NOOKA

moving to nooka.com/blog

2010-08-10T18:37:00.003-04:00

blog posts newer than august 10th 2010 will reside at nooka.com/blog

nooka x singularity summit 2010

2010-08-02T10:00:00.003-04:00

The Singularity is the technological creation of smarter-than-human intelligence. There are several technologies that are often mentioned as heading in this direction. The most commonly mentioned is probably Artificial Intelligence, but there are others: direct brain-computer interfaces, biological augmentation of the brain, genetic engineering, ultra-high-resolution scans of the brain followed by computer emulation. Some of these technologies seem likely to arrive much earlier than the others, but there are nonetheless several independent technologies all heading in the direction of the Singularity – several different technologies which, if they reached a threshold level of sophistication, would enable the creation of smarter-than-human intelligence. the singularity institute for artificial intelligence

the nooka philosophy also posits that universal communication can only help bring the planet forward in integrating the resources and technologies necessary to reach the singularity.

we are thereby more than thrilled to announce that nooka will be one of the sponsors for the singularity summit 2010 on august 14th -15th – a gathering of thinkers to explore the rising impact of techno-progressivism. the singularity institute, founded in 2006, is an organization that exists to confront both the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence.

For more information, visit here

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i love dust nooka race

2010-07-30T14:41:00.001-04:00

we wrote this blog post april 27th but never posted it! WTF?!?

well, here it is now.

ilovedust has done some incredible work for nooka – their custom nookanookas, custom zubs and now this amazing animation! this awesome animated video features a track by one of matthew waldman's favorite french electro artists, aberration chromatique. ilovedust's love of lamborghinis and the geometric shape of nooka zenh helped create a truly unique visual with strange creatures of their imagination.

be sure to check out all of the awesome work that ilovedusts does here and the sick beats by aberration chromatique here!

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nooka at x-games

2010-07-29T18:03:00.003-04:00

starting july 28th through august 1, be sure to stop by the nooka tent at the summer x- games to meet team nooka! members of the team will be at the tent during select times for autographs. while there, be sure to inquire about the nooka x-games special discounts through www.subports.com- 40% off select nooka watches. sign up for subports early by texting 767825 (PORTAL) on your mobile device, or online here.

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nooka sighting: lola

2010-07-29T14:48:00.007-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo

with a behind the scenes look at the material girl clothing line commercial, madonna and daughter, lola, were photographed catching lola wearing the grey and pink nooka zub zenv 20. at only 13 years of age, lola is a fashion guru with her material girl line, which will debut in august in macy's stores in the us. be sure to pick up your grey and pink nooka here!

noo musik summer 2010

2010-07-29T10:54:00.006-04:00

i have been reviewing and buying a shit-load of music this summer trying to find something that will blow me away or at least become my summer soundtrack. lucky i am so well-connected with my favorite labels that i get previews to upcoming stuff so i can maintain my feeling of being extra-special. so here is a short list of what's on the heavy rotation in casa nooka, le premier laboratoire de l'innovation de conception et de l'imagination:

black city by matthew dear
"Matthew Dear’s Black City can’t be found on any map. It’s a composite, an imaginary metropolis peopled by desperate cases, lovelorn souls, and amoral motives. Like most literary Gothams, Black City is a place to love and hate, as seedy as a nightclub’s back room and as seductive as the promise of power. Matthew Dear, the musician, may live in New York City, but the Matthew Dear of Black City inhabits a sound-world unlike any other: a monument to the shadowy side of urban life that bumps and creaks, shudders and wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. Black City is Matthew Dear’s third album on Ghostly International, and it’s his darkest and most engrossing work to date." --ghostly.com preorder at only $7.99 is a great deal as well.

atlantique by minitel rose
a tight collection of retro future pop sounds from one of my fave french purveyors of electro-pop. it's more 80s than the 80s ever were which makes it 160 i think. french accented english and falsetto back up vocals with sequencers always create a sound that makes me energized. buy a copy here.

disconnect from desire by school of seven bells
"School of Seven Bells take their magic seriously. Symbols, myths, mantras—in the hands of sisters/vocalists Alejandra and Claudia Deheza and guitarist/producer Benjamin Curtis (formerly of On! Air! Library! and Secret Machines, respectively), these mystical practices become achingly human, methods of making sense of an emotionally complex world. School of Seven Bells’ sophomore album Disconnect from Desire—the follow-up to the Brooklyn trio’s breakthrough Ghostly debut Alpinisms—takes its title from one of Brian Eno’s oblique stratagems; its’ cryptic album image is a “sigil,” a mystical figure containing the energy and intent of the album entire. The real magic of Disconnect from Desire, though, lives in its music: ten tracks of soaring, visionary dream-pop from a band working at the height of its powers." -- ghostly.com buy from the ghostly store here.

maya by M.I.A.
clever, interesting, engaging – a hot sweaty sound that could as well be the sound of a NYC sidewalk in the unforgiving summer sun with boys and girls of all shapes and colors bouncing in the sexy heat. i'm impressed. get it here.

dark night of the soul by danger mouse and sparklehorse
the list of collaborators is stellar [david lynch, julian casablancas, iggy pop!]. it's good to hear that there is pop head-music still being produced that can be appreciated by adults [as opposed to teenage goths]. good night music and for drives alone. moreover, how can you not love anything with the name sparklehorse in it? it makes me think of my pretty pony all grown up! get yours here.

night work by scissor sisters
i was honored to be invited to a secret concert of theirs under their secret moniker, queef latifa last year where i thought i heard tracks from the "night work", but it seems they scrapped all those tracks in favor of this collection, which i must admit, is better. i was hoping to see a roxy music cover in the album but perhaps that will be a single b-side? the sound is reminiscent of "something going on" by frida meets "desolution boulevard [us version]" by the sweet. that pretty much sums it up. still can't get my head around how they are so big in europe and not here, but then again, i still have no idea who taylor swift is aside from the kanye fiasco. buy night work here.

white magic by ceo
this has got to be the most enigmatic recording i've bought on itunes this year. it is moments of pure aural brilliance and seemingly intolerable drivel which somehow melds into a very strong expression of pop music. it is basically the abba of electronica as panda bear is the beach boys of alternative. gosh i'm good at the combo metaphor descriptions this time around! it's no surprise they are from sweden. buy it here. (for those into swedish indies, it sounds like the tough alliance because, well, basically it is)

crystal castles (II) by crystal castles
sometimes you want a band with a sound you like and basically, every song sounds the same. like stereolab for example. the whole 'if you want to do something, do it well' school or more that consistency is an excellent branding tool. who wants mcdonalds to taste different each time you have it? well, crystal castles does NOT fit into this mold. this album has them delving into a plethora of varied pop, dance, electro and moody soundscapes. i hear they are little bitches on stage but that's OK, i'm too old for music festivals. buy this here.

and a bonus for you! the komputer cast mix free download

how 'bout the cool foto from my kitchen window?

nooka: jabari presents

2010-07-26T14:09:00.007-04:00

on saturday july 31st at 7pm, jabari johnson will be hosting the season premiere screening party for jabari presents, a new documentary series that will take you into the lives and minds of people in entertainment, art, and sports. we are extremely proud to sponsor the series as jabari explores new happenings in music and pop culture. jabari has interviewed people such as nicki minaj, 50 cent, justin beiber and many more.

check out the teaser trailer and if your in the DC area, hopefully you'll be able to check out the party at cre8 space studio gallery in washington.

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nooka in hungary

2010-07-26T12:01:00.001-04:00

our distributor from hungary shared this video of a famous hungarian singer who is a fan favorite amongst the younger crowd. many people are following in his footsteps style wise, so hopefully they're wearing the nooka watches as well. be sure to check out the video and order your nooka watch here!

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nooka in singapore

2010-07-22T16:57:00.004-04:00

following the success at butter factory in singapore, mlab presented another stunning showcase of the nooka collection together with other great fashion brands including dr martens for their launch of the aw2010 collections.

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the nooka team

2010-07-21T14:32:00.007-04:00

we are officially announcing the creation of team nooka, our first sponsored team of athletes and entertainers. beginning in aw 2010, we will release special edition products co-designed by each athlete and entertainer. with team nooka, we hope to create a foundation to support the sports and lifestyles of the majority of nooka’s fans and customers. as nooka continues to grow, new athletes and entertainers will be signed to the team.

we are pleased to welcome pro fmx rider, destin cantrell as well as pro bmx rider, mike spinner. at only 20 years of age, destin has been riding freestyle motocross profressionally since he was 15. he is a focused athlete with swagger that the cameras love.

mike spinner burst into the bmx scene in 2006 and has performed tricks never done before- the 1080, 720 tailwhip and quad whip. he is definitely a media favorite, appearing on the jimmy fallen show, cbs morning show, as well as a national nike commercial.

the creation of team nooka follows the success of partnering with red bull during their new york bc1 competition as well as their sponsorship of the van’s warped tour. come july 29 - august 1, we will be sponsoring the summer x games in los angeles.

future product: nooka tattoo system

2010-07-15T14:34:00.003-04:00

futurism is the central theme of every nooka product. we strive to think outside of the norm and in our upcoming series of genetic design innovations, nooka plants to release a unique tattoo process, and for traditionalists, inks to use in traditional tattoo processes.

these inks are based on a synthetic molecule coated with engineered rna and dna that causes skin cells to produce the pigments and/or scents associated with each color – ensuring that the colors will never fade and creating a fun interactive scent sensation unique to each design! these unique pigment producing processes are not only inspired by nature, they are sourced from the genetic diversity of our amazing planet – with 3 lines: plant sources from fruits, vegetables and flowers; insect sources for vivid iridescence and colors that shimmer in light or tell their stories in polarized and invisible frequencies; and mycobic sources in our medical line.

red is engineered from a choice of either strawberry or rasberry dna, green from mint, yellow from lemon, orange from tumeric and all create modified cellular bodies that enrich your body with micro-nutrients. unscented versions are of course available. please note that allergy testing is necessaryfor the mycobial and some of the insect derived inks.

How about a colorless invisible tattoo that produces the scent of your favorite cologne? a wide range of scents are available.

the nooka tattoo printer can convert any digital art file into a tattoo that is micro-injected thru a patented ink-jet process to the epidermis [for a temporary tattoo] or the dermis for a permanent one. and the beauty is that all tattoos can be removed with a UV pulse laser treatment! many of the my-cobial pigments can be applied topically or with an easy to administer bath
tablet. How about a floral tattoo that actually smells like flowers, or a scarab design that perpetually shimmers in the sun! WOW!

imagine a sunscreen you apply once that is invisible and weightless and creates a luscious fake tan without depriving the body of vitamin a and d! nooka screen does just that! a bioengineered symbiotic myco network built around brown chlorophyl modified from the japanese maple in a stunning array of skin tones is colorless until exposed to sunlight. sun exposure activates the chloroplasts creating a natural ‘tan’ that protects you from harmful rays. another part of the custom genome causes the symbiot to release vitamin a and d into the blood stream! WARNING, extended exposure to sunlight may cause a thin film of sugars to form attracting flies and other insects in certain environments!

artist spotlight: unmask beijing

2010-07-14T15:46:00.004-04:00

if you remember, i mentioned the incredible work of unmask from a gallery i stumbled into while in beijing earlier this year. well ––– i contacted them to see if they would be interested in doing a customized nookanooka, to which they enthusiastically agreed [which i am very excited about]! this led to a product swap of which the fotos above are what i received. pretty cool stuff for their commercial projects, and the art, though financially less accessible is even more impressive. learn more with the links below.

exhibition information for unmask.
online shop for one of the toys above.
images of unmask sculpture on artnet.
their website here.

nooka venus sighting: kelly rowland

2010-07-13T18:21:00.006-04:00

kelly rowland, one of the original members of girl group, destiny's child, was photographed wearing our nooest shades, the nooka venus! be sure to check out kelly's new single, commander featuring david guetta. pre-order your pair of venus here!

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studio visit: josh wilson

2010-07-09T15:59:00.005-04:00

seattle seahawks cornerback, josh wilson, was in ny for a wedding and came by the nooka lab for the 2nd time. he already cleaned out the nordstrom in seattle and decided to come here to satisfy his nooka urge! check out the nooka mercury on him! be sure to order yours here!

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nooka sighting: yandel

2010-07-08T18:28:00.006-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo
yandel from the puerto rican reggaeton duo, wisin y yandel, was photographed rocking a nooka string theory with our puerto rican distributor luis. be sure to order your string theory watch here!

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nooka mercury sightings: amber rose

2010-07-02T17:02:00.005-04:00

model and socialite, amber rose was photographed in new york rocking a pair of nooka mercury. be sure to order your pair here!

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nooka x summer palooza

2010-06-30T11:47:00.003-04:00

during the 2010 summer palooza, host joey lopez has been rocking nooka while covering the entire scene. it is a two part summer extravaganza including a "summer party series" and "summerpalooza exposed," a tv show featuring guam's hottest nightlife spots throughout summer 2010. be sure to get more information here!

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mw nookanooka and mercury

2010-06-25T17:23:00.006-04:00

we recently released our noo sunglasses line, mercury, and its the perfect accessory/ compliment to the 2nd series matthew waldman mini nookanooka. be sure to stay in style this summer with your pair of nooka shades that you can pick up here, along with your matching mini nooka nooka here!

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nooka student concept

2010-06-23T18:44:00.013-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo

jason perez, friend of mr paul samples, design intern for nooka recently created an ad campaign for nooka as part of his senior portfolio. jason just completed the communication design program at the university of north texas and is currently seeking internships, partnerships and rocketships. check out the cool images and browse through his website here!

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pitti immagine uomo

2010-06-11T16:00:00.005-04:00

pitti immagine organizes some of the world’s most important fashion events: international quality clothing and textile fairs, communication happenings and cultural and research initiatives for the fashion system and fashion as the aesthetic expression and global evolution of taste. Nooka will be showcasing their line. If you're in Florence from June 15th to the 18th, be sure to make an appearance. Learn more here!

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nooka sighting: miley cyrus

2010-06-07T18:38:00.008-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo
teen sensation miley cyrus was photographed with the noo nooka shades, mercury. get ready for summer in style with your pair here!

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nooka sighting: chiddy bang

2010-06-07T17:45:00.006-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo
chiddy bang, an american alternative hip hop band from philadelphia, pennsylvania was caught rocking nookas- pictures courtesy of jabari johnson. their sound is based on the fusion of hip hop and unique sampling from alternative artists such as radiohead and mgmt to name a few. their single "opposite of adults" just went gold in australia and they are doing some big shows/festivals this summer including glastonbury overseas and lollapalooza so be sure to be on the lookout!

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nooka mercury

2010-06-03T18:18:00.009-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo
with summer just around the corner, nooka is introducing a new sporty take on an aviator frame with their new sunglass line, mercury. retailing for $130, these new stylish intergalacic shades will add pop to any outfit while complimenting your nooka zub timepiece. they come in a variety of colors including- neon green, neon orange, neon blue, neon pink, as well as the classic black and white.

be sure to pre-order yours here!

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noo music spring 2010

2010-06-03T17:50:00.003-04:00

there have been some really good releases the past month. my 2 faves at the moment are: where did the night fall by UNKLE and subject to shift by solvent. the UNKLE release has vocals from so many different great people, it's packed with enough aural texture and mood to keep you listening in a number of environments [work, romance, contemplation, flying, etc.]. solvent, one of favorite acts on ghostly records has not disappointed me with the new work – analog synths, rich textures, and a whole lot of fun in my opinion.

and back to the subject of collaborations, the david byrne + fatboy slim MUSICAL [yes, MUSICAL], here lies love is based on the life of imelda marcos, the philippine dictator, is impossible to give a solid verdict on, but with vocals by róisín murphy, cyndi lauper and even tori amos, it's something worth listening to. i find some of the tracks to be very good, and i'd actually like to see a performance of this piece live [and i generally HATE musicals].

i hope you enjoy this mini-review. the image above is a detail from the installation i did for design glut's uncomfortable conversations exhibition during new york icff last month. read a review here.

the buried life

2010-06-02T15:53:00.006-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo"what do you want to do before you die?" the guys from mtv's the buried life stopped by the nooka lab. duncan, ben, dave and jonnie travel the globe in a purple transit bus to complete a list of ‘100 things to do before you die’ and to help and encourage others to go after their own lists. be sure to catch up with them here and look out for season 2.

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nooka sighting: rick ross

2010-06-01T15:58:00.006-04:00

michael a. traverzo

"the boss" rick ross was photographed at bet's 106 and park with a zub zot black 20. be sure to purchase yours here!

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sounds like video

2010-05-26T14:57:00.001-04:00

Sounds Like from Joey Roth on Vimeo.

veggiesomething signing

2010-05-20T17:45:00.003-04:00

with the release of the 2nd artist series of mini nookanookas right around the corner, veggiesomething will be signing his custom piece on saturday june 5th from 12pm- 2pm. if you're in chicago, be sure to stop by rotofugi located on 1953 w chicago ave!

order your mini nookanooka here!

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from last month's travels

2010-05-19T16:27:00.004-04:00

one thing [well...2 things from japan] i picked up from each continent on last month's month-long business trip: t-shirt that looks very "nooka" from a me*city store in beijing [a chinese brand from shanghai], gift wrap paper from the design museum in shad thames london, hello kitty moisturizer [the best moisturizer i've ever used to-date!], and a fun t-shirt from graniph.

2nd artist series of mini nookanookas

2010-05-18T15:43:00.008-04:00

after the success of the original mini nookanookas, nooka has decided to create a 2nd artist series. nooka has joined forces with legendary artists/toy designers and a retail boutique to commemorate the release. veggiesomething (creator of the fizziefuzzie, house of liu, united by destruction!, sugar bandits, and debonair rascal), mad barbarians (illustration and design unit with 'mad, pop, rock, cute and stupid' as their main concept), room322 (winner of the 2009 nookanooka competition where retailers across the us and canada submitted their nookanooka design for a public vote) and Matthew Waldman custom designed their own mini nookanooka. each of you will be able to own these custom designs, so pre-order yours here!

mini nookanooka dimensions dimensions: 5.3"(height) x 3.9"(width) x 1.96" (135 x 100 x 50mm )

srp: $25

learn more about the nookanooka at their new interactive site with videos, pics and more here!

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uncomfortable conversations

2010-05-13T19:01:00.004-04:00

this sunday, designglut will unveil their off cite icff show. designglut believes it is the role of creatives to start the uncomfortable conversations that ultimately cause people to grow. they challenged artists to design an object that provokes an uncomfortable yet important conversation amongst the viewers of the show. the type of object, the materials it’s made from, and the topic of the conversation are entirely up to designer. their intention is to get people talking about something they would normally avoid, pushing them outside of their comfort zones and opening their minds.

nooka design challenges people to reject nostalgia and embrace an optimistic charge towards tomorrow. fashion is one area where nostalgia is still more of a driving force than futurism, and for this exhibition matthew waldman created a piece that highlights the sometimes uncomfortable reality when biology asserts itself.

visit designgluts website for more information here!

the address is:
803 Washington St.
New York, NY

nooka press: sight unseen

2010-05-13T18:47:00.001-04:00

monia khemsurov wrote an amazing article on her studio visit at the nooka lab. be sure to check it out and get in an inside look at the office!

check out sight unseen here!

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cite goes america

2010-05-12T17:57:00.003-04:00

on may 15th, matthew waldman and nooka will take part in the 2nd of three off cite icff shows. cite goes america centers around a skeleton house featuring 400 sq.ft. of a detailed oriented large room, created with the pieces chosen for the collection. in this manner a birds eye view of what they believe is strong and interesting design is seen not only in the context of an occupied house, but with a real feel of the new american home.

nooka has contributed products from our line conveying a message promoting universal communication, whether visual, systematic or linguistic. it’s a futurist philosophy.

to learn more about cite goes america, check here!

the address is:
cite showroom 131 greene st. ny, ny 10012

sounds like

2010-05-12T11:30:00.004-04:00

as part of icff, joey roth gave collaborators a set of speakers he recently designed to reshape, using their own visual language. in turn, he asked each of them to work with a musician to produce a track to accompany their speaker interpretation. matthew waldman and miho hatori combined their creativity to produce a truly unique experience.

here's a glimpse of each of their statements for the piece:
matthew waldman
technology improves life and creates new dialogs between people and the universe. moreover, it fuels an ever growing expectation of things to come. it is not an exaggeration to say that the idea of time travel is perhaps the most portent of expectations of future technology. it is this theme i have explored in my piece for the sounds like exhibition – creating a physical evocation of time past and yet to come.

miho hatori
...looking at the time machine makes me want to give it life. for me primitive sound is the basis for the way people hear today. we all evolved from ocean life and sound memory is embedded in our dna. that is the beauty of life and this is why we have the ability to hear and interpret sound- this is the beautiful part of evolution. the energy and movement of evolution is far more powerful than human imagination. It is an organic occurrence that we can only dream of understanding and channeling in such an accidental, yet powerful way.

here is the AMAZING track miho recorded for the piece:

piers fawkes from psk will be sponsoring a panel of 4 speakers including matthew waldman. to learn more, be sure to check out their site here!

learn more about miho hatori here

be sure to learn all about joey roth's project here!

the address is:
DDCLAB
427 W 14th Street @ Washington St.
New York, NY 10014

matthew waldman x graniph t shirt on sale

2010-05-07T15:03:00.005-04:00

heres your chance to purchase one of the exclusive-to-graniph matthew waldman t-shirts. this special limited edition collaborative shirt features the famous creatures of the night pattern in a bold star. its the perfect match to your nooka watch.

order yours here!

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london

2010-05-05T07:34:00.005-04:00

i am in london, and man, it was cold the past few days. luckily it's in the 50s F [15ºC] today! i'm staying in shoreditch house and i must say, membership does has it's privileges – best stay ever in london [london, like NYC, is a city where even paying $200+/night does NOT guarantee a nice room, or even good water pressure in your shower]. i just wish my room had a bath tub...

so, i got the most of the cultural stuff out of the way on monday, as it was a bank holiday here: design museum, tate modern, and even a show on royal british armor at london tower [my friend darren dragged me to that one]. great shows at both the design museum and tate but it bothers me deeply that my products are in neither of the 2's gift shops [but i won't get into that here].

darren also arranged tickets to see hair, which he did the press for. it was a bit of a mind fuck for me on a few levels. i'm not into musicals, but hair is one i grew up listening to because of my parents brief hippy phase [my mom's huge afro and colourful dashikis were part of my aesthetic influences] and also, the drama club in my high school did a production of it [against my best advise, inner city NYC public school with maybe 5% white kids is not the most supportive environment for a hippy musical. no one came]. the mind fuck part is really about NYC – a city that spawned jazz, folk music [still can't get my head around that], glam rock, punk, disco, AND hip hop is so different now, it's hard to process how much has changed even since i was in high school and i wonder how a city like new york will propel itself into the future. london seems so motivated by their olympics, shanghai by the the world expo...why is NYC so not interested in big events to force major improvements to infrastructure? of course, the federal government is part of the problem with nyc being bled dry of tax revenue, but i'm not an articulate enough writer to address this complex issue up...just mentioning it in the context of what went through my brain while watching a production of a musical.

anyway, excited to meet with illustrator extraordinaire, ken chung, go for a tour of the royal society of arts HQ, meet with the ilove dust team...all between now and friday when i return to NYC.

nyc icff 2010 X nooka

2010-05-03T18:47:00.013-04:00

the 22nd annual international contemporary furniture fair, the icff, will turn new york into a global summit for what's best and what's next in design. this year, nooka and matthew waldman will be involved in three off-site shows, uncomfortable conversations by design glut, sounds like by joey roth, and cite goes america by jan habraken.

more details to come as the date nears!

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larry tee and nooka

2010-05-03T17:35:00.008-04:00

in a recent interview with djmag, dj larry tee shared his thoughts on fashion. be sure to pick up your copy of the magazine and catch up with larry tee.

order the nooka strip that dj larry tee has here!

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nookanooka show in budapest!

2010-05-02T06:41:00.008-04:00

budapest is a city i have always wanted to visit – rich history, their language is an isolate on the european continent [it's an altaic language more closely related to finnish, mongolian, japanese and korean than to any other groups], they have a culture of spending long afternoons in thermal baths, and the danube is a famous river. i was not disappointed!

my reason for coming was the hungarian custom nookanooka show organized by csap viktor, our man on the ground in budapest. the show featured 35 local artists, and i was blown-away by the enthusiasm and craft the artists applied to the competition. i will update the nookanooka pages on our website as soon i get the official photographs and artists bios from csap. larry tee was dj at the after party, and it was great catching up with him [i haven't seen larry since he moved to london]. i got to become friends with the madonna of hungary, kristóf steiner who splits his time between budapest and tel aviv and was our emcee for the evening. really great guy!

the only unfortunate thing was some planning issues, mainly the may day holiday weekend. like NYC on labor day, more than half of the city was out-of-town! hopefully the show will travel within buda or pest to continue the buzz when the city is back to full-tilt! i'll keep you posted.

so, let me end by saying, if you haven't thought of it, visit budapest! it's affordable, extremely bicycle friendly [i rented a bike for 2 days and it was AMAZING] and full of things to do. as for best thermal, i recommend széchenyi. gallért is more famous [matthew barney's cremaster cycle was partly filmed there] but not as nice overall [poorly signed, only some of the staff are helpful]. széchenyi is in a beautiful park with an amusement part and museums, so you can kill a whole day there!

vans pro team in guam

2010-04-30T15:12:00.008-04:00

on april 29th, the vans skate and bmx team went down to tumon bay guam to sign autographs and put on a "jam session" demo in front of dna evolution and kicks/hi guam. dna of evolution and kicks/hi guam invited the public, especially skaters and action sports enthusiasts to come down and witness the occasion. the long live crew also released their long awaited skate deck/ tee pack and a preview of the long live skate video at the gathering. from the looks of it, this was an epic event!

our sales rep gifted kristy van doren, colin mackay and some other from vans pro team some watches. be sure to check out the great photos!

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matthew waldman in yrb

2010-04-29T12:54:00.004-04:00

matthew waldman and the nooka brand were featured in design @ work, an article focusing on 7 different brands with 7 unique aesthetics in the latest yrb magazine. be sure to check out the great photo courtesy of esteban aladro!

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hong kong update and a small rant or two

2010-04-28T04:26:00.001-04:00

i used to go to hong kong once or twice a year when i started nooka, but due to frustrations with dealing with the first factory we contracted, i began to send other staff members to do the factory visits. though things have improved on all fronts, and communication being the main ongoing issue, it is yet again necessary for me to shepherd the process directly. so after an absence of 2 years, i went to hong kong. so even though it is late april, and i packed not much of warm clothes, i was shocked with cool weather [snow in tokyo, freezing smog in beijing, but cold in hong kong?!?]. this actually worked to my advantage as i don't do well in hot sweaty weather – my hong kong productivity doubled!

since it was a short trip, i planned all the meetings to be in the HK offices of the factories we use. without going into minutia, the outcome i have been feeling mount, is that a company like nooka needs to have it's design office in hong kong or at least closer than a 14 hour plane ride. the iceland volcano put a stop to fedex up until a few days before my meetings, so my timing couldn't have been better. moreover, being able to discuss design changes face to face is by far the most efficient way to produce things. i really need to think this through: can i live in HK 6 months of the year? is tokyo close enough to base the design lab there? i was impressed with the energy and people of beijing, but the pollution there would kill me. how do other small independent design brands handle these issues? remember, i sort of fell into product design! still figuring this stuff out...

<volcano: if my anti-gravity drive transport was developed we wouldn't see the huge disruptions caused by this event. am i the only one consistently ranting about the lack of technological progress in air travel? this is the same technology in use since the 1960s...just sayin...>

i got to meet the great people at victionary publishing, the incredible chris ng of idn magazine, and arnault, proprietor of kapok, your place for nooka products in hong kong! his combination cafe, shoppe and gallery on a cute hidden street in wanchai is a great place for a coffee and nooka any day of the week. check it out; G/F 5 saint francis yard, wanchai. www.ka-pok.com.

aside from work, caught up with mark landwehr of coarse toys – had a IKEA swedish meatballs at his apt with some of his friends and coworkers. my friends andrew and marco actually live 3 floors below him in the same building, so i invited them to meet their neighbors. a friend from when i was a young adult in tokyo has been living on lamma island for 14 years, and we had a lovely seafood meal there, my first time on lamma island.

www.idnworld.com for one of the last surviving international design magazines, produced out of hong kong. http://www.victionary.com/ for victionary design publishing, also out of hong kong. support independent design, buy their products as well as mine.

business travel notes: do not get brainwashed like i did and get an american express platinum card. you do not receive any better service from the airlines than if you were to book all your flights on kayak, nor does it get you access into any of the airport lounges in tokyo narita or beijing international. they booked me on air china for 2 legs of my flight, and this is an airline to avoid – unresponsive counter people who just stare at you when they don't want to answer a question and the interior of their planes are old and quite smelly. luckily i always have a muji moisture mist and travel sizes of nooka fragrance to keep me from not breathing. i have to say, american express marketing is certainly successful enough to get me to pay the $750 annual fee which will be contested when i cancel this card on my return to NYC.

put hungary on your list of countries where google sites do not work. they are not blocked but i can't get gmail or blogger to work at all – times out. search is fine but painfully slow. so if you are like me and do cloud computing, make sure you have back ups to download from other servers and POP/IMAP set up on your laptop for your email. i am writing this [and updating the blog via email, not the website] in sunny budapest where we are having a nooka dj event with larry tee this friday! i haven't seen larry since he moved to london so this will be a cool environment to catch up. let me know if you're in buda or pest this week. also, if you are lactose intolerant or have a milk allergy, bring a huge supply of lactase or soy milk with you.

nooka x ddg

2010-04-27T16:00:00.001-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo

nooka and luxury jewlery designer, deviant design group, have combined their collective views of unconventional design to create custom high value nooka watches for an exclusive clientele. check out the "blinged" out nooka zot classic that features a 14k gold face plate inscribed with the nooka and ddg logo as well as an exterior watch case adorned with over 4 carats of si1 f-g colored diamonds. similar upgrades and customizations will now be available starting at $2,500.

ddg offers a variety of customization options ranging from precious stones and diamonds, gold plating, inscription, unique straps and special requests to add your personal "swag" to a nooka.

email ddg@nooka.com for more information or a price quote.

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matthew waldman x graniph t shirt

2010-04-26T17:46:00.005-04:00

graniph recently teamed up with matthew waldman for a special limited edition collaboration t shirt. this exclusive to graniph shirt features the nooka creatures of the night patter in a star shaped design. be sure to visit here to a get a closer look at the design.

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nooka night in budapest

2010-04-26T10:20:00.017-04:00

for those of you lucky enough to be in budapest, you will have the esteemed pleasure of being able to stop by merlin and join the 'andy warhol of dance music', electro dj larry tee, while he hosts nooka night. get the chance to chat with the man behind nooka, matthew waldman while there. this event is april 30th, so be sure to mark it in your calendars!

for information: +36 1 317 93 38/107
info@merlinbudapest.org

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nooka x vans warped tour

2010-04-21T16:06:00.000-04:00

nooka will sponsor the 16th annual vans warped tour and to commemorate the event, nooka has customized 100 zub zenv 20 watches for their vip's. the limited edition timepiece will feature purple graphics on a green band.

the 2010 incarnation of the vans warped tour – affectionately known as ‘punk rock summer camp’ will host a distinct and diverse lineup of the hottest artists on the scene, as well as a full concourse of lifestyle attractions and vendors. now in it’s 16th year, the 43-date tour commences on june 25th in carson, ca and finishes on august 15th in hillsboro, or. north america’s longest-running touring festival has promised to be the most memorable jaunt yet for the annual punk rock extravaganza.

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day of art: beijing

2010-04-21T07:29:00.000-04:00

today i took time to go visit the great wall of china, and don't let me be the first to tell you - it is one great big ole wall snaking along the mountain ridges outside of beijing. what was more exciting for me was my afternoon at beijing's 798 district, an artist colony with galleries, museums, cafes and shops.

i didn't see everything, but was very excited about a lot of what i did. notable and a must visit is the well curated UCCA [Ullens Center for Contemporary Art] www.ucca.org.cn which had quite a few good installations, a gorgeous cafe and shop as well [perfect future home for nooka i feel]. REM(A)INDERS at galleria continua was an amazing distillation of the detritus one finds in china - really made me smile the moment i walked in the voluminous space as i got the concept right away when i saw a full sized tree covered in colorful plastic bags. gallerista alessandra p. was a pleasure to talk to. there was a group show of young chinese talent at the beyond art space, managed by gallerista mila b. was good, but i was truly blown away by the work of art trio, UNMASK! their hyper-realistic sculptures of genetically engineered men touched so many of my reference points past and present that i almost bought one if not for the price tag. if you are in beijing this week, their is an opening of their solo show tomorrow which i am very sorry to miss [off to hong kong tomorrow]. i tried to find a link for their solo show as it's in a different gallery in 798, but nothing came up...

i included some fotos in the collage from my visit to the olympic village. the acid rain in beijing has already taken a toll on those new structures.

here are some links:
http://unmask.com.cn/
http://www.china.org.cn/english/798/236196.htm
http://www.ucca.org.cn
http://www.galleriacontinua.com
http://www.beyondartspace.com

greetings from smoggy beijing

2010-04-20T23:01:00.000-04:00

ok, the news real, it is IMPOSSIBLE to get on twitter and facebook from mainland china. google services are up, but spotty [and i won't even mention porn sites] – so needless to say – i have a bit of internet withdrawal! if i was a bit more of an IT sophisticate i might be able to get the proxy i set up to work, but alas, no luck. moreover, i'm not here long enough for it to make sense to pay for the ubiquitous pay proxy services people who live here without VPN use. i'm uploading this post via email. i'm sure there's a way for that with twitter but even the help pages and wiki articles for that are blocked here!

so to state what most people may or may not already know: beijing is referred to as BJ [like New York City is NYC]. this makes me smile. the air really is polluted, a thick photochemical smog that has given me a constant headache, and i've only been here a few days! then again, my lungs are my weakest link, luckily my stomach is 90% cast iron. the city is HUGE, you need to take a taxi to and from most metro stations meaning most people take taxis everywhere. all that aside, the energy of this growing metropolis is palatable and exciting.

is BJ ready for nooka? the better question is, is nooka ready for mainland china? of course, i've toured the shopping areas and especially areas with the independent brands, though i would hardly consider this trip more than just scratching the service. my hope is that in the course of meeting people on these travels the perfect distributor or retail partner will magically appear – it has happened more than once. for now, we are very happy to be in lane crawford locations [chinese fans, please order your nooka product there for now].

so for now, i will continue to enjoy the city and my friends who live here. china continues to be a fascinating and exciting country and i look forward to exploring more of its possibilities.

coldest april in tokyo

2010-04-17T19:30:00.005-04:00

strangely, it's been extremely cold this whole week in tokyo, but now that i think of the volcano in iceland, it may make some sense – it was actually snowing friday night when team nooka was out drinking at en izakaya late into the night [thanks reika for reserving us a room!]. of course, now that i need to repack and check out on my way to beijing, it's super sunny and nice outside.

so to wrap up the updates for this trip, and not in chronological order, a word-dump: had a great meeting with the creative collaboration team at graniph, the t-shirt i designed will drop may 1st. if you're in a city with a graniph shop, make sure to pick one up as they only made 1000 units. my friend tomoyo hooked that connection up and it was nice to catch up with her after the meeting. tinydinosaur, a tokyo fashion design lab, famous for using new fabrics and materials featured nooka in their latest tokyo fashion week fall collection. see photos here. mr. kudo can be seen in the foto on the upper right with his handmade lamps made from discarded umbrella wires – a really creative team and i am so flattered to work with them. they LOVE the nooka strips [get yours here or in japan, here]! visited a wonderful little shop near bankart museum in yokohama called gallo the living which features nooka prominently in their shop. the shop manager, hikaru is adorable, and the owner mr. hara is full of creative energy. we all had a lovely meal after visiting the shop at the amazon club which serves deep fried scorpions and other fusion fare. went out to a night of 5 bands at unit in daikanyama to see my friend immi perform some songs and a dj set [you can tell which foto is her i think], which was great. saw another band called soutaiseiriron which was also fun, the singer was übercool, she hardly moved. i made it to nigo of bathing ape fame's new curry restaurant called curry-up. it was excellent! and i wore my yellow jeans which kinda made it look like i work there. the pretty lady with the long hair is my friend and rising design star, hiroko takahashi – great to catch up with her and see some of the amazing press she is getting. we also compared travel stories.

i will not clog up the post with every business meeting and friend i caught up with, nor complain about how i haven't had a proper night sleep in 10 days, but seriously, check the links above to catch up on the ever changing pop-culture of tokyo – a great and inspiring city. the foto of the ocean is from a daytrip to atami where i soaked in a hot tub [rotenburo] at horai, a 160 year old mountain guesthouse that was sublime though....the kami-san, mrs. furutani was a pleasure and the food is beyond words.

nooka x iceland design week

2010-04-12T16:41:00.010-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo nooka recently teamed up with the designmarch, donating 25 zub skyblue zenh 20 for their vips. the designmarch is a four day event in its 2nd year organized by the iceland design center that takes place from the march 18- 21st. designmarch aims to spread design through iceland, exhibiting unique designs, works in progress as well as old favorites. check out the cool images that iceland design provided us with!

learn more about the designmarch here!

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tokyo this week

2010-04-12T05:02:00.021-04:00

lobby of the MoT

art of kiyoshi KURODA

cut paper work of tomoko SHIYOYASU – mind-bogglingly awesome!

nooka!

the creepy work of junichi MORI

team nooka japan: yu YAMADA, myself and yuka SATO.

i am now on the first leg of a month-long business trip. i arrived in tokyo on friday so i would have the weekend to adjust to the jet-lag, but somehow, i'm exhausted today [waking up at 5am is probably the culprit!]. luckily i had 100% energy for my meeting with the PR agency we use here in Japan – got them up to speed on all the collab and event stuff in the US to find synergies and/or similar win-win scenarios relevant to the japan market. in particular, the more i talk about what's going on with the custom nookanooka shows around the world, the more i think we need to package it for a museum show somewhere [after budapest, we will have 50 nookanookas customized by local and international artists!]. curator friends: any ideas? connections with the cooper hewitt in nyc or the design museum in london [or any other ideas welcome]. i'll work the connections i have...

and on the same vein, i was happy to see an artist from the japan custom nookanooka show, atsuo OGAWA, featured in the annual show of new artists at the tokyo museum of contemporary art [known as the MoT, go figure]. the show was pretty amazing, i was blown away by some of the pieces, especially the ceramic work of katsuyo AOKI – glad i caught the show on the last day. you can learn more about the exhibition here. unfortunately, the catalog was sold out, so i had to snap some pictures of the library copy!

there was also a wonderful hussein chalayan retrospective which i also found inspiring. and to make it even more wonderful...they sell nooka in the MoT gift shop!

the newly renovated museum restaurant, content, is quite good – beautiful space, excellent service, but extremely overpriced for being in a municipally funded art museum.

nooka sighting: buddy carr

2010-04-02T15:18:00.009-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo

buddy carr, professional skate boarder and nooka's good friend sent over some pictures of his run. check out the sick nooka stickers on his board and if you look closely, on his helmet as well. be sure to stop by his site here and pick up some of his cool gear!

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gommi arcade x nooka at ac gears

2010-03-31T16:17:00.013-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo

last friday, the gommi arcade x nooka "future shock" watch collaboration kicked off with the official launch party at ac gears in nyc. about 400 guests browsed and mingled throughout the ac gears shop, sipping on hennessy black (one of our great sponsors), while listening to the beats of power 105's dj challez. guests included celebrity stylist, alexander allen, who you can learn more about here, bmx rider nigel sylvester, jamie falkowski from time out new york, double up dance group and dustin canalin from udrcrwn to name a few. william yan and robin from 9th street parlor were also in attendance. special shout out to malcolm and zak, ac gears, hennessy black, smart water, as well as honey, for making this a night to remember (well for those of you who didn't have too much hennessy black).

nookas own, michael a. traverzo tended the bar.

also, be sure to check out the unique clamshell blister packaging designed specifically for the release of the gommi watch. it features some sick artwork by joe perdomo.

black and white photos courtesy of freddy mejia, color photos courtesy of matthew waldman.

learn more about hennessy black here! be sure to try hennessy black spice and hennessy black berry, as these two drinks were a huge hit at the event!

the gommi arcade watch is available here, as well as both ac gears stores!

be sure to check out the gommi arcade interactive art Installation at ac gears greenwich ave. store march 26th - april 30th!

weekend in pittsburgh

2010-03-31T12:24:00.003-04:00

after a stellar night at the nooka X gommi arcade launch party at AC Gears on greenwich avenue in NYC, my boyfriend and i headed to pittsburgh PA with artist and friend, hiroki otsuka and his boyfriend andy. a posse of new yorkers descended on pittsburgh to attend the opening party for Playboy Redux: Contemporary Artists Interpret the Iconic Playboy Bunny, curated in part, by our dear friend Eric Shiner. Hiroki was one of the featured artists, and in fact, i will be seen on the playboy channel's coverage of the show with him! the highlight of the opening was the pajama party which filled the museum with locals and a lot of people from NYC. the show is still up, so if you are in or near pittsburgh PA, check it out. more info here. nooka was well represented on the wrists of hiroki, andy, eric, frank and myself. learn more about hiroki otsuka here.

the fun continued as eric gave us a private tour of his favorite bars. it was rare for me, but i was out bar hopping til 4am and had a great time with nyc performer maine, artist ain cocke, and eric's local posse. the drag shows were interesting enough to be classified bone-fide performance art, and even the crowd at the bars was enough to make simple people-watching a renewed pleasure [we ended up at a private club called the moose house before late cocktails at eric's loft]. hanging out with maine anders was a hoot! i really enjoyed the physical city as well – with its rusting bridges seemingly to appear out of nowhere at the end of a street to its ever changing views from the hilly landscape – it's a stunning place – part big city, part back-country, and part ghost town. there were enough museums and things to see to keep one busy for a weekend, and i highly recommend it.

and, as much as i enjoyed the warhol museum, i do not think it belongs in pittsburgh when there is not one in NYC. i am not saying that there shouldn't be a warhol museum in pitt, but 1. andy warhol made his career in NYC. even i am old enough to remember nights rubbing shoulders with him at the VIP rooms at palladium and area [i was an underaged club kid, luckily in a time when NYC allowed teens into clubs!]. NYC was his inspiration and his home from early adulthood til the day he tragically died. 2. he put pop art on the map! the "pop" in "pop art" = popular which implies it requires a LARGE audience, which quite simply is not happening for the work in it's current location. i think it's more appropriate for the warhol museum in pittsburgh be in the house he was born in or lived as a child with the permanent collection and foundation in the city he loved – NYC. just sayin....

nooka sighting: joe jonas

2010-03-23T14:47:00.008-04:00

joe jonas was out this past sunday sporting the white zub zirc. the pictures are courtesy of jonasworld.org.

be sure to pick up your white zub zirc here!

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matthew waldman X graniph

2010-03-22T14:38:00.001-04:00

for years nooka staff and friends of mine always looked forward to the souvenirs i brought back from trips to japan. and the most beloved/coveted of these is always the fresh crop of graniph t-shirts! i literally keep half a suitcase empty to make room for the 20 or so t shirts of theirs i would buy each trip. this being no secret, my dear friend tomoyo in tokyo made an introduction to the design team of graniph and the project below was born! so, special thanks to tomoyo, yamada and graniph for making this happen – i'm really very thrilled. i of course, will blog again when it gets closer to the release date and i have more samples to photograph. verbage from the press release is below.

nooka and graniph are thrilled to release a new collaborative t-shirt, designed by matthew waldman this may, available in japan only. the limited edition t-shirt features a star made of the nooka’s popular Creatures of the Night CAMO print. This exclusive design is printed on a heather grey shirt, with sizes ranging from extra small to large for men and women. Anyone who purchases this collab t-shirt can enter to win one of the 2 creatures of the Night watches. this campaign will hit graniph shop sometime in may 2010.

Graniph is a clothing design company based out of Shimokitazawa, Japan, that specializes in producing designer graphic T shirts. Using a unique design strategy, Graniph releases as many as 100 new designs every month featuring different artists and designers around the world.

this t-shirt will be available in countries with graniph shops and online for other regions from their site. you can also get the nooka camo watch here, and the music skins here, not to mention the fabulous nooka strip [belt] and yellow zub watch muscle boy michael is wearing in the photo.

nooka press: time out magazine

2010-03-19T16:03:00.009-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo

in this weeks time out new york, the nooka strip was featured in a very fitting part of the magazine, the parsons vs fit spread. i say "fitting" since the green strip was pictured on a parson's student, coincidentally, the school where matthew waldman has taught. you can bet this was very exciting for matthew to see!

be sure to purchase your green nooka strip here!

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design process: subtle changes

2010-03-17T18:21:00.006-04:00

i am always told how well nooka as company does with branding – normally, companies retro-fit corporate identity systems piecemeal and only consolidate and rationalize when they are big enough to hire a large branding agency. in actuality, i started nooka with the brand fairly well articulated before i had actual product and the brand is as much a product to me as the actual objects we design and sell.

well...here is our first major [minor?] change since i debuted the logo 10 or so years ago – BOLDER logotype. it will be a subtle to unnoticeable change to the layman, but i'm sure the design crowd will appreciate the change.

it also contains the "mindstyle™" tag line.

here at nooka, we love evolution via iterative process as much as inspired design explosions!

hennessy black x nooka

2010-03-17T11:00:00.003-04:00

text by michael a. traverzowith a new blend of jasmine and orange flowers mixed with citrus, honey and grapes, hennessy has taken the brand beyond cognac to the premium mixed spirits, with the introduction of hennessy black. sleek, sexy, clublike, hennessy black blends more than just drinks. music, culture and now, the release of the exclusive nooka collaboration. only 700 pieces have been produced, infusing the the zub zenh 20 with graphics inspired by hennessy's insignia.

you won't be able to get your hands on this one of a kind "mix" unless you're a hennessy vip!

straight or mixed – hennessy black is the highly versatile, decidedly different new cognac from the world's leading cognac house – distinctively smooth with a fresher, lighter flavor.

forgot to mention, since becoming involved with this project, nooka founder, matthew waldman, has concocted the nooka sidecar – now the official party drink of the nooka lab: equal parts hennessy black, cointreau, fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice [half lemon half lime], and a splash of simple syrup [or sugar] to sweeten: shaken vigorously with crushed ice, strained and served in a small sugar rimmed water glass or tumbler – YUMMY!

thanks to kdu, the keystone design union, for getting us involved. learn more about the kdu here!

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new retailer in singapore: red dot museum shop

2010-03-16T12:16:00.008-04:00

text by michael a. traverzo

nooka is proud to inform you that we have a new retailer - the museum shop located at red dot museum, singapore. if you're there, be sure to stop by!

the address is as follows:
28 Maxwell Road
Singapore 069120
6534 7194

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nooka press: t magazine

2010-03-15T16:26:00.008-04:00

it is always a privilege to see nooka products featured in various magazines, but i am finally starting to feel like a true design star by being featured in T magazine (the new york times style magazine) 2 months in a row. it is especially exciting to be referenced in david coleman's article good timing of the spring 2010 edition [as well as seeing a yellow zub on a model in a fashion pictorial of the same issue]. what makes it even more amazing is the fact that mr. coleman could hear any of what i was saying the day he did the phone interview – i was home with laryngitis!

purchase the zenh hyper space pictured above here and purchase the zub zoo electric yellow here!

studio visit: shin tanaka and naoko shimojo

2010-03-15T15:42:00.002-04:00

shin tanaka and naoko shimojo visited the nooka lab last wednesday! i'll hang out with them again in tokyo in april. i'm glad shin is doing more high profile art events. i introduced him to the KDU this visit of which i am a member. learn more about shin here. get your super limited edition shin tanaka mini nookanooka here.

2010-03-11T12:29:00.009-05:00

in celebration of h5's latest black pop up store in mid valley megamall in malaysia, 20 local talents have teamed up with h5 to customize their own nookanooka.

as part of this unique event, h5 is giving you a chance to win a nooka zub. all you have to do is visit the h5 black lab pop-up store and rate the top 3 designs from the nookanooka art series. three winners who correctly predict the three most popular designs (in first, second and third placing, respectively) each win themselves a nooka watch! you can also visit the h5 facebook fan page here to check out the designs and rate them.

get down to the H5 black lab pop-up store or surf the h5 facebook fan page now and be that much closer to owning your very own nooka!

*Note: This contest is open to all Malaysians and runs from 12 to 28 March 2010. Results will be announced one week after the contest closing date on H5’s Facebook Fan Page. Winners will also be notified via telephone or e-mail. In the event of a tie, a draw will be held to determine the top three winners. The H5 Black Lab pop-up store is located at FK-04, First Floor Mid Valley Megamall, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, KL.

read all about the art series and check out the great pictures here!

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gommi arcade

2010-03-09T17:07:00.002-05:00

text by michael a. traverzo
nooka and the guys behind gommi arcade have done it again! zak hoke and malcolm phipps previously worked with nooka to bring you the uber rare garbege watch released in april 2007. this time around, they will release the gommi arcade x nooka future shock timepiece. their previous release was extremely successful, so it was no doubt that nooka would work with them again.

this limited edition timepiece is a twist on the time manipulation device worn by gommi in the future shock comic/ manga written by zak hoke for gommi arcade inc. this one of a kind watch features the zub zot face in blue with original 'gommi marvel' iconic artwork.

to celebrate the release of this grand piece, ac gears will host an exclusive launch party friday, march 26, 2010 . check out the custom vinyl artwork on the wall in the ac gears store!

gommi arcade is a new york based japanese anime-inspired lifestyle brand that produces special edition products using iconic art, the gommi arcade character logo and sci-fi fantasy themes.

buy yours at ac gears or other fine retailers. if you can't wait, be sure to order yours here since this unique piece is sure to sell out like the last collab with malcolm and zak!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter!

nooka x mad toy: slimeball

2010-03-05T16:48:00.000-05:00

text by michael a. traverzo
as part of our noo spring collection, nooka has teamed up with mad toy to create a limited timepiece inspired by their slimeball sqwert character. this unique zub zot 38 incorporates color and graphics originally featured on the mini nooka nooka designed by jeremy madl, mastermind of the cult following mad toy design inc.

only 500 pieces of this custom watch will be available, so be sure to pre order yours here!

order your matching mini nookanooka here!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter!

NOOKA X ALTERNATIVE PRESS at SXSW

2010-03-05T13:16:00.000-05:00

i won't be there, but let me know if you are!

nooka lab studio visit: nigel sylvester

2010-03-04T16:50:00.004-05:00

text by michael a. traverzothis past tuesday, we were fortunate to have nigel sylvester, bmx street rider out of the new york area, grace the nooka lab. nigel rides for some of the greatest in the sport, such as: dave mirra's bicycle company, nike 6.0, gatorade, and animal. nigel has made a name for himself with his moves, his own signature frame called the Chocolate and his own bmx, skate, and streetwear store in queens called format ny. be sure to check out his blog on high snobiety, a high-end fashion design site.

check out the neon blue zub zirc 20 that nigel picked up! pick yours up here!

purchase the zirc nt that matthew is wearing here!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter!

a better haiti through better design: part II

2010-03-01T15:31:00.014-05:00

text by michael a. traverzoin response to the tragic events that occurred in haiti, nooka recently decided to donate 10% of all online sales over $100 to architecture for humanity. in a month's time (january 21st to february 21st) we were able to raise $3,000. we are incredibly happy that we were able to help; however, we wish we would have been able to raise more money for this amazing organization.

architecture for humanity is a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999. they are building a more sustainable future through the power of professional design. recently, architecture for humanity launched a fund-raising appeal to support long term reconstruction efforts in haiti. learn more about them or make a direct donation here!

our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected in haiti and chile!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter!

nooka in vegas

2010-02-26T13:10:00.006-05:00

text by michael a. traverzo

while in vegas, robert was kind enough to take a picture of reebok's booth at project, where they had a trade show display which featured the lime green zub zenh 38. Be sure to order yours here!

also, don't forget to vote for nooka at pulchra. the voting process may seem a bit tedious, but it is actually really simple. simply drag nooka to the number 1 spot, if that's your choice of course and choose the other 9 objects until you have completed your list. In order for your vote to be valid, you will need to complete the details form. remember you can only vote ONCE PER DAY, so make sure to log on the next day and do it all over again. link is here!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter.

nooka needs your input

2010-02-24T21:28:00.002-05:00

Hello Fan of Nooka—

We're taking a closer look at our website and we need your help. We're curious to hear what you like and dislike about the current design. Are there things you wish we had on the site but don't? Is it easy to find or buy stuff as it currently is, or are there times when you wish the layout of the site was different?

We're interested to know why you're coming to the site. For example are you only visiting to buy something, or maybe to see what's new. We have an idea why some people come to the site but any stories about why you come to the site will help us make a better experience for people that visit.

We're in the beginning process of collecting feedback as we consider options for the site as it evolves. Please feel free to email us at redesign[at]nooka.com or leave a comment below.

groovy nooz

2010-02-24T16:48:00.004-05:00

well, today is my birthday. i started it by going to the gym, something i've been very lax with the past 2+ years! got to the office, wrote a bitchy blog post [seen below], had chinese take out with my team [we did a fancy b-day lunch for me yesterday as alex is off to thailand for vacation today, and he wanted to be a part of it], and then caught up with the nitty gritty of holding a design biz together.

i am actually writing this blog to let you know about our fire engine red nooka strip [belt]. i know i designed it and it may seem that i'm supposed to say this, but seriously, i LOVE this product. here it is on our e-store but the photo is a bit more electric than the reality – it's really fire engine red. goes great with my sounds good neon yellow hoodie [thanks yu in tokyo for the hoodie!] and zem watch.

i'm also wearing one of my favorite t-shirts from graniph in this foto which leads to a really exciting upcoming news bite – yours truly, matthew waldman, will be a featured designer for an upcoming t-shirt promotion! more on that soon...

one show updates?

2010-02-24T12:30:00.009-05:00

i feel i have to blog about something that has been quite troublesome the past few weeks – students publishing their submissions for the nooka X one show competition.

from my few discussions via email and twitter, it seems that some students felt that they could publish on their own after they submitted. do students not read rules, terms and conditions? it clearly states in the forms:

"Submissions may not be published without the prior written consent of Nooka, provided that, entrant shall have the right to include the submission in his or her portfolio following the official announcement of the Competition winners by One Show."

it's frustrating that i have to explain this, but i do realize that the students do not have real world client experience. to them, please ask yourself: would an ad agency publish a client advertisement with out their input? would they publish work created for a client without getting paid? only the client can give feedback on their core values and whether or not the work produced reflects them.

publishing the work outside of the context of the one show competition shows a complete disregard for normal design process and the client, which in this case, is nooka. it's a competition, and the rules and regulations of competitions are specially crafted to protect the client and the applicants.

a few more questions for the students:

publishing the work outside the context of the one show creates confusion for my customers. is "confusion" a core value you want to promote as your special skill when you're looking for a job?

this is not to say that a lot of the work i'm seeing isn't good, but is it not the job of the fine judges the one club has gone through much expense to assemble to decide? how do you think your work will be viewed for originality if they saw it before the judging?

i hate to sound like a curmudgeon, but this is simply an issue of context and a key point of design that can not be ignored. publishing out of the context of the one club runs the risk of the submission being disqualified. publishing any work using another person or company's trademark opens you up to even greater problems.

so if you're happy to bypass the one club, that's cool, but you must add this to your work and to all the people/sites posting:

"Nooka" is a registered trademark of Nooka Inc. (all rights reserved) and may not be used without its express written permission. Nooka Inc. has not reviewed and does not endorse any products, concepts or viewpoints expressed on this website, and no business relationship with Nooka Inc. is implied through any use of its trademark.

here is a link to a student project published the correct way, and yes, it won awards!

nookafesto

2010-02-16T15:40:00.007-05:00

ok, here it is, the nookafesto, core values for the nooka brand that i have been working on. i'm not 100% happy that it's complete, but then again, when am i ever 100% happy with anything? i'd be more than happy to entertain comments and suggestions to make it 100% ! that writ, it is a great little piece of copywriting and a wonderful tool for me and my design/marketing staff to check back on, to keep the brand moving forward in a cohesive fashion. for that, i think i can pat myself on the back.

Nooka speaks of a world of the tomorrow that is happening right now. It seems gloriously unattainable but is here in the palm of our hands. It is optimism, it is progress, and it is our future.

Core Beliefs
Universal Communication
Nooka believes in the power of universal languages like those used in math, science and commerce to increase understanding and enable diverse groups of people to work together. The universal visual language of Nooka creates a communication tool for all, promoting the exchange of ideas across the globe through great design.

Passion
Nooka believes that constant advances in technology and cultural change necessitate originality in design. Our lust for innovation through technoculture and our childlike belief that anything is possible drive us to constantly strive for the perfect design.

Interaction
The alternative approach to everyday objects in Nooka’s designs triggers thoughts of new possibilities and examination of our surroundings. Nooka products change the brain state of anyone they touch.

Purpose
Every Nooka object is designed with intention. It has the power of clarity, the power to reach the heart of everyone who interacts with it. Nooka is committed to the belief that anything is possible. It is only through a truly open mind that we may face the challenges ahead of us.

Inspiration
Nooka sees the whole world as inspiration; it absorbs energy from it and creates new forms.

Futurism
Nooka changes how we experience technology by placing it in new contexts. The futurist believes that this process always results in progress. Nooka is a futurist brand.

Nooka® - mindstyle™

it's fashion week again

2010-02-13T17:21:00.004-05:00

it's fashion week again though i haven't gotten invited to many shows this season. i did go to the lacoste show this morning at the tents in bryant park. it was very interesting [or should i say perplexing] and i am curious to see how many new stores they pick up for this collection as i can't see it in many sportswear doors that already carry the brand. it was both men's and women's with the men's being a bit too on the conservative side for my tastes, though there were a pair of grey pants that look like they double easily as sweat pants for the gym – something i've been looking for!

last week i was the subject of a photoshoot for an upcoming issue of YRB magazine. the photographer is esteban aladro, and he was really laid-back and fun. the photo above is from the shoot and is only one of many cut that i liked. check out his online portfolio here. also, don't forget to look for me in the page on me in YRB magazine!

also, a bit hard to spot, but there is a bright green nooka zub 38 in this sunday's new york time's STYLES magazine.

press: marie claire

2010-02-05T16:51:00.001-05:00

text by michael a. traverzo
in the newest issue of marie claire, it appears as though camouflage is the new "in". be sure to draw atten-tion to your latest outfit with the nooka zenh camo that can be purchased here!

In response to the tragic events in Haiti, Nooka Inc. will donate 10% of all online purchases* between January 21st and February 21st to Architecture for Humanity. Although food aid is important, it is a temporary solution. A better Haiti must be structurally prepared to weather another earthquake or hurricane.

2010-02-04T13:18:00.002-05:00

update via photo of my desk today: promo CDs from our friends at mute records, my newest gommi arcade t-shirt, my signed miss november from the show at rotofugi in chicago, and last week's edition of the economist.

zub zirc

2010-02-02T14:59:00.012-05:00

the music of the spheres, orbits, and the straight lines of the horizon – the zirc face was up until now only available as part of our high-end stainless steel line. we have adapted the zirc face to the popular polyurethane zub body while introducing some great new colors evoking the sky, leaves and fruits of equatorial jungles.

the zirc is also the interface variation i designed as "nooka training wheel" as some people are intimidated by the zen h and zen v faces. the dots of the zirc occupy familiar points in space referencing an analog watch dial, while the minute bar is pure nooka.

i'd say the original zirc night version [all black] is a versatile elegant piece of jewelery and the new zub iteration is for sweaty raves or licking fruit juice off of people's bodies – so obviously you need both! get yours here! they ship february 10th [or slightly sooner]. the zirc nt is available here.

In response to the tragic events in Haiti, Nooka Inc. will donate 10% of all online purchases* between January 21st and February 21st to Architecture for Humanity. Although food aid is important, it is a temporary solution. A better Haiti must be structurally prepared to weather another earthquake or hurricane.

Architecture for Humanity is a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999. They are building a more sustainable future through the power of professional design. Recently, Architecture for Humanity launched a fund-raising appeal to support long term reconstruction efforts in Haiti. learn more about them or make a direct donation here.

nygif: javits center

2010-02-01T10:31:00.011-05:00

twice a year, an astounding array of the world's best home, gift and lifestyle resources converge at the nygif in the javits center. this year, nooka, is showcasing their noo spring/ summer line featuring exciting new color ways of the ao and strip as well as an introduction to the new zub zirc line. the nygif runs until february 4th, so if you're in town, be sure to stop by booth #4067. note, this is not a consumer show, no individual sales are permitted, just wholesale orders. it is a great opportunity for product design students to meet industry people and do market research though.

also, don't forget, starting february 16th, nooka will be showcasing their new products at the project, in las vegas!

In response to the tragic events in Haiti, Nooka Inc. will donate 10% of all online purchases* between January 21st and February 21st to Architecture for Humanity. Although food aid is important, it is a temporary solution. A better Haiti must be structurally prepared to weather another earthquake or hurricane.

Architecture for Humanity is a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999. They are building a more sustainable future through the power of professional design. Recently, Architecture for Humanity launched a fund-raising appeal to support long term reconstruction efforts in Haiti. learn more about them or make a direct donation here.

nooka lab studio visit: ryan brett grant

2010-01-29T14:15:00.005-05:00

ryan grant of the green bay packers stopped by the nooka lab this afternoon and left with a grey nooka strip [belt] and a gorgeous black zem with metal bracelet. ryan's a real nice guy! his profile on nfl.com here. i kinda like the candid shot i got in my camera. will post some of him rocking our wares when his agent send them our way. i'd love to write that we chatted about the superbowl, but i'd sound like an idiot if i tried to make-believe i know anything about football.

also, let's not forget about rebuilding haiti! In response to the tragic events in Haiti, Nooka Inc. will donate 10% of all online purchases* between January 21st and February 21st to Architecture for Humanity. Although food aid is important, it is a temporary solution. A better Haiti must be structurally prepared to weather another earthquake or hurricane.

Architecture for Humanity is a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999. They are building a more sustainable future through the power of professional design. Recently, Architecture for Humanity launched a fund-raising appeal to support long term reconstruction efforts in Haiti. learn more about them or make a direct donation here.

a better haiti through better design

2010-01-21T13:26:00.004-05:00

In response to the tragic events in Haiti, Nooka Inc. will donate 10% of all online purchases* between January 21st and February 21st to Architecture for Humanity. Although food aid is important, it is a temporary solution. A better Haiti must be structurally prepared to weather another earthquake or hurricane.

Architecture for Humanity is a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999. They are building a more sustainable future through the power of professional design. Recently, Architecture for Humanity launched a fund-raising appeal to support long term reconstruction efforts in Haiti. learn more about them or make a direct donation here.

buy your nooka products here.

*on www.nooka.com/buy shipping charges are not part of the calculation.
architecture for humanity is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization.

excited to the point of insomnia

2010-01-15T18:21:00.007-05:00

i am in kick-start mode this week! i have kick started myself to finally finish a few blue-sky projects, one being an expansion on the concept that launched nooka – exploring the linguistics/nomenclature for expressing math. this is something a bit above my head in terms of trying to explain the application of the resulting system i've come up with, but i've never let my own mental limitations get in the way of inspired design! please contact me if you are a mathematician/physicist out there reading this who have an interest in test-driving my new number system [i have dozenal/base-12 ready to go!]. the great halo-effect of being obsessed once again is it helps kick-start and inspire my staff to put energy into new products and blue sky projects for the nooka lab. i'm not ready to leak any of those projects just yet, but i'm excited to the point of insomnia this whole week just thinking of all the things i need to design to show the potential for nooka applied to new product lines and concepts. it will all come together as a kick-ass presentation i'm planning for the end of the month as well as to solidify a framework for the nooka first 5/10 year book i want to produce.

now without straying from the subject, i found this great site this week: kickstarter! such a well executed concept for entrepreneur micro-finance!

now the plug: the mini nookanookas are now available on kidrobot! the matthew waldman edition, fuzzy like me, available here. mad toy, shin tanaka and i love dust versions also available here.

nooka x gommi arcade

2010-01-07T17:31:00.009-05:00

gommi arcade, the japanese anime-inspired lifestyle brand, is the latest to collaborate with nooka bringing you the limited edition, 'future-shock' zub timepiece. this unique piece is a twist on the time manipulation device worn by gommi in the 'future-shock' comic/manga, which is written by zak hoke for gommi arcade, inc.

the watch will feature signature 'gommi marvel' artwork and a blue zot face with a white polyurethane band.

the watch will be limited to 800 pieces and release this march, so be sure to be on the look out!

also, don't forget to vote for nooka at pulchra. the voting process may seem a bit tedious, but it is actually really simple. simply drag nooka to the number 1 spot, if that's your choice of course and choose the other 9 objects until you have completed your list. In order for your vote to be valid, you will need to complete the details form. remember you can only vote ONCE PER DAY, so make sure to log on the next day and do it all over again. link is here!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter.

w hotels exclusive for 2009

2010-01-04T19:24:00.003-05:00

nooka has designed three new pieces being sold exclusively at the luxury boutique hotel, the w hotel for 2009 as part of their global glam collection! each watch was inspired by three of their global destinations: south beach, istanbul, and new york. all three models are limited to 500 pieces each and will be added to nooka’s spring 2010 collection, sold at the W and www.nooka.com/buy.

be sure to listen to young money's bedrock, as drake references the w hotel as well!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter!

new years wish list and some predictions

2010-01-04T17:31:00.007-05:00

first, HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone. i started the new year in a new apartment and with a huge party, and i plan on carrying that energy forward into this new and exciting decade.

nooka: i am always asked "what new for nooka next year?" but am constrained by the PR calender of my public relations people. what i can say is that 2010 is the year we re-launch the fragrance as production problems last year pretty much rendered the 2009 effort as money i could've easily flushed down the toilet! nooka fragrance got 4 stars from chandler burr of the new york times and i'm looking forward to seeing it in some great stores this year [bergdorf, barney's and nieman marcus – are you listening?]. that writ, we will have some exciting new additions to our nooka strip line [belts] and the AO wallet series. i think it's safe to leak that we will be producing a fairly innovative iphone cover. a totally new line of accessories will also launch 2010, but i'll keep that secret for now.

non-nooka predictions:
even without the release of the apple iSlate, i predict the death of the e-reader as a product category in 2012. this is solely based on my own experience. aside from battery usage issues [on the iphone], i haven't picked up my kindle since using the kindle app on my iphone. i believe the tablet computer apple releases will be the death knell of the current e-readers like the kindle and the nook – people will pay more for more features than they need. in the 1990s everyone was taking about convergent devices, and the iphone finally delivered. now let's see what's next!

i predict that google will eventually roll-out an advertising supported cell phone by 2012 and it's own network supported communication system by 2013. this will include a free global wifi system sending shutters throughout the telecommunications world. i myself will be dumping all of my telcomm stocks this year – their business models are more than overdue for a true free-market challenge. back to the nooka theme of universal communication, let's please have a global system already!

aaargh cables! this is more a wish than a prediction, but please, when will ALL electronic devices automatically communicate with each other the same way you link the iphone as a remote to your computer? there is nothing less attractive than the tangle of cables behind computers and TVs! the technology is there, someone suggest a universal standard and make it happen. one should never have to have the following conversation again: "honey, i need the HDMI cable, do you know where it is?" "is this it?" "no, that's DVI and only works with our old monitor, i need the one for the new one" "this one?" "no, but i do need that dvi to mini-dvi converter to connect the computer to the TV, so hold onto that til i need it"...

on air travel. i predict that airlines will still be utilizing mid-twentieth century technology for planes totally ignoring any innovation in airplane design that would cut down travel time. moreover, i forsee continued convoluted pricing schemes and business practices that make air travel more and more unpleasant each year. as a child, i was promised 3 hour flights between tokyo and NYC by the year 1985! since that is obviously not going to happen anytime soon, add this to the wish list: make an airline with all business class style seats and service for all flights over 5 hours and blend the cost to have a fixed price of between $1500 and $4000 RT. it may take a while to get popular, but trust me, a good portion of travelers would rather take fewer flights a year in comfort than many trips in pain. people are bigger and taller than they were when the current airplane standards were devised in the 1960s and also, we travel more and farther than 30+ years ago. people enjoy low fares, but really, a $700 RT between NYC/Tokyo is equally as ridiculous as the $10,000 RT for business class. obviously one is subsidizing the other.

colors. i feel that bright fire engine red is going to become a popular color towards the end of the year.

wildcard: nina hagen will release an electronica album produced by giorgio moroder.

nooka press: female magazine

2010-01-04T15:55:00.009-05:00

text by michael a. traverzo

singapore's leading fashion and beauty magazine, female, features the nooka x spongebob collaborative watch, zub zenh 20 spongelevator! nooka is offering a holiday package that will include a spongebob dvd set with the purchase of one of the 3 limited edition spongebob watches. quantities are limited, so be sure to pick yours up now!

order online here!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter.

nooka press: time out new york

2009-12-30T18:06:00.008-05:00

text by michael a. traverzo

as the noo year slowly creeps upon us, resolutions will be made. so, why not do it in style ( work out that is, since most of the resolutions will be to "hit the gym")? in the noo time out new york, the hyperspace zenh is featured as one of the best fitness watches. go from the gym to the streets with this fashionable timepiece! here at nooka, we like to stay optimistic, so even if your not loyal to your resolution, you'll still be in style!

purchase your hyperspace zenh here!

also, don't forget to vote for nooka at pulchra. the voting process may seem a bit tedious, but it is actually really simple. simply drag nooka to the number 1 spot, if that's your choice of course and choose the other 9 objects until you have completed your list. In order for your vote to be valid, you will need to complete the details form. remember you can only vote ONCE PER DAY, so make sure to log on the next day and do it all over again. link is here!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter.

zirca x nooka

2009-12-30T16:26:00.003-05:00

if your in singapore, end the year in style at zirca club! zirca x nooka present eden- the rebirth of music.

stand a chance to win an exclusive nooka by simply answering the question: what is the theme of the zirca nye party?

send your reply to: info@zirca.sg with your name, ic and contact number by 30 Dec 2009, 5pm

year-end entrepreneur notes and rants

2009-12-29T17:32:00.013-05:00

it's been a long time since i've written a rant or business related post, so what better time than the last week of the year [i know from the emails and comments i get from the blog that many young entrepreneurs read/check in here for the evolving nooka story, and the past few months have read more like a press section than a real blog].

this year has been a very challenging one economically, though i must say, an exciting one for me and nooka. this of course is not "news" to anyone running a business and even more so to people who have found it difficult to find employment the past year. one thing that is different this recession, is the mood. i just don't feel the doom-and-gloom i felt when the economy tanked after george w stole the election in 2001, but then again, that was such a precipitous drop here in NYC with the addition of september 11th, i had to lay-off all my staff and take a job as creative director of a larger company [if i really go on rant mode, i'd write a lot more on how ridiculously structured SBA disaster loans were at that time to benefit only larger companies as they were for the most part based on the number of employees a company had at the time of application – isn't the "SB" in "SBA" supposed to mean "Small Business"?]. i must add though that the SBA [Small Business Administration] has failed the US economy this year even more and i totally encourage everyone and anyone with a business to blog their experience and more importantly send a letter to your congress people and senators to let them know how unacceptable it is to fund such a vast government agency with our tax money that has not one mechanism in place to ensure that their policies and programs are being followed or even made available in every locale where there is need – the SBA has no transparency whatsoever, they will not even give the guidelines that banks must follow to the small businesses being turned down for the loans to check against. they do not even have a person handling complaints. i was simply told to apply to different banks until i find one that would make the SBA money available! obviously, the SBA personnel have never filled out a business loan application before! after going through the process 2 times, i gave up and figured out another way to get through the rough spots presented to us this year. frustrating, yes, but i turned all that energy into being more creative and engaged in growing my business and cultivating my brand.

and it's not only small businesses. yohji yamamoto of japan, escada of germany and even christian lacroix have all filed for bankruptcy protection this year! they of course are large companies with a huge value in their respective brand equities and i'm sure they will restructure and still be on the shelves in 2010 and beyond. it is small companies like nooka that need to be very creative and careful in years like these.

luckily this recession, i have not had to lay off any of our staff [though christmas bonuses will hardly qualify as a down-payment on a house or car]. to be honest, even with the few scattered problems of financing and stores going under, we're coming out of 2009 ahead! 2010 will be our 5th anniversary as 'nooka inc.' and i am very happy to enter this milestone with added vigor and determination to build a mindstyle brand bringing optimism for the future via design!

so for that, i really want to thank all the amazing partners i've worked with this year: our amazing PR staff at raw information group, all of the fabulous magazines who showed us love and support in print and online, BLOGGERS [you know who you are], purpose built for our fragrance launch, all our manufacturing partners, our wonderful distributors in foreign lands, our north american sales staff, our legal team, all the celebs, sports personalities, designers and musicians like lil wayne, semi precious weapons, michna, kate simko etc, who embrace nooka without any prodding from us [well, maybe a little], the one club for choosing us as their corporate design project, redbull, kidrobot, the KDU, – and most importantly – the fans of our designs who keep buying what we make! i also want to thank my staff and wonderful crop of interns we had from sweden and spain [we are currently looking for an adobe indesign wiz intern!].

so what words of wisdom can i offer up for other young businesses?
banks suck. none of the major banks that took government bailout money have made any overtures to make credit available to small businesses. moreover, they are returning the money so they can be free from any pressure to do anything that may benefit society and the small business community. it's an unfortunate reality that you have to even use them. but since you do need a bank, i can only recommend sovereign. i really like HSBC for my personal banking especially since i travel so much all over the world [there is an HSBC ATM EVERWHERE i travel to with the glaring exception of japan (japan is infamous for having a closed market to foreign banks)], they totally failed at being a good bank for business. they have high turnover of dedicated bankers and no mechanism in place to notify customers of personnel changes – they don't even bounce back emails when the person has left the company with an automated response! they lost loan applications on numerous occasions and seem to show no interest whatsoever in making their small business customer feel valued. we spent most of 2009 meeting with the small business agents for every bank you can name in NYC to find someone we would feel is actually interested in our business and the winner was sovereign! really amazing people who took the time to google search nooka and matthew waldman, visit our office, and make every process easy for us.

network your successes and your challenges. don't keep your problems to yourself. you share your successes on your blog and twitter feed right? so why hold back on your difficulties? there will be someone out there in your network with some helpful advice or an introduction to expand your network. remember, you're not complaining if you create a narrative about your challenges. in this way, you'll find more motivation for yourself and staff as well as the added value of engaging other people to help you further your goals.

as cliche as it sounds, read the business press. magazines like fortune, Inc., and fast company have good information in them for small businesses. read anything by malcom gladwell, especially what the dog saw. i found the insights and fresh views on statistical information help train my brain to continue to look past the emotional content we are continually fed as truth. there is beauty and clarity in logic too! the freakonomics sections of the nyt.com is also an amazing source of exercise for the brain.

be an optimist! embrace technology and new materials! follow your gut! be analytical! support universal standards! do not live in a city or a country – live on a planet – it is the only way towards a better future for all!

i think this is enough for now. what do you think?

nooka sighting: lil wayne

2009-12-28T15:49:00.012-05:00

text by michael a. traverzo

american grammy winner, lil wayne has been an avid nooka supporter for quite some time now. here is an old video, the carter documentary part 7/8, featuring lil wayne rocking a sky blue zenh zub 20. The watch makes an appearance from the 8:40" on.

lately a lot of media attention has surfaced regarding lil wayne and his jail sentence... the nooka family would like to take a minute to offer him the best of luck! we are eagerly awaiting the release of wayne's highly anticipated album "rebirth" (rock album debut) and we look forward to witnessing more of his artistic creativity that we only expect to get better with age and experience.

nooka is available at fine stores around the world and online here!

nooka press: yrb magazine

2009-12-28T15:20:00.002-05:00

text by michael a. traverzo
the nooka fragrance is featured in the latest issue of yrb magazine with chris brown on the cover!

be sure to pick up your nooka fragrance here!

also, don't forget to vote for nooka at pulchra. the voting process may seem a bit tedious, but it is actually really simple. simply drag nooka to the number 1 spot, if that's your choice of course and choose the other 9 objects until you have completed your list. In order for your vote to be valid, you will need to complete the details form. remember you can only vote ONCE PER DAY, so make sure to log on the next day and do it all over again. link is here!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter.

nooka press: japan, real design issue 1

2009-12-21T18:36:00.007-05:00

here is great coverage from an interview i did in september/october in tokyo. this issue of real design for january 2010 not only has a full page on the AO, 2 pages on my design approach/philosophy, but also has a feature on the head of of japan operations, mr. yu yamada – almost a nooka issue! the headline on my interview translates as "looking to speed everyday objects to the future". i am also very flattered that i am included in a japan design feature [treated as a local designer, and not a foreigner. i was told this is because the interview was conducted in japanese + nooka has a tokyo office]. thanks to everyone in japan who took the time to make this happen [they actually had to redo the photoshoot as a hard-drive failed after the first one at the nookanooka gallery event we had in september!]. so, if you're in japan, make sure you pick up a copy of this magazine – the other articles are really good too.

purchase your nooka ao here!

nooka japan is www.nooka.jp

also, my latest article for openers.jp can be seen here. it's a japanese version of my 2009 year in shoes.

i love these

2009-12-21T16:16:00.004-05:00

i just got these from dustin canalin of UNDRCRWN. he designed them for rockport. the details are really, dare i write, cute! thanks dustin! learn more about the collab here.

sight unseen launch party

2009-12-18T10:28:00.001-05:00

text by michael a. traverzo

come down friday, december 18th 6:30pm- 9pm to the ramiken crucible gallery on 221 east broadway at clinton to check out psychic neighbors, an exhibition with work by beck and joe brittain. at 8pm, 2 nooka zen h watches and 2 areaware numbers clocks will be given away.

special guest djs: jr spiegel and jamie wahba

be sure to rsvp at hello@sightunseen.com and visit the the sightunseen website here!

also, don't forget to vote for nooka at pulchra. the voting process may seem a bit tedious, but it is actually really simple. simply drag nooka to the number 1 spot, if that's your choice of course and choose the other 9 objects until you have completed your list. In order for your vote to be valid, you will need to complete the details form. remember you can only vote ONCE PER DAY, so make sure to log on the next day and do it all over again. link is here!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter.

nooka x spongebob holiday exclusive

2009-12-15T19:30:00.001-05:00

beginning december 16th, nooka is offering an exciting holiday package exclusive from the nooka online store. all purchases of one of the 3 limited edition nooka x spongebob watches will include a spongebob squarepants dvd set. quantities are limited to only 50 of the holiday packages so be sure to pick yours up here now!

also, don't forget to vote for nooka at pulchra. the voting process may seem a bit tedious, but it is actually really simple. simply drag nooka to the number 1 spot, if that's your choice of course and choose the other 9 objects until you have completed your list. In order for your vote to be valid, you will need to complete the details form. remember you can only vote ONCE PER DAY, so make sure to log on the next day and do it all over again. link is here!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter.

my new board

2009-12-15T16:19:00.005-05:00

thanks to buddy carr and the fabulous design of antonio carusone. here's the link. it's really too nice for me to use, but it doesn't make sense to let it gather dust...oh the daily dilemmas of a designer!

designnet korea

2009-12-14T15:44:00.003-05:00

this is from the november 2009 issue of designnet magazine in korea. very cheesy photo of me. sorry, hangul only.

nooka sighting: michael lau

2009-12-11T17:14:00.002-05:00

i've been a big fan of michael lau since i first bought the complete tom kid collection many years ago! he's having a big show in kuala lampur at H-5, and their new gallery space called ZINC. if you're in or near malaysia, check it out. i think this link on hypebeast is the best place to learn about michael lau's work. the nooka zen-h looks great on him huh? get yours here.

2009 nooka music reviews

2009-12-11T17:08:00.000-05:00

my obsession for noo things is best satiated with noo music and 2009 was no exception – i bought a LOT of new music to keep the nooka lab awash in sound! there is something for everyone in this list with the exception of country western, jazz and hip hop [we all love lil wayne here in the nooka lab, but there are other people far more articulate in hip hop than myself to write about what he’s been up to this past year]. the big change from the past 2 years of reviews: no bands from sweden or australia on the list. so here it goes, not in order of preference as i love everything on the list for different listening environments/mood.

Seek Magic by Memory Tapes
Memory Tapes is a recording alias of New Jersey-based Dayve Hawk, formerly of Hail Social. seek magic runs the gamut from ambient electronica to some tracks that are pure pop with sweet male vocals. the overall feeling is laid back and dreamy – you can work out, get work done, entertain a party, have sex or soundtrack a commute with this album.

The fame monster by Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga, also known as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, is an American singer, songwriter and performance artist. I am so glad the Gaga has written some tracks to highlight her incredible voice on this new release. also, she cites freddy mercury as an inspiration for her music but this was not apparent until the fame monster. the production is nothing less than what you would expect from this young yet seasoned music industry expert.

See Mystery Lights by YACHT
YACHT is one of the many creative alter egos of Jona Bechtolt, a musician and multimedia artist who embraces an eclectic but playful blend of electronics, acoustic percussion, and noises of all sorts. Psychic city gets my vote for most infectious and i dare say, adorable song of the year. YACHT reminds me of early B-52s in terms of the sense of fun the songs create with more of a no-wave new york vibe and sound [though i don’t expect anyone to remember the bush tetras].

Psychic Chasms by Neon Indian
Neon Indian is a band from Austin, Texas and Brooklyn, New York. The duo's music is primarily composed by Alan Palomo, also known for his work with the band Ghosthustler and as the artist VEGA. The band's other member is video artist Alicia Scardetta, who provides visuals to accompany the music. I was turned on to the neon indian myspace page by reuben wu of ladytron and was very happy to see them have a proper release this year. the sound is 70s and 80s chart pop put through a few tubes and tunnels which i guess makes it fit well into the electronic brooklyn sound of the past 2 years though there is something extra that keeps me coming back to it.

Further Complication by Jarvis Cocker
Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician and former frontman for the band Pulp. Through his work with the band, Cocker became a figurehead of the Britpop movement of the mid-1990s. i know i’m the king of anti-nostalgia but this could be an early 70s david bowie album if bowie didn’t take himself so seriously. very funny lyrics on i never said i was deep. love it!

Moondagger by Deastro
Deastro, Randolph Chabot’s alter- ego, has been playing music for more than a decade and has self- released more than three albums worth of, drawing his own album covers, and playing countless live shows in Detroit’s network of DIY venues. Randolph’s passion for music is contagious – you can hear it in the production of his carefully crafted pop tunes, and you can experience it live when he plays wearing googly-eye slinky gag glasses. the one word i would use is ebullient – seriously, look it up – it’s a great word.

Illuminations EP by Little Boots
Victoria Christina Hesketh , also known by her stage name/pseudonym Little Boots, is an English electropop musician. As a musician, Little Boots sings and plays the keyboard, piano, Stylophone and a Japanese electronic instrument, called Tenori-on. And there’s a freddy mercury theme here! Little Boots covers Love Kills by Freddy on her EP of fun electro pop! She is also a pleasure to watch live, she plays everything herself!

Music from the Atom Smashers by Kate Simko
Kate Simko is an American electronic music producer from Chicago, IL. Reflecting from her diverse background, Kate's music crosses genre borders, blending rich textures and intricate programming with funky synth lines, thumping bass and groove. 137 Films’ science documentary The Atom Smashers follows physicists at Fermilab – the most powerful particle accelerator in the United States – in their tumultuous search for the Higgs Boson particle, otherwise referred to as the “God Particle” and “The Holy Grail of Physics.” kate’s soundtrack is brilliant! perfect for a long drive or a plane flight, as well as tracks that can be the soundtrack for hip intelligencia everywhere. like i always say: the future is fuckin’ sexy.

Ay Ay Ay by Matias Aguayo
Matias Aguayo lives between Buenos Aires and Paris, djing, making music, performing concerts alone and together with Marcus Rossknecht with their project “BROKE!”. ay ay ay is more of a performance piece than an exercise in pop. when i listen to this album i imagine a march of unidentified jungle and forest creatures – heavy as elephants yet thin as a mantis.

Hollow Me by Yura Yura Teikoku
Yura Yura Teikoku is a 3-piece band from Tokyo's underground music scene centered around Kōenji. They have an eclectic sound usually described as psychedelic pop-punk. gosh, it’s almost prog rock on some tracks and a bit no wave on others. the simplicity of the line up, guitar, drum and bass, with very little post production compared to other albums on this list make it surprisingly refreshing, earnest and psychedelic. i should add that the band name translate to ‘the swaying empire’ in english.

Temporary Pleasure by Simian Mobile DIsco
Simian Mobile Disco is an English production and remix team. Formed from the ashes of Simian in 2005 its members are James Ford and Jas Shaw. this is my long-haul bicycle ride music and it would be my work out album of 2009 if i actually went to a gym. well produced club music – some house-y, some techno-esque. the real value-add is the variety of vocalist from track to track meaning i didn’t have to buy any other club music other than this for 2009!

other fun releases:
Big Fun by Towa Tei
towa tei was a founding member of NYC’s deee-lite who has since had a very prolific solo career. i think big fun is one of best albums to date with collaborations with greats like miho hatori on 2 tracks for all of you hungry for something new from this former cibbo matto member!

Alice EP by Immi (the link is actually a link to one of immi's other albums, since itunes does not have the alice ep)
immi is a electronica/pop act from japan. Alice EP has showcases all her strengths and is a good intro to this japanese artist.

latecomer of note: if you like the giorgio moroder sound of the 70s, then you will love the new project from lindstrom, lindstrom & christabelle: real life is no cool – it's "i feel love" meets vanessa daou! (my fave vanessa daou album from 2001 is linked).

nooka x doraemon

2009-12-10T17:05:00.001-05:00

text by michael a. traverzo

doraemon and nooka have collaborated to bring you the japan exclusive (500 pieces) “nooka + doratch” timepiece inspired by the character. the collaboration will be sold for ¥21,120, in sync with the year that doraemon was born, 2112. the watch features the many expressions of doraemon.

doraemon, the story of a robotic cat who travels back in time to aid a schoolboy, nobita nobi and their journeys together was created by fujiko f. fujio in 1969. it is extremely popular in countries around the world, though strangely, was never released in english! [it's well-known in italy, taiwan, china, spain...]

if you're in japan you can order yours here!

the “Doratch” series is a line of time pieces created for doraemon and since its first release in 1997, it has been a phenomenal success. currently, there are more than 60 different timepieces and nooka is extremely proud and privileged to be part of their 40th anniversary.

nooka watches are available here!

also, don't forget to vote for nooka at pulchra. the voting process may seem a bit tedious, but it is actually really simple. simply drag nooka to the number 1 spot, if that's your choice of course and choose the other 9 objects until you have completed your list. In order for your vote to be valid, you will need to complete the details form. remember you can only vote ONCE PER DAY, so make sure to log on the next day and do it all over again. link is here!

follow nooka on facebook and twitter.

hypebeast x spongebob x nooka watch contest

2009-12-10T11:32:00.010-05:00

hypebeast is currently holding a contest with nooka and giving away a total of four spongeBob x nooka watches. the contest will take place over both facebook and twitter with two watches being given away over each platform.

prizes:
* facebook: zot aluminium spongebamo / zub zenh 20 spongelevator
* twitter: zenv aluminum spongenvader / zub zenh 20 spongelevator
* unfortunately if you are a winning entry, you cannot choose which watch to receive.

how to enter:
* facebook: to enter, simply add nooka as a facebook fan and comment below on the following question "what is your favorite nooka watch in their whole collection and why?"
* twitter: to enter, follow nooka on twitter and tweet the following: RT Follow @Hypebeast/@Nooka to win a FREE SpongeBob x Nooka Watch (http://twitpic.com/sxc6e) Info: http://bit.ly/58PBVs #hbnookacontest

rules & details:
* contest is open to all residents around the world
* [facebook] winner must be a facebook fan of both hypebeast and nooka
* [twitter] winner must be a follower of both hypebeast and nooka
* the same person cannot win both the twitter and facebook contests. however you can enter both contests.
* only 1 entry per person in each contest.
* winning entry will be chosen from random from a group of eligible entries.
* winners will be contacted and will have 7 days to reply with their mailing information. If the relevant information is not received, a new winner will be chosen.
* winner cannot be an employee, the family member of an employee, or otherwise associated with nooka or hypebeast
* winner is responsible for any local taxes or import duties.
* prizes will be shipped out on behalf of nooka.

contest end date:
the contest will end on thursday, december 17th at 12:00 pm pst.