We love to buy things we fall in love with (for some of us around here, we won’t buy something unless we love it!). As designers, we love designs with tradition, quality and attention to the little details. Well, Tobi is one brand that we refer back to for a source of great inspiration. Making a range of brilliant traditional style Japanese work wear with a modern eye, we are hard pressed to think how in the west ‘trades workers’ could ever have so much pride in what they wear to the building site, where it seems quite often the biggest bum crack wins.

Looking through the various Tobi catalogues ['Working Style Magazine'] all we can do is but marvel at the quality and detailing that goes into what they make. Without a doubt Tobi, and the traditions that it’s tied to, are a strong source of inspiration for us while we finish up the 2009 range.

Urban toys are cool, we said so here. Hayashi Shigeki’s work though take the urban toy idea and transports it to a whole other place.

To quote the gallery’s profile:

“Hayashi Shigeki, from Tajimi City, draws inspiration for his ceramic figures from images from science fiction, animated film and Japanese comic books known as manga, all of which have attracted him since he was a child. He comes from a region of Japan famous for the production of porcelain domestic ware, and he says “In order to express my ideas as art, I have found that porcelain is the best medium. However, I do not think of my works as ceramic pieces.” His haunting figures, like this “QP” doll in a space suit, suggest a deeper, hidden narrative within this universally recognizable variation on the traditional Kewpie doll from the west. In 2007 this received the important Medal of the President of the Chamber of Deputies at the Faenza International Competition for Contemporary Ceramics in Italy.”

[via]

….just because.

It’s what’s so great about Japan, they ‘just do it’ and seemingly have clients and a populace that then ‘just buys it’.

Seriously, Japan is such a huge source of inspiration and this is another example…

Mindscape, from what we can gather, does some really interesting urban landscaping projects, from products to spaces. Their site is well worth a look and shows projects that we think would have a hard time taking off in the West.