Sushi Hotspot Katsuya Makes a Splash in Manhattan, and Other News

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Sushi Hotspot Katsuya Makes a Splash in Manhattan

After opening in locations throughout California, LA, Miami, and the Bahamas, sushi hotspot Katsuya finally arrives in New York City, with an outpost in Midtown’s Citizens Food Hall at Manhattan West. The Rockwell Group interiors are maximalist, as one might expect from founder David Rockwell, who literally wrote the book on Drama. After entering via swoops of lacquered lintels, guests can sample Chef Katsuya Uechi’s signature crispy rice or site-specific preparations of maki and wagyu, in various rooms separated by red and vermillion portals. A communal table awaits under a calligraphic custom chandelier, as do Hollywood banquettes and private tables separated by ombre glass screens referencing shoji paper. Arrive early for a powerfully inventive cocktail or two by Yael Vengroff, spiked with aloe vera and umami bitters.

India Mahdavi debuts a home collection with her signature bold hues with H&M Home.

“Bold hues have always enraptured India Mahdavi—so much so that they have become a hallmark of the Paris-based architect and designer’s chic interiors. A new range of ceramics and textiles—a collaboration between Mahdavi and H&M Home that launches online and in select stores on April 28—is yet another exploration of her fascination with color’s mood-influencing power.” —[H/T Architectural Digest]

Norman Foster shares a manifesto outlining his plans to redevelop Kharkiv, Ukraine.

“As the Russian invasion and occupation of Ukraine grinds on, the leadership of one of the country’s most affected cities is already planning future rebuilding efforts after taking a special meeting with Norman Foster. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov met with the architect Monday to discuss his vision for rehabilitating a city that is now almost completely unrecognizable after two months of brutal shelling.” —[H/T Archinect]

Kerby Jean-Raymond drops his first-ever line of handbags and women’s footwear.

“Kerby Jean-Raymond has diversified his portfolio by venturing beyond menswear and sneakers with his first handbag collection and women’s footwear offerings via Pyer Moss. First conceptualized in 2019, the handbags represent the label’s intricate take on design and production. Offered in several colorways, the silhouettes come in unique designs, including one featuring two hands holding onto the bag and one arriving in the shape of a hand.” —[H/T HypeBae]

Police arrest Russian artist Vadim Zakharov for protesting war at the Venice Biennale. 

“The Russian artist Vadim Zakharov launched a protest at the Venice Biennale yesterday. He displayed a protest banner outside the Russian pavilion in the Giardini declaring that “the murder of women, children, [and] people of Ukraine is a disgrace to Russia”. Zakharov staged his protest outside the Russian Pavilion yesterday but was eventually removed by the Italian police.” —[H/T The Art Newspaper]

Kim Jones channels the Bloomsbury Group for his first couture collection for Fendi.

“For his first-ever couture show and debut for Fendi, Kim Jones’s jump-off for spring 2021 was the Bloomsbury Group, the unofficial gathering of forward-thinking and libertine aesthete writers, philosophers, and artists, named after their London West End neighborhood turf. Besides [Virginia] Woolf, members included the painters Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant, and Roger Fry, the writer Clive Bell, and the economist John Maynard Keynes. Jones wasn’t trying to make a heady, intellectual reach. He had been fascinated by the collective since his adolescence in Lewes, an East Sussex town where Bloomsbury’s extended auxiliary resided.” —[H/T Artnet News]

Sandy Speicher, IDEO’s embattled CEO, will be stepping down after three years.

“Sandy Speicher, Ideo’s first female CEO, is leaving the company. Ideo announced the news in a press release. Ideo—best known for popularizing the notion of “design thinking“—is one of the world’s most renowned design studios, operating nine international offices, and earning more $100 million in annual revenue. Its clients have included Apple, Coca-Cola, and Ford. Speicher has been CEO since 2019 after she took over the role from longtime CEO Tim Brown. She had been at the company since 2004, with the majority of her time spent managing education products.” —[H/T Fast Company]

Today’s attractive distractions:

Meet J.R. Harris, one of the most prolific solo hikers that you’ve never heard of.

This female skate crew pays homage to their Bolivian roots through athletic gear.

Layer debuts smart glasses for tech company Viture that streams immersive audio.

Long queues in Finland may be because its citizens have an affinity for free buckets.