Jenna Lyons’ First Furniture Collection Nods to the ‘70s, and Other News

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Jenna Lyons’ First-Ever Furniture Collection Nods to the ‘70s

During her tenure as the creative director of J.Crew, Jenna Lyons transformed the popular fashion brand into a forward-thinking force that wasn’t afraid to layer unexpected flourishes like chunky necklaces and oversized blazers over its standard fare of preppy classics. And her interventions paid off. Besides being a fashion designer, Lyons has gained renown as a TV personality (HBO Max’s Stylish) and beauty entrepreneur (her lash brand Loveseen). Now, with her debut collection for the New York furniture and lighting studio Roll & Hill, she’s adding furniture designer to the mix.

Rooted in her reverence for 1970s furniture design, the eight-piece collection melds Art Deco glamour with Roll & Hill’s signature craftsmanship. “I wanted to find a way to infuse every piece with a hint of tradition and pull them forward with a sense of simplicity and contrast,” says Lyons, who selected materials like oiled woods, natural stone, unlacquered brass that “are designed to live and breathe and age.” References to traditional design abound: a dining chair nods to the high-back Louis XIV chair with a modern approach to upholstery; a coffee table features subtle indentations and a hidden brass drink tray. Her ultimate goal, she says, is versatility. “What was important is that the pieces have enough flexibility and optionality to find their way into multiple style perspectives.”

Houston’s Orange Show Center for Visionary Art unveils an expansion by Rogers Partners.

Following pandemic-induced delays, one of the country’s largest organizations dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of visionary art environments has unveiled an expansion in Houston. Designed by the firm Rogers Partners, an adjacent industrial facility will be transformed into a new flexible event and exhibition space that will host rotating shows and a collection of Art Cars.  

The disgraced art dealer Inigo Philbrick pleads guilty to wire fraud and duping his clients. 

Once a fixture in the market for postwar and contemporary art, the 34-year-old now faces up to a 20-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to wire fraud. The complaint against Philbrick alleges that he misled collectors while furnishing “fake and fraudulent sale and consignment contracts in order to artificially inflate the value of artworks and to conceal the discovery of his scheme.” As part of his plea, Philbrick will forfeit up to $86 million and all interest in two major paintings. 

Adidas is entering the metaverse with mysterious digital assets that may soon hold value.

Adidas has released its first digital collectible, a POAP NFT (Proof of Attendance Protocol) that isn’t actually an Adidas NFT or a coin. Users of the brand’s Adidas CONFIRMED app, a platform for exclusive drops, were sent to the POAP website to add the item to their Ethereum (ETH) wallets. In a message posted on Twitter, Adidas hinted that the digital asset might one day be worth something. “This digital collectible is our way of rewarding you for following your curiosity. This token proves you were here from the beginning of this journey. Keep it safe—it may come in handy.”

After some hesitation, Pace Gallery launches its new NFT platform Pace Verso this week.

Out of all the blue-chip galleries, Pace has embraced NFTs the most fervently. Its president and CEO, Marc Glimcher, announced plans to launch a new NFT platform over the summer, but delayed the rollout due to ethical questions about whether technology is “turning our artists into the creators of financial instruments.” Seemingly unmoved, the gallery is now launching Pace Verso today with a suite of digital works by Lucas Samaras; new projects by Glenn Kaino and DRIFT’s Ralph Nauta and Lonneke Gordijn will follow. “Artists are not transformed by technological advances,” Glimcher says. “They transform technological advances into art.” 

Apple is pursuing autonomous capabilities for a new in-development electric vehicle.

Apple is refocusing the development of its electric car to include full self-driving capabilities. Apple Watch executive Kevin Lynch is spearheading the effort with a target launch of 2025, rumored to be a faster timeline than Tesla’s autonomous ambitions. Alphabet Waymo, on the other hand, has experienced several departures recently; this past year, Uber sold its autonomous driving division.

CNN’s transportation editor test-drove Tesla’s autonomous vehicle with mixed results. 

In a new video, CNN’s transportation editor Michael Ballaban got behind the wheel of an autonomous Tesla in order to test out the company’s “full self-driving” technology in Brooklyn. The resulting four-minute video shows Ballaban intervening to prevent the Tesla from slamming head-on into an incoming UPS truck and barely avoiding several other accidents. “We’re not trying to have a laugh at Elon Musk’s expense,” Ballaban says in the video. “That’s not the point. We’re really just trying to see how it handles driving in the city. “So far… it’s going okay.” 

Today’s attractive distractions:

These images by David Altrath shine a new light on Arne Jacobsen’s 1930s gas station.

MVDRV is devising a series of colorful, letter-shaped buildings in Mannheim, Germany.

Michael Pinsky installs “pollution pods” that replicate different effects of climate change.

These handy machines by SOS dispense free tampons using foolproof touchscreens.