Louboutin’s Upcycled Eco-Trash Pumps
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As contradictory as it may seem, Christian Louboutin has granted us with these Eco-Trash Slingback Pumps which make a wee statement about the fashion industry and give us something pretty delicious to put on our feet all at once. Part of the Spring/Summer 2011 Collection, they boast a 6 inch heel and are constructed out bits and pieces from the Louboutin scrap room. A pair could be made up of any sort of material – from pieces of thread, postage stamps, scribbled sticky notes to leftover sequins and fabric swatches. This means each and every pair is unique. They’re sold out on ShopStyle.com but it seems like they have stock available on Nieman Marcus.
The “Eco Trash” Collection also includes matching handbags, if you’d like to really go to town.
The downside is if you purchased these you could only use the term “Eco” quite loosely as styleandthestartup.com points out – even though Louboutin upcycled trash as part of the design they still boast REAL Python Skin and are coated with toxic PVC.
(baby steps, baby)
Material: thread, postage stamps, scribbled sticky notes to leftover sequins and fabric swatches from the Louboutin Scrapheap
Details:
Peep toe rests on 2″ python statement platform.
Elastic slingback for secure fit.
6″ leopard-print covered heel displays signature red sole.
Equates to 4″.
Made in Italy
Price: $1,095.00 USD
Purchase: Nieman Marcus
Designer: Christian Louboutin
Via: Ecocouture & others
Upcycled Transit Chairs made out of Vintage Road Signs
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Humanufactured”TM by American MetalSmith Artist Boris Bally – these Upcycled Transit Sign chairs are one-of-a kind and come complete with the markings suggestive of their former life on the road. They even come in Kids and Adults sizes. And even better, you get to construct them yourself – each comes with a D.I.Y kit and a wrench.
Balley doesn’t just stop at chairs, he also creates a number of other unique and interesting works that come from found objects – Homewares, even stuff you can wear. Check them all out on his website here.
Price: USD $800 – $1000
Available From: Eco Artware
Size: 32″ high x 17″ wide x 11″ deep [KIDS] or 48″ high x 16″ wide x 21″ deep [ADULTS]
Material: Officially retired, vintage aluminum traffic signs.
Designed by: Boris Bally
*NOTE: Added shipping costs due to weight of chair. Assembly is required. Each chair comes with illustrated instructions, all necessary hardware and an easy-to-use hex wrench.
Artist Bio
Boris Bally is a metalsmith whose work is included in the permanent collections of the Museum of Art and Design, New York, New York; The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England; the Mint Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina and many others. Read more about Boris Here.
Films on Fridges – Upcycled Cinema in East London
Not so long ago Hackney in East London was known for a towering pile of discarded fridges known as ‘Fridge Mountain’. Reaching nearly 20 Ft tall it became something of a local landmark and was perhaps the largest of it’s kind in Europe….until it was cleared to make room for the site of the London 2012 Olympics.
The disappearance of this bizarre urban icon became the inspiration for Films on Fridges, an outdoor film festival screened in a cinema constructed out of re-purposed fridges. It’s the brainchild of 25-year-old American designer Lindsey Scannapieco – who got to work and pulled together a team to make the idea happen. What happens to these fridges after the festival ends on August 13 remains to be answered – but the fact remains that this is an ingeniously fun and playful way of involving people in the issue of recycling and waste transforming the way people think about things – without actually shoving it down their throats.
If you’re bumping around this area of London before August 13th you might want to try and spot it. The downside is that most of the screenings are sold out – but don’t let that stop you heading down there and seeing what it’s about.
No doubt this is just the start of what this inventive team is going to come up with – email hello@filmsonfridges.com if you’d like to find out more about what they’re up to next, follow them on facebook or get hold of them via twitter.
Materials: Old Fridges
Cost: £10.00
Purchase: Online
Date: until August 13th.
Location:
The Yard
Forman Smokehouse Gallery Yard
adjacent to H. Forman & Son
Stour Road
E3 2NTLondon
Source: Films on Fridges via Laughing Squid
Photo by Nina Pope
Upcycled Concrete Tube Hotels by T3arc and Andreas Strauss
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Nestled in an organic orchard in the heart of the Tepoztlán Valley is a unique concept hotel designed by T3arc. The tubes, formed into a pyriamid construction with glass windows which provide guests a great view of the stunning Sierra del Tepozteco is a curious sight that captures your imagination.
Constructed in 2010, The TuboHotel is made out of repurposed drain pipe sections and is one of only a few hotels in the world that offer up a practical and innovative solution to the problem of concrete waste materials.
If you think you’ve seen or heard something similar to TuboHotel before – you’re right, the hotel’s inspiration comes from the DasParkHotel – a minimalist accommodation concept originally designed by Andreas Strauss in 2005 and set up in a park near Essen, Germany in the space of only 3-months. With a second DasParkHotel now available for use in Ottensheim, Austria there’s every indication even more to be built in years to come.
Nevermind who came up with the concept first, I think the very fact these are upcycled set a benchmark for accommodation. options. No matter whether you’re a passing traveler looking for a crash pad or someone more interested in investing in the experience and novelty of minimalist accommodation I think the hotels have a lot going for them. I think thinking in terms of upcycled materials in architecture and construction really is the future if we are going to really push for sustainability, so it only makes sense to support these options wherever we find them.
TUBOHOTEL:
Location: Tepoztlán, Mexico
Reservations: Book online
Architects: T3arc
Rates: $500 Mexican Pesos + taxes
Ratings: See Tripadvisor
DASPARKHOTEL:
Location: Ottensheim, Austria & Essen, Germany
Rates: Leave what you think is right for the length of your stay in the room before you go.
Architect / Designer: Andreas Strauss
Reservations: Book Online for reservations from May to October
I think it would be awesome to construct a similar hotel somewhere in my home country of New Zealand.
If you’d like to chat about this idea, please get in touch
Upcycled Skateboard Sunglasses by HUF and Schwood
Oregon-based eyewear label Schwood specialise in crafting distinctive wooden sunglasses. Their latest thing? Sunglasses crafted from the decks of broken skateboards. This limited run of 50 is the result of a collaboration with Keith Hufnagel of San Francisco Street label HUF. Watch the video below and see how they’re made.
Unfortunately the range sold out in no time at all. However, if you’d like to purchase a pair of their standard range, you can check them out in the Schwood online store, and hang tight because something tells me this isn’t the last time you’ll hear of this kind of collaboration.
Stainless steel spring-loaded hinges
Accompanied by wool storage pouch with leather drawstrings and engraved label
