Uwabaki on Wheels

Putting a new spin on wheelie shoes, this fancy footwear combines two Japanese icons: a pair of uwabaki, the canvas indoor shoes worn by all school kids in Japan, and a soroban or abacus, the traditional precursor to the calculator. I do love a product that knows how to multitask! Spotted at Tokyo Designers' Week, they were created by one Naoko Kusakawa, a student at Mukogawa Women's University.

Book!

Take a gander at this chair. At a glance, it is reminiscent of the metal framed Butterfly Chairs we had in the Beverly Shores house during my youth. Those were created in 1938 by a group of Argentine architects who trained with Le Corbusier. But this one was made by a young, Italian designer I met at Tokyo Designers Week. Aptly named "Book,", this new chair consists of a ream of fabric sheets that flip like the pages of Webster's Dictionary. In lieu of the usual upholstery underpinnings, a steel rebar frame and legs support the layers of recycled (I think) denim, burlap, cotton, corduroy, wool, etc. This unique construction has a lot of built-in flexibility. Simply by turning the chair's cloth pages, the user can change its cushion's color to suit any mood or occasion. Just think of all the dog fur we would not have to vacuum up! I am not able to comment on the chair's comfort or utility (I did not test it out) but I applaud the author's clever idea. That said, it will take some editing to turn Book into a bestseller.

Rain-Colored Rain Boots

Transparent rain boots! They match everything! Including the rain! Devoid of their own color, they take on the pattern or hue of the socks inside. Just think of the wardrobing possibilities. Unfortunately this clever design is stuck in the prototype phase. And it is likely to stay there, according to the boots' creator, who I met recently during Tokyo Designers Week. Apparently, the idea of see-through boots did not go over well with Japanese consumers. I suppose they felt their feet were a little too exposed. I kind of see the point. Though we take off our shoes in front of strangers all the time, most Japanese people prefer to cover their feet with indoor slippers. Perhaps wearing clear footwear is akin to walking around in one's socks. And out in public to boot.