Design

June 14, 2017

Ingenious Bicycle Attachment Helps Keep Cyclists Safe with a Ring of Red Light

As urban bike shares grow increasingly popular, more cyclists are hitting the streets. While this trend has many advantages, riders often struggle with staying safe among automobile traffic. Cities are often slow to adopt separate bike lanes, so it’s up to the rider to ensure that they protect themselves. Tire manufacturer Michelin is helping in these personal safety efforts with new bike technology called Bikesphere.

Read Article

June 12, 2017

Antique Kimonos Elegantly Transformed into Contemporary Wedding Dresses

Thanks to a recent wedding dress trend in Japan, the classic kimono is currently undergoing a modern makeover. Today, brides-to-be often opt to transform their furisode—or “swinging sleeves”— kimonos into avant-garde gowns that combine a traditional aesthetic with a contemporary silhouette. Watabe Wedding, a Kyoto-based brand, has helped pioneer and popularize this trend with their line of for-rent kimono wedding dresses. Called Shoen, this colorful collection features strapless dresses made out of authentic and antique furisode kimonos. The Shoen line features 5 distinctive dresses: The Tsurumomiji (“crane maple”)

Read Article

June 8, 2017

Jewelry Designed to Look Like Fashionable Dragon Scale Armor

Artisans Xaria Knight and Bryan Poole of Pixie Shadow Craft create wearable art for the “modern day warrior.” Combining traditional fabrication techniques—think Medieval chain mail—with a contemporary aesthetic, they produce dragon scale armor, gloves, and harnesses for use in cosplay or as a statement-making addition to your everyday attire. The unique pieces incorporate the stainless steel chain mail with layers of metal scallops.

Read Article

June 5, 2017

First New Blue Pigment in Over 200 Years is Being Made into a Crayon

In 2009, chemist and Oregon State University professor Mas Subramanian was leading an electronics-related project when he and a student inadvertently made an exciting discovery: a new blue pigment. Called YlnMn blue, the brilliant color is the first new blue in over 200 years and, subsequently, the inspiration behind the newest Crayola crayon. There are several reasons why Crayola wants to give this bright blue pigment the waxy treatment.

Read Article

My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.