As previously mentioned, Yves Saint-Laurent’s new global campaign, Manifesto, is well underway, to coincide with the ongoing Paris Fashion Week for Ready-To Wear. Under the creative direction of Stefano Pilati, the massive campaign, which features Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin’s photographs of supermodel Kate Moss in YSL Spring/Summer 08 collection, consist of 1 million printed matters and a traveling pop-up gallery with the same photos in life-size.

One of the first stop for the temporary gallery was New York City, which saw it set up shop on the busy street corner of Houston and Lafayette in the neighborhood of SoHo. An odd twist of irony since it was directly under a large billboard of actress Kate Bosworth for Calvin Klein Jeans. It was in another Calvin Klein campaign, from a different era, which propelled Moss’ modeling career into supermodel status.

The gallery consisted of 4 X-shaped, large pane glass, held up by what seemed to be commercial door frames. Photos of Moss were then enlarged and adhered to both side of the glass. In total, 32 photos were on display. In the meantime, campaign staff hurriedly handed out the YSL Manifesto printed matters. At the nightfall, the temperature became a frigid 18°F. The campaign staff braved on with the flyer distribution while the support team set up LED lamps to brighten the display units. Since the gallery was meant to be on display for a day, the gallery was dismantled as fast as it was assembled. All signs of the gallery were gone by midnight as the troupe headed out to their next destination. Look for its arrival in London, Milan, Tokyo, and Hong Kong on a later date.

» Yves Saint-Laurent

© Nigel Young/Foster + Partners

Currently the world’s largest airport structure, the newest addition to Beijing International Airport is a technical and architectural marvel. Officially named BCIA Terminal 3, its first opening phase took place on the 29th of February. The new building will open, in entirety, on the 26th of this month. The project, from design, construction, to the hand-over, was done in an unprecedented 4 year period only. Headed by Foster + Partners, the design team took everything into consideration - cultural theme, visitor experience, efficiency in operation, environmental friendly and sustainability issues. Comprised a total of 1.3 million square metres floor space, the mammoth scale permits future scalability. Meanwhile, its extensive design process will minimized time between flight transfers. An advance inter-terminal transit system allows a 2-minute commute from the new terminal to the old Terminal 1.The new terminal is divided into 3 concourses, T3-C,D, and E. Each concourse is interconnected via underground passages to maximize jetliners’ intra-aitport maneuverability. A full integration with public transportation ensure quick turnover time for arrivals and departures.

Immersed in cultural references, the new building’s outline appears to be that of a dragon from the aerial vantage point. Curved canopy and thick columns mimic ancient imperial palaces and temples dotted across China. Interior colors change in gradients from red to yellow, 2 prominent colors in Chinese culture. Large skylights, with south-east orientation, permit heat gain from morning sunlight, in term reduce energy usage. Other passive environmental control system means this is one of the largest econ-friendly building in the world. Majority of building materials were selected base on local availability, along with labors and procurement. This leave a local sustainability plan in place long after the project is finish. It is estimated that by the year 2020, over 50 million visitors will pass thorough the new building annually.

» Foster + Partners
» Beijing Capital International Airport
» continuing reading on EN AVANT Features

A sister company of New York-based VFX house Psyop, Blacklist boasts a roster of talented directors, including friends of En Avant, Nanospore’s Paul Hwang & Benjamin Lee. Each directors add their unique interests and approaches in the art form of motion graphics, with notable works in television commercials, online advertisements, music videos, toy designs, even feature films.

In January, American Teen, the documentary feature worked by a number of Blacklist directors, won a series of accolades during Sundance Film Festival. The film also brought the prestigious Documentary Directing Award to director Nanette Burstein, who also directed Kid Stays in the Picture in 2002.

The collective at Blacklist continues to push the boundaries of VFX, with the humorous clips for new soft-drink from Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, and the new Microsoft Zune Arts project.

» Blacklist
» Psyop
» MassMarket

Yves Saint-Laurent, under the creative direction of Stefano Pilati, will be launching a new global marketing campaign. To be release this week in Paris, coincide with the ongoing Paris Fashion Week for Ready-To Wear, the new campaign can also be seen in other major fashion hubs of the world: London, Milan, and New York. It will then extend its distribution to Tokyo and Hong Kong later in April.

The massive campaign, second part of Pilati’s Manifesto series, featured the current “it” model, Kate Moss, adorned in YSL’s Spring/Summer 2008 collection, in decidedly subversive poses as she glanced into the YSL store front. Photographed by the team of Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, the Dutch-based fashion photographers whose works have graced fashion magazines, galleries, and museums world wide.

The Manifesto campaign will include a distribution of 1 million copies of the printed matter, a traveling exhibition of life-size photos from it, as well as a behind-the-scene video of the photoshoot, currently available for viewing at Yves Saint-Laurent’s website.

» Yves Saint-Laurent

After its Barbie-inspired cosmetic product line last year, M.A.C. (short for Make-up Art Cosmetics) collaborated with renowned French graffiti artist Fafi, in launching a new product line for Spring/Summer 2008. Taken inspirations from her friends, Fafi created 3 characters, each with distinctive personalty and backstories - Living in Tokyo, Monoka is sophisticated and thoughtful. Ermine is a Parisian transplant in New York City who loves graffiti. Originally from Tokyo, Ericko loves the excitement of Paris. Aside from the original packagings and comectic tools, such as brushes and and make-ip bags. There are also a collection of tote bag, t-shirts, scarfs, and vinyl figures. All are currently available, for a limited time only, in Colette, M.A.C. flagship and counters, as well as its online store.

» M.A.C.
» Fafi
» Colette

Do-It-Yourself Wooden Bicycle 1.0 (or in the short form DIYWBC 1.0) is the latest from Erik Björk. The Swedish designer is a member of the design collective Ny Svensk Slöjd, or translated as New Swedish Handicraft. The group made its debut in the recent Stockholm Furniture Fair and won accolades for its simple, well propositioned designs.

Created partly out of frustration from the paradox involved in industrial design, partly from his love of mountain biking and wood as a medium. The DIYWBC 1.0 is the prototype version of an ongoing open source project by Björk. With normal hand tools and lumber from any hardware store, in addition, a few recycled bike components, anyone can construct this wooden bike. “The Do It Yourself Wooden Bicycle is just about everything industrial design isn’t.” said Björk, “It is very easy to copy and reproduce”. Despite its unfinished appearance and the unorthodox mix of parts. Björk stated that the design is very sturdy and safe. More to come soon from this unique project…

» Erik Björk

» Ny Svensk Slöjd (New Swedish Handicraft)

A convenient locale amid National University and the downtown area, the project will occupy an expansive 8 hectare area with roughly 170,000 square meters of floor space, which translate to about 1,000+ apartments in various sizes. Taking cues from environmental and social factors, the apartments blocks will not be in the typical forms of isolated, vertical structures. Instead, 32 structures, each 6-stories high, will be stacked on top of each other, in a hexagon arrangement. The unique arrangement will create a “vertical village”, maximize communal spaces among each structures for social interactions between the residents. Cascading gardens and rooftop terraces will seamlessly blend the complex among surrounding green landscapes of Kent Ridge, Telok Blangah and Mount Faber Parks. The layout also create unobstructed views of the natural environment around from each apartment unit.

» OMA

» CapitaLand Residential