thomas.pink

One night while I was in New York at the end of this past summer (coincidentally during Fashion Week), I was roaming the city - window shopping, people watching, drinking Red Bull - and came across a window display that had beautiful dress up shirts. I saw the shirts and went around to the front of the building to see the store name. Pink, Thomas Pink. I had heard of the brand before but a true show of good clothes is when you're excited and impressed without having any idea of brand or price. The next day we returned when they were open and their clothes are top grade, both quality and look. Along with mens shirts, they also make accessories and knitwear, along with a small womens collection. Most shirts range from about £69.00 to £125.00 ($115 to $205) with a large selection at the lower price point (and some beneath it). They're not cheap but it's cheaper than a $350 shirt elsewhere and you'll look just as good.

Original image from sapaho on flickr.com. Image shown is edited.

earth.cufflinks

The Earth Cufflinks by Fluid Forms are miniature topographies (of any location) cast in .925 sterling silver. To order, a tutorial first asks for you to choose a location. Then you have the option to pick your zoom level, producing a draft of the topographic map that will become an accessory. Normally I think customization chips at professionalism but the second picture shows that unique cufflinks can still be classy.

mouse.titanium

The titanium mouse by Intelligent Design is a hand-formed Bluetooth mouse featuring three buttons and laser tracking. The sleek design is a mixture of grade 1 titanium and high quality plastic resin available in black and white and running about $1,200. Much like the Code-X yacht featured earlier, the website for Intelligent Design only shows this single product and gives minimal information about the company. If you're interested in purchasing the mouse, the website has a contact form though seeing the mouse prior to purchase is more difficult. The "touch me" section shows upcoming exhibits but Intelligent Design is a Dutch company and all exhibits are in Europe.

whiskey.stones

Whiskey stones are a good way to cool a drink without dealing with ice meltdown, but presumably the liquor already came fresh out of the freezer, so the utility might not outweigh theory. I'm sure it works well with liquor brought straight from the store, but placing anything in my drink always makes it difficult to clean out the last strains, forcing you to either drink the rest in drops or leave what's left. Regardless, they look neat and under the right circumstances (say, a large drink drank over time) would make them ideal. The gray stony appearance would match well with some concrete tumblers.

b&o.earphones

The Bang & Olufsen earphones are marked by their ability to create incredible sound, form the perfect fit for any ear, and their unique aesthetic design. The hard rubber curve that wraps around the flexes up and down to guarantee a secure fit while the sound piece can go 360 degree to find the perfect angle. Additionally, where the anodized aluminum meets to make a right angle, there's an extension that can lengthen the height of the earpiece, allowing it to be extended up or down. Most earphones use in-ear designs to try to capture all the sound but the three levels of adjustment on the B&O earpiece allows the speaker to rest gently on the ear while achieving less sound loss (and reducing noise pollution). By resting on the ear, the earphones are so comfortable that it's easy to forget you have them on. I bought these a few weeks ago and they cease to be amazing. On top of the quality of sound, Bang & Olufsen stands by the quality of the product by giving a three year warranty with purchase. Given the tendency of earphones to break, their real price is lower than the $160 sticker listed at their eStore.

toaster.glass

Russell Hobbs has a full range of kitchen appliances that are sleek and modern but their toasters especially stand out. Instead of perfecting curve and color, the toasters combine glass and steel to form a unique shape that sets it apart from other toasters. The toasters come with LED indicators and a frozen bread function, as well as a removable crumb tray. The two slice toaster (available in black and clear) is £49.99, the four slice £69.99, and the Limited Editition Crystal Glass Toaster - complete with Crystallized Swarovski Elements - is £149.99.

yacht.codex

This beautiful yacht comes mixed with modern design and green technology. Designed by Code-X AG in collaboration with Silicon-Fire AG, the boat features "a flexible solar hybrid propulsion system," located in the recessed center in front of the main compartment, that makes the yacht quieter than peers and more environmentally friendly. Code-X AG is a newly formed Swiss brand but their website (and subsequent Google searches) give minimal information. According to their website, the company is dedicated to creating exclusive environmentally conscious products. The yacht is their first product but comes without a list price, though they give their contact information for serious buyers. The idea of the glass enclosure that raises and lowers at the push of a button is neat but it's a shame there seems to be no standing area in the front to enjoy the wind of boating. If you look at the last picture, though, you can see that a platform unfolds to extend the base for easy access when the glass raises. Normally I enjoy large yachts (think mini-mansions) but it's always good to have something zippy to suite the need for speed.

lalique.vase

Lalique is over 100 years old and makes decorative vases, perfume bottles, jewelery and a range of other crystal creations. Designs range the spectrum from classic to modern but they all have a unique flavor that makes them stand out. René Lalique, the founder of the company, freelanced for Cartier and Boucheron before he created his own brand. It was said, "his work frankly bears the mark of our complicated civilisation, a thirst for elegance, novelty, comfort and luxury."

The first vase is the Limited Edition Turtle Vase from their Black Collection and runs about $2,200, though there are no major companies selling them online, so in-store is probably the best bet. The second vase is the Bacchantes and runs for $4,650 and available at Bloomingdales. For a premium, you can choose from a small selection of tinted glass or go for the full on black (also a part of their Black Collection).

vertu.communicate

Vertu is a British company that manufactures and retails their luxury phones that start at $5,100 and head beyond $310,000.  The phones, made of gold, sapphire (for the screens), ruby bearings and fine leather, come with a full year of free concierge service at the touch of a "hot key" on the phone.

I visited a Vertu boutique while in New York during Fashion Week this past summer. We went into the Plaza Hotel off 5th and they had a Vertu shop in the downstairs (along with free wine and chocolates, an art show, and models). Beyond the art deco inspired designs, the phones are top of the line and beautiful.

time.qlocktwo

Wall clocks can only go so far with their two hands before new designs seem to mimic old. The Qlocktwo by Biegert and Funk redefines the classic clock by lighting up the time using words, not numbers. The Qlocktwo is available in five different colors as well as stainless steel (and 8 languages). The clock is €885 (approximately $1,300) and sold through its own website, though they also offer an iPhone app for only $.99.

sleek.fireplaces

Napoleon has a mixture of modern and traditional fireplaces that infuse natural elements with modern design to turn the fireplace into a center piece.

wind.dyson

Dyson has gone from sucking in dirt to fanning out air, or as they like to put it, "accelerating" it. The new Dyson Air Multiplier, yet to be released, sucks air in at the base and accelerates it through the ring, distributing it at 15x the suction rate. Additionally, the output of air causes surrounding air to follow suit, magnifying the effect and creating a nice breeze. The Dyson Air Multiplier in unlike a fan because it sends air out in a steady, smooth and uninterrupted flow, whereas fans send out choppy wind. They come in two different sizes, 10" and 12", where the smaller one comes in white or blue, and the larger is only available in silver/iron. Prices range from $299.99 to $329.99 and are available on the Dyson website. Their website also features videos demonstrating the technology and the difference between a regular fan and the Dyson Air Multiplier.