Kitoko Studio | Maid's Room Renovation

While you're on the topic of cleverly designed, tiny European living spaces, Kitoko Studio's 2014 overhaul of an 86-square-foot (8-square-meter) Parisian maid's room deserves to be mentioned. 

The upper floors of the beautiful Haussman buildings usually accommodated the servants of the people living below and tended to be quite small. In the case of the private residence pictured here, the family wanted to convert the former garret to an independent living space for their au pair. The architects at Kitoko Studio were drawn to the idea of a multifunctional Swiss Army knife; thus, they constructed a large cabinet into which one can enter (for access to bed and bathroom) and from which storage and furnishings can be withdrawn. 

Click images to enlarge and/or watch the video for a more complete tour.

Off-White F/W 2015 Women's Collection

Off-White designer Virgil Abloh's third womenswear collection is entitled "Split Ends."

Images via Virgil Abloh on Instagram.

m's braque Spring/Summer 2014

Takahiro Matsushita unveiled his menswear label, m's braque, in 2002, and the Paris-based, Japanese designer has been going strong ever since. He finds and employs vintage fabrics and mixes textures, patterns, and colors beautifully and simply, as evidenced in his current collection. The photos below feature the art of Aki Kuroda. 

 

  

Kenzo F/W 2013 | "Cloudbusting"

When you saw the Kenzo Fall/Winter 2013 video, "Cloudbusting," it was a reminder of the amazing job creative directors Humberto Leon and Carol Lim have done in bringing the Parisian label back to relevancy. Below is an interview that you conducted with Leon and Lim, the brains behind Opening Ceremony, about the process. It originally appeared in the Nov/Dec 2012 issue of Essential Homme. 

Ellery James Roberts | "Kerou's Lament"

Former WU LYF frontman Ellery James Roberts recently self-released a new single, "Kerou's Lament." It is reminiscent of his work on the 2011 WU LYF masterpiece Go Tell Fire to the Mountain. Give it a listen below.

And, for good measure, here's the now defunct WU LYF rocking La Cigale in Paris.