletes. today, both cities seem equally clean and hip, so enough!, let’s talk about 2022 winter olympics fashion statements.

in october 2021 canada debuted it’s winter olympic uniforms and announced a six-year run with relative newcomer in athleisure lululemon. today, ralph lauren debuted its latest Olympic designs, the label an olympic mainstay in their uniforms since 2008, did the same. regarding style, lauren is known for and again presents a traditional statement. lululemon presents their familiar chic. but let’s not forget that we may only be looking at opening night(?) apparel and we’ll have to wait for the events uniforms which can be a little more aggressive – as they should be! opening ceremonies to be held on 4 february in beijing.

regarding style, lauren offers red white and blue buffalo plaid puffer jackets, parkas, american flag turtlenecks emblematic of ralph lauren, and fleece leggings or pants. lululemon offers an all-red or all-cream motif paying homage to the maple leaf that appears as a simple icon as well as an abstracted print which includes parkas, down jackets, joggers, trapper caps, bucket hats and zip-ups, with plenty of opportunities to modify: the parka can be zipped off into three different lengths, and the down jacket can be worn like a backpack if it gets too hot. lululemon also presents a transformer-like modular look including a vest that turns into a pillow or scarf.

we’re appreciative the brands made sustainable and technologic statements. lauren’s effort on sustainability is with recycled polyester made from plastic bottles, recycled down and responsible wool standard (rws) wool – the company press statement explains that the brand is committed to using 100% rws-certified or recycled wool by 2025. lauren also includes a tech-driven detail for their jackets which include a smart, honeycomb-like fabric layer built-in that expands or contracts in response to temperature changes — all without the use of a battery or wired technology. lululemon’s tech-driven effort is with smart textiles that are insulated, sweat-wicking, bacteria-inhibiting, breathable, resistant to water and wind, and light on seams.

above/below > photos courtesy of ralph lauren

above> athlete jason brown (figure skating) / below> athlete hilary knight (ice hockey)

below > photos courtesy of lululemon

above> liam hickey wearing the uniform for on the podium

all-in-all DesignApplause likes lululemon’s design focus on function, such as multiple layered parkas. during the opening ceremonies, athletes can be on that journey for four to six hours or waiting to perform and the temperature can go from minus-10 degrees celsius to plus-10. the uniform is based on a dynamic dressing system, athletes will be able to shed – or add – individual pieces.

also the human-led design utilization where over an 18-month period lululemon takes athlete insights from a number of sports and creates an innovative nurture campaign so team canada olympic and paralympic athletes can feel their best to perform their best. the vancouver-based lululemon scanned the bodies of a number of athletes, consulted them for subjective feedback on aesthetics and comfort and also simulated beijing winter conditions. the design team studied areas of bodily heat loss and engineered appropriate compensations into the garment, through innovative 3d engineered knitting. read: q&a with the designer of the beijing 2022 olympic collection.

revolutionary greg lamond lightweight prolog does not look/ride like an e-bike.

Nov 5, 2021

it’s been almost a year since lemond introduced its revolutionary prolog ebike and throughout the year the reviews have been glowing. this recreational ebike sports quite a lot of carbon fiber technology and unlike almost all ebikes it doesn’t look like one and is really fun to ride. at 26 pounds it’s the lightest ebike on the road at this writing.

greg lamond is a well known former professional road racing cyclist, entrepreneur, and anti-doping advocate. a two-time winner of the road race world championship and a three-time winner of the tour de france (1986, 1989, and 1990), lemond is considered by many to be the greatest american cyclist of all time.

lamond also has a fascination for technology, especially carbon fiber where he made history in the 1991 tour de france when he and his teammates rode carbon fiber bikes built by craig calfee and were branded as lemond bikes. a short time later trek bicycles picked up the lemond brand and they released what would become one of the nation’s top road brands until parting ways in 2008. he also has a research and development company, lamond carbon. he holds licenses to two patented technologies which will irrevocably disrupt the industry.

for now greg is releasing the new dutch and prolog models of ebikes. as patents become formalized, heads up for road, gravel, mountain, and adventure models that will combine revolutionary components and prototypic lemond aesthetics. here’s the prolog:

above> monocoque carbon fiber cockpit / a monocoque carbon fiber handlebar and stem encase the headlight and creates a strong yet minimal form.

above/below> headlight / an always on integrated 500 lumen headlight within our monocoque handlebar-stem provides visibility for the road ahead // tailight / rear and side visible 70 lumen taillights ensure safety in groups and traffic. Both lights offer static and strobe settings.

above> carbon fiber frame and components / prolog’s carbon fiber frame, fork, fenders, seat post, and monocoque handlebar-stem makes it one of the lightest ebikes on the market.

above> integrated motor / a 250 watt rear hub motor powers prolog up to 20 mph and is part of the mahle x35+ smart ebike system embedded throughout the frame. at just 7.7 pounds, it’s one of the lightest systems on the market.

above> 11-speed drivetrain / an 11-speed shimano grx drivetrain provides the gearing and performance needed to traverse any terrain- with or without a motor.

above> custom fenders & tires / custom lemond carbon fenders and panaracer tires come standard.

above> upgrades — electronic shifting / the revolutionary shimano di2 shifting system solves the challenges drivetrains present to the power-delivery equation in cycling. di2 gives you instant, accurate, lighting-fast shifts the first and every time, at the push of a button. even in the most extreme conditions, shifting is precise and controlled. you can change gear even under heavy load while climbing or accelerating. with di2, you are in complete control.

above> upgrades — lemond lc30 carbon wheelset / the lemond lc30 rim is our new carbon fiber rim developed in partnership with munich composites, a german aerospace components manufacturer.

above/below> colors — blanc / matte finish with black decals // colors — noir / matte finish with silver decals // colors — rosa / matte finish with red decals

[ prolog official site ]

dot tactile smartwatch ‘feels’ like a 2017 best product-of-the-year candidate.

Jan 26, 2018

we strive to be a pioneer in accessible and affordable innovations for the vision impaired and the deafblind to lead independent, fulfilling lives. ~ dot inc.

the dot watch braille smartwatch is the first of its kind to provide the time with tactile information instead of visual clues. you don’t see time ticking away, you feel it. dot not only tells the time, but also creates text messages, sns, as well as traffic or weather information, with just a tap of your finger.

there’s also an open dot api so anyone can develop apps or services for dot. existing apps can be easily adapted. apps for braille education, social networking, navigation, newsfeed, weather and many more are already in development.

it launched in late 2016 but for practical purposes this is a 2017 product. the dot ‘feels’ like a 2017 best product-of-the-year candidate.

new epic react flyknit by nike. the light soft and springy running shoe.

Jan 23, 2018

the epic react debuts a new sole that replaces eva foam. it’s lighter and way springier. so soft and springy that the mid-sole is taller to absorb bumps and wider for support. the sole has been tested 17k miles by nike’s best runners and ready for prime time 22 february 2018.

nike labels the springiness “energy return” and seems self-explanatory.

the upper is the one-piece bootie from the flyknit racer with a refined modifications. very light, supportive and breathable.

designer hossein baghdadi, director of nike nxt footwear, is lead on react.

america’s cup ac45f qualifier race in chicago 10>12june16.

Jun 4, 2016

above> oracle wins highly innovative and controversial america’s cup 2013

louis vuitton america’s cup world series qualifier race / navy pier chicago / 10 > 12 june 2016

chicagoan’s and visitors, here’s a chance to see one-design ac45f foil catamarans, not on cnn or youtube but in vitro. the event organizers have marketed the chicago round of the america’s cup under the tagline “the windy city is made for this.” we’ll soon find out. some of us are a little disappointed the racecourse is located entirely within chicago’s protective breakwater for safety concerns over choppy lake water conditions. but with moderate wind pressure the high-tech carbon fiber catamarans will raise onto their hydrofoils. they have reached 40 knots / 46mph in open sea conditions. for the first time in its 165-year history, the event will take place on a non-saltwater body of water.

grandstand seats at navy pier’s race village sold old months ago, general admission tickets are still available on the event’s website.
[ ac45 techonology ]

bmw is more than major sponsor of oracle team usa’s america cup racing yacht. bmw brings significant engineering and testing capabilities to the team and the company even assigns certain engineers to the team for the entire competition.

design changes have netted a three-fold increase in top speed. with this speed comes a nine-fold increase in drag. the new boats are lighter and shorter and have been honed aerodynamically.

the biggest change over the last ten years of america’s cup yachts is that the current boats “fly” or foil. at speeds around 17- 20 knots, the twin hull catamaran comes up out of the water on carbon fiber foils. these new boats can reach speeds of 50 knots, yet can turn and stop on a dime. as these boats get faster and faster, proven design technology becomes more important.

[ six teams compete ]

the six teams include five challengers: sweden’s artemis racing, emirates team new zealand, groupama france, great britain’s land rover and softbank team japan. the defending america’s cup winner: oracle team usa. points will determine the seeding for the 35th america’s cup final scheduled to take place next year in bermuda. below> october 2015, louis vuitton america's cup world series bermuda

above> oracle wins highly innovative and controversial america’s cup 2013

[ official release ] chicago made maritime history today with lake michigan chosen as the first freshwater venue to host america’s cup racing in the event’s 164-year history.

the louis vuitton america’s cup world series chicago, a qualifying event for the 2017 america’s cup in bermuda, will take place at navy pier from 10 > 12 june 2016.

additionally, organizers announced that chicago-based cme group, the world’s leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, will be the first foundation partner of the louis vuitton america’s cup world series chicago event.

“chicagoans continue to prove their affinity for all sports and now they have the opportunity to add america’s cup sailing to the list. we have no doubt that our amazing city, its residents and beautiful lake michigan will deliver the ultimate experience for the international sailing community.” said desiree rogers, choose chicago chair.

navy pier, celebrating its centennial in 2016, will serve as event headquarters 10 > 12 june 2016, and include a ticketed viewing area, entertainment and vip hospitality areas for fans to enjoy as the high-performance 45’ foiling catamarans race by at 40+ mph close to the shore.

“we are looking forward to a historic year in 2016 at navy pier,” said marilynn gardner, president and ceo, navy pier inc. “we will celebrate our centennial and an event like the louis vuitton america’s cup world series chicago is a tremendous opportunity to welcome new and returning maritime enthusiasts and casual fans to the pier. there is no better way to showcase our newly renovated and reimagined public spaces to the world.”

oracle team usa, the defending america’s cup champion, has close ties to the “windy city.” larry ellison, the team’s principal, grew up in chicago and studied at the university of illinois and the university of chicago. oracle team usa team member matt cassidy called chicago home for the past five years before relocating to bermuda this past spring.

“chicago is a world-class city, and navy pier’s lakefront architecture creates the perfect sailing venue to showcase the excitement of the modern america’s cup,” said sir russell coutts, america’s cup event authority chief executive officer and five-time america’s cup winner. “regardless of wind direction, spectators are guaranteed up-close racing action.”

chicago’s selection as a host for the louis vuitton america’s cup world series is due in large part to don wilson, a passionate sailor, longtime chicagoan and ceo of drw, a chicago-based principal trading firm. he founded the chicago match race center (cmrc) in 2009 with the goal to bring world-class match racing to the shores of lake michigan. cmrc is the host management company for the event.

“when the international sailing world arrives in chicago next summer, they will understand why lake michigan is called the third coast,” said wilson, chairman, louis vuitton america’s cup world series chicago.

“today’s announcement is just the beginning. thanks to our partners, including navy pier, the chicago sports commission and cme group, we are building the foundation for stadium sailing and the america’s cup in chicago.”

for more information about the louis vuitton america’s cup world series chicago event, visit http://acws-chicago.americascup.com/

[ oracle wins highly innovative and controversial america’s cup 2013 ] #lvacwschicago

basketball gear. evolutionary biomimicryed nike air zoom kd9.

Apr 14, 2016

words aren’t needed to describe this shoe unless you played in them. all that’s needed is to look at the sole. it looks like a wet footprint on a cement sidewalk or wet beach sand. the shoe looks very responsive.

freakishly athletic manic durant runs approximately four miles a game and 15 marathons a season.

per nike: designed by nike’s leo chang, the low-cut shoe features a flyknit upper engineered down to the pixel for maximum containment. specifically, it features a pattern with a distinct honeycomb structure precisely knit for the multidimensional movement of basketball and durant’s lateral quickness. flyknit technology engineering locks down the forefoot while still allowing the foot to move naturally. flyknit’s efficient material use also ensures the upper is lightweight, without compromising strength.

you will need good ankles however, this is a low-cut unlike the traditional wide flat-bottomed sprain-proof pretenders. so stretch those ankles and keep them limber.

durant wears them and puts his name on this shoe. seems like enough.

moma design store and delano skateroom partner during art basel miami beach.

Nov 10, 2015

limited edition set of 32 decks each featuring a different flavor soup from andy warhol’s 32 campbell’s soup cans / photo courtesy of the skateroom and ©/®/tm the andy warhol foundation for the visual arts, inc.

the museum of modern art (moma) design store is excited to announce its first-ever installation and pop-up during the week of art basel miami beach with the skateroom at delano south beach, a morgans hotel celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. located just a few blocks from the main art basel tent, the delano will unveil an immersive installation and pop-up shop throughout the iconic property with the exclusive limited edition series of 32 unique decks featuring andy warhol’s 32 campbell’s soup cans, a set of 8 decks with the pop icon colored campbell’s soup cans, and triptychs with gold marilyn monroe, guns, car crash, self portrait and detail of the last supper. the featured warhol artwork made in collaboration with the andy warhol foundation for the visual arts.

the skate decks will be displayed at the delano from 30 november to 6 december and available for purchase in limited qualities. to celebrate the launch, delano will host a private party for the moma design store and the skateroom installation and pop-up shop the evening of wednesday, 2 december, 8 > 11pm.

wired store marks their 10th anniversary. designer gifts 2014.

Dec 17, 2014

this holiday season, wired marks the 10th anniversary of the wired store, which has become a go-to destination for consumers who are eager to check out a curated selection of the latest and most coveted products. in addition to its flagship location in new york city, wired is unveiling a new e-shop at los angeles international airport (lax) to commemorate the milestone.

looking through the curated offerings of the store, designapplause is reminded of many of the same objects we cherish. here are several.

dyson 360 eye™ robot – the future of robot navigation technology. just like you, dyson 360 eye™ robot constantly observes and interprets its surroundings. but unlike you, it sees all around the room at once.

icedot – is an emergency notification and identification service. they recently collaborated with poc and their octal avid helmet.

ballo – by don chadwick for humanscale, a multipurpose stool that encourages users to engage in short-term, active sitting. the identical air-filled domes serve as the base and seat and pressure can be varied just like a swiss exercise ball.

loop by libratone – slim, stylish and wall-mountable / airplay and dlna support for wireless streaming / this circular beauty delivers attractive fullroom audio on a variety of levels.

mami – an iconic “maternal code” in all its softness and roundness, by stephano giovannoni for alessi.

but, back to the wired store!
event> wire store
venue> 459 w. 14th st. (between 9th and 10th avenues) new york // los angeles international (lax)
date> 11 – 21 december 2014

pure haring van engelen:gagosian. designer gifts 2014.

Dec 16, 2014

above> pure shoe – limited to 100 numbered pairs exclusively for gagosian gallery, as shown here with a silver metallic coating. produced by ruco line and designed by jean nouvel.

haring/van engelen deck – deck designed by anthony van engelen, embellished by keith haring and produced by alien workshop.

leica t-system camera – leica partners with audi design to craft the world’s first camera with a body made completely of aluminum.

michael craig-martin at chatsworth catalogue – the irish artist has installed a new set of sculptures on the manor grounds, simple steel works that trace the outlines of objects like discarded umbrellas, a wheelbarrow, and gardening tools. while the objects themselves may be ordinary, their form and scale are anything but.

[ gagosian shop ]