British architect and design critic Olivier Wainwright created a Tumblr titled North Korean Interiors after having visited the isolated country over the summer. While there, he noticed striking similarities between the Soviet-era interior design–from the National Drama Theater to locker rooms and even Wes Anderson film sets. Both heavily incorporate axial symmetry and pastel colors, which Wainwright aptly describes as “kindergarten kitsch.”
Unfortunately for North Korea, the aesthetic is mired with a mandate from the government to portray a facade of carefree prosperity. “These new spaces look like they have been assembled from crisp, unreal planes of colour and exude an anaesthetising aesthetic, candy-coloured decoys that distract from a reality of mass poverty across the country” says Wainwright. The Hermit Kingdom has recently starting replacing marble mosaics and wood flooring with more synthetic and minimal designs in an attempt to modernize itself. To see the rest of the photos, visit Wainwright’s Tumblr.
Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast.com
via. Hypebeast
Pigalle Unveils Basketball Collection Featuring New Nike Air Raid
For Pigalle, its love of basketball and fashion are two elements of culture that have gain increasing awareness and intersection within the Parisian brand. Coming off the energy of their original Nike collaboration a few short months ago, Pigalle once again unveiled a basketball-inspired collection in Paris, inclusive of an all-new footwear collaboration with Nike on the Air Raid. Taking an aesthetic based around patterns and gradients, the well-tailored sportswear combines with monotone-colored Air Raids that exude the perfect balance of simplicity and design. Stay tuned for more details on a release.
Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast.com