The future has arrived. Muji and Lego. My friend Kohei talks about it here.

Muji & Lego recently released a joint product that consists of a box of Lego pieces that also comes with sheets of paper — with a particular hole-punch (not included), the paper and Legos can be combined into some cute creations.

My favorite phone (currently) and one of my favorite brand/magazines have teamed up! Monocle x Blackberry just produced 100 unique Blackberry 9700 handsets with custom backs, each preloaded with their special 25/25 travel guides. Also included is a 16GB card, world chargers, a media player headset, charging pod, a beautiful leather strap and more.

Via Notcot

In honor of SpongeBob’s 10 year anniversary, my friends at Nooka teamed up with the SpongeBob brand to release three timepieces in 2009. This is the first, available now. Love it.

The first time I heard of Kendo was when I was actively involved (read: snatching up) Adidas’s legendary AZX collection. For those who don’t know, Kendo is a specialty sneaker store that caters specifically to female clientele. They are located in Los Angeles, and in the past few years have really captured the attention of companies looking to level the field in a game dominated by men. In their latest Double Label collaboration, DC teamed up with Kendo to produce The Spruce Kendo. The hightops sport a unique colorway thanks to the use of reptile skins and animal print. Rounding out the sneaker is the use of gold, tan, and copper colors that compliment each other and gives it a strong Asian vibe. The shoes dropped April 1 and can be purchased at DC retail locations in LA and Soho as well as online direct from Kendo LA and DC Shoes.

We’ve seen this pop up in a few places, but wanted to remind everyone about the Double Label series of collaborations. DC Shoes has teamed up with famed French designer agnès b (unusual yes, but their record shows support for contemporary artists across a wide spectrum of mediums: graffiti, illustration, music, movies, etc). A true fusion of their two unique styles, the partnership has yielded three colorways (blue, sesame, and black). To celebrate the project, the brands will present FORWARD3, a graphic design exhibit. The shoes will launch March 5, 2009 during Paris Fashion Week before traveling to New York for the March 31, 2008 release. Only 1500 pairs will be released worldwide in select sneaker boutiques.

READ MORE…

Josh Kenyon and Colby Nichols have been on our radar (as well as each other’s) for quite some time now. While it’s often said that familiarity breeds
contempt, their familiarity has bred nothing but appreciation of the other’s awesome design work. The two talented artists, who have both contributed to some of the same projects, are now a team. As art directors of the Portland and Chicago offices of Tangible Worldwide, Nichols and Kenyon  have teamed up for their first project, a limited run poster promoting Tangible Chicago. To sneaka closer peak at the work being done at the burgeoning interdisciplinary design agency check out their new site and then stop by their online shop to snag yourself a poster before they’re all gone.

While partnerships between urban artists and urban brands are nothing unusual, a collaboration between Brooklyn-based designer Dalek and Serbia’s Carrot Clothing is exciting news. As Serbia’s first streetwear company, Carrot Clothing aims to infuse the global art, skate and street communities with its own perspective and history. Carrot first began printing T-shirts bearing anti-war messages for family and friends back in 1999 — a move which landed him in jail. These days, things are looking up: the collection is available in more than 20 countries and features. Now following up June’s successful shirt and print collab with Dalek, Carrot has a new Dalek x Carrot skateboard available. Limited edition of 100.

ARTSPROJEKT, a new online “interactive and culturally relevant online community for the arts, pop culture and action sports” has teamed up with print-on-demand company Zazzle to make high-tech, high-art skate decks. Some of the many artists and micro brands involved include: Lil Jon, Shepard Fairey / OBEY, Crooks & Castles, Blood Is The New Black, Angry Woebots, Alex Pardee, and Dalek.

Zazzle’s engineering team collaborated with Andy Howell to develop the decks, which are produced within 24 hours, a first for the industry. The decks can be ordered in a handful of sizes or as a complete board with veteran boarder-approved parts. Need more authentication?

“Skateboard graphics were one of the main things that inspired me to become an artist, so it goes without saying that I want my art to translate beautifully on skateboards,” said Shepard Fairey. “In the past, printing on a curved board surface had detail limitations or smudging could occur at the bends. The ARTSPROJEKT boards utilize new digital technology to create perfectly crisp graphics with impeccable detail.”

And from Alex Pardee: “I actually got to see first-hand this insane technology and the quality of the final printed deck, and I was blown away. It seriously was like looking at a Giclee print ON A SKATE DECK!”

Today marks the summer solstice, and if for some reason you’ve been holding out for the official start of the warm season to shed those long sleeves, you’re probably going to need a few new T-shirts to replace the undershirts you sweat through while trying to beat the heat. Luckily for you the folks behind the imaginative apparel at Hecklewood have a new line that is destined to show off your sweet sense of style rather than draw attention to your overactive sweat glands. The Portland-based brand’s latest line Cult Status consists of a bevy of boss looks that, when plastered to the billboard you like to call your torso, is sure to make you the center of attention at any rooftop party or BBQ this summer — for all the right reasons.

Zune Arts is an absolute must-see for anyone who wants to be on the cutting edge of emerging art. The collaborations they foster between artists are dependably kick ass and always push the envelope.

They continue to break new ground with “epic intergalactic adventure” The Lost Ones, an upcoming graphic novel written by 30 Days of Night comic horror master Steve Niles. In the collaborative spirit, The Lost Ones' four chapters will be illustrated by a different graphic artist, giving each section its own style, while also working in tandem to visually bring Niles' story to life.

Particularly impressive is the diversity of these fantastic four: Dr. Revolt, an original in the legendary NYC graffiti crew The Rolling Thunder Writers; amazing surrealist illustrator Gary Panter (pictured left); innovative Brooklyn-based art and design studio Morning Breath; and up-and-coming fashion designer/painter Kime Buzzelli. Scheduled for release in June, The Lost Ones will be up for grabs in both paperback and collector's editions. And grab it we will.

Amazing things can happen when a brilliant photographer from the Bronx, New York hooks up with a talented graphic designer from New Delhi, India. Through the Behance Network, Parris Whittingham has been presenting his photojournalistic masterpieces alongside some of his day-to-day works as a wedding photographer. Archan Nair has also been using the platform to share some of his projects in graphic design. The two first connected by joining each others’ inner circles, and Archan approached Parris with the idea of illustrating some of his works. The resulting interpretations are examples of how two distinct perspectives and background can enrich a singular piece of work. The startling creations by Archan and Parris are The Joy Ballad and The Summer Haze and are some of our favorites.

We’re firm believers in the power of collaboration — especially when it involves our neighbo(u)rs in the far north. Toronto-based artist collective Well and Good have come together with LA based t-shirt designers Blood is The New Black to create a kick ass line of tees for Spring of ‘08. To celebrate the release of the new tees, they’ll also be collaborating on It Never Happened, an art show launch party on April 12th in Los Angeles featuring live music and art work from both Blood Is the New Black artists such as Dan Monick and Demonbabes, as well as a few from the Well and Good stable, including site favorite Talia Shipman. So if you want hear some dope tunes and check out sweet art, we recommend making it to INH…even if just to say you know it did.

Word just landed that Bearbrick is doing a collab with Fossil — which is, well, interesting — but word also just landed that a more exciting example of art toy teamwork has recently hit the shelves. The Japanese version of Daft Punk’s latest album, ALIVE, is selling on Sold Out as an exclusive collette & Sold Out box set. Accompanied by two Daft Punk-y Bearbricks (that are not in their underwear or covered in sharpie, but do represent Thomas Bangalter and Guy Manuel de Homem Christo), the set might just represent the best holiday present for the music/toy junkie in your life ever. You can grab one for just under $73 here, but be sure to jump on it fast – the set was produced in a limited run of 3000, and somehow I get the feeling that Daft Punk has a few more fans than that.

Via High Snobiety