Fashion Designers contribute to London Design Week

When NOWNESS asked five fashion designers to send a message to the world via eight laser-brandishing robots to mark this year’s London Design Festival (which runs concurrent with London Fashion Week), some of them decided to toy with it. Scott Sternberg of Band of Outsiders simply documented his love of baked treats; Thakoon broadcast an ominous warning to mankind, while Kim Jones of Dunhill was less cryptic when presented with the proverbial soapbox––he sent out a stark memo on the decline of endangered wildlife, including figures to back it up. Rick Owens soothed with a more reassuring approach, and Bella Freud added a typically cheeky wink to the project with a quote from a US founding father. The project, entitled OUTRACE, which borrows robots from Audi’s production line, was conceived by Clemens Weisshaar and Reed Kram of international design company Kram/Weisshaar. Fitted with LED lights instead of tools, the robots sit on a rotating platform and each write a letter in turn while being filmed by long-exposure cameras. The communiqués will be projected onto screens in Trafalgar Square from September 16 to 23, along with missives from the public who can interact via the website outrace.org.

"A little rebellion now and then is a good thing." ––Bella Freud (via President Thomas Jefferson)

"Everything's gonna be OK." ––Rick Owens

“If you don’t like cookies, you might not have a soul.” ––Scott Sternberg, Band of Outsiders

“They live among us and manipulate us through subliminal advertising.” ––Thakoon

"Javan rhinos, 60 left." ––Kim Jones

Homewear Gets a Makeover As the Fashion House Fendi Joins Forces With Fumi Gallery, The crux of the brand is its experimental drive, explains Silvia Fendi: “Even now that we are a big company, we have total freedom in the design studio. It’s still a dreamland where you can really explore your way.” In Every Dream Home is at Fumi Gallery in London until October 31 

 Watch the video of the OUTRACE installation: http://www.nowness.com/day/2010/9/18 

 Check out the Fendi and Fumi project for London Design Festival: http://www.nowness.com/day/2010/9/18/990