The Collectables: Bearbrick Toys

Nothing beats good 'ole fashioned fun - right? And as long as Japanese toymaker Bearbrick is supplying it, I'm down.
Like so down - I'm practically on the floor. Because these figurines basically are beyond cool and collector's items (what more could you possibly want?). The point is Bearbrick's toys are superbly curated and highly coveted by collectors around the world (I've been witness to many an eBay battle, just FYI). I mean, we've all seen how sick Pharrell's toy-packed Miami apartment is right? I know, it's beyond. And it gets better - Bearbrick transcends generations. Just ask Grace Coddington, who proudly displays her limited edition Karl Lagerfeld collaboration on her desk at Vogue. 

Here's the 411. The anthropomorphized bear is made from nine simple parts including a signature pot belly and swivel head - which have been known to double as iPhone speakers or atomizers. That's right dear reader - art meets function. Also Bearbrick's collaborations (which are always epic and extremely rare) include promotional pieces for Daft Punk, Commes des Garçons, Kill Bill and Vivienne Westwood. There's even a camouflage Bearbrick x A Bathing Ape toy that, needless to say, might very well be my favorite (gifts are always welcome). 

Happy toy hunting!

A selection of Bearbrick toys are available at Tokyo Toy in NYC, Double Punch in San Francisco & online at Bearbrick.

Famous Faces: The Canine Diaries

It's Monday and you've found yourself staring at some dogs dressed as celebrities. See, Monday's aren't that bad - right?

If anything these incredible images should transport you back to a time when you and your dog (I'm guessing unwillingly - although Giggy Vanderpump might disagree) played dress-up. Because let's be real, we've all done the dog-dress-up thing. I mean our family golden retriever practically lived in a pair of Ray-Ban aviators and loved it (I think).

In the spirit of man's obsession to play doggie-dress-up, the illustrators at Takkoda have developed a series of mostly canine impersonations that bring to life some of our favorite current and historical celebs. The digitally remastered images use real dogs and highlight their real personalities. I mean how impressive is Karl's starched collar, or Albert's iconic hair (which serves as serious hairspiration)? Very.

*Famous Faces (teNeues) is available online. Click here for details.