An Eye-catching Octet
What I save, crave, and take inspiration from.
New to this? Catch up on previous installments and playlists.
Tired of shopping carts and special offers, here is a list of eight images and posts I’ve liked and saved over the last week or so on my Instagram. Some will serve as escapism, others as inspiration, and some just a reference of beauty. Enjoy. — Hamish
Woset make some of my favorite art supplies. They’re currently hosting a pop-up “winter bazaar” at my beloved Shinjuku Isetan store, allowing them to show off both their adorable packaging and complementary items from some of their friends and peers. The branding for the market is 👌🏼.
One such peer is Kakimori, the revered stationery label. I was reminded of them this week when I spied their tweed-covered A5 notebooks featuring fabric by Aseedonclöud. Those fortunate enough to be able to visit the aforementioned Woset Winter Bazaar can participate in a Kakimori “inkstand workshop,” this weekend
Special extra nod to the beautiful marketing images for Kakimori’s frosted fountain pens, an item very much on my holiday wish list.
Yohak Design Studio’s THINK OF THINGS café and product line has some of my favorite packaging. A couple of months ago they announced a delightful—and wonderfully niche—product: a single beer can gift-cum-presentation box. It would only be fitting to pair it, as they have, with the café latest canned lager—BEERED!—a collaboration with Hobo Brewing.
Closer to home, I really dig this vintage Sun Ra Arkestra shirt at El Cerrito’s wonderful Freddie’s Lifestyle Shop.
I love these throws by Hannah Robson, design and made in my native Yorkshire, and available at the unparalleled Salts Mill shop. Plus, I always love to see a Windsor chair getting a cameo.
I’m a big fan of Derek Brahney’s creations. He’s recently produced a metaphysical array of reimagined “wooden” objet. Replicas, in the artist’s words:
Blocks of wood are scanned on each face, the images are printed on paper, cut and assembled into boxes and then photographed, with evidence of their construction left visible in the resulting image.
Wood that is made of paper (which is made of wood).
Speaking of things on my wish list, SendPoint’s Japanese Illustration is top of it.
And back to Tokyo, as ever. Akiko Sekimoto has produced some really stunning holiday designs for Tokyo Midtown’s Christmas overhaul.
Season’s greetings to you all, thanks for subscribing, following, reading, and sharing.
The Octet: October 2024, poster edition of 88. Available at hamishrobertson.com
The Octet is supported by SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, a select shop for artist multiples, collaborations, printed works, and an ever-changing collection of vintage ephemera, books, periodicals, and objects. The current collection, Hand-to-Hand: Cinema Japan, showcases of rare, vintage film posters from Japan and unique items inspired by them.
Visit specialcollections.org