Fashion

We're continually surprised at the things we learn while assembling material for Crave. We had no idea, for example, that Karl Lagerfeld was such an iPod fanatic. So much so, in fact, that he has more than 100 of them, according to Sybarites, and has even designed an iPod trunk for Fendi. (Maybe he needs one for each new recipe he concocts.)

But if you're a simple person and just want an individual case, the uber-designer has created one made of leather and velvet with Fendi's trademark Zucca print. Regardless of whether it's your color, we'… Read more

As depressing as it is, Crave has developed a love-hate relationship with Hello Kitty. (It's depressing because we have any relationship at all with Hello Kitty.)

No matter what the direction of our bipolar moods, the day just doesn't seem complete without posting something regarding said feline. So we pass along this item from Chip Chick on a Hello Kitty clock radio and iPod charger combo, which can play MP3 tunes and link to your TV set, as well as control your sleep patterns. That means you can have the evil cat with you at all times, which … Read more

Whenever we'd stuck around long enough to see a movie's credits in the past, we always wondered what a "gaffer" was. Finally, thanks to research for Crave (and Wikipedia), we know now that the term refers to the lighting guru on the set.

The "Gaffer's Bounce Lamp," according to Hammacher Schlemmer, was designed by gaffer extraordinaire Edward Cohen, whose works include Spider-Man 2 and A Beautiful Mind. It apparently owes its name to the process of bouncing a 20-watt floodlight onto a "flexible, sanded polycarbonate reflector that directs a soft, diffuse light.&… Read more

Even if the world is crumbling around you in a massive earthquake, there's no reason to lose your fashion sense in the rubble. You can still be the best-accessorized refugee in the bunker or tent city with one of these quake detectors from Japan's Ubukata Industries.

I4U News says these devices, which also double as smoke detectors, are equipped with sensors that will warn of temblors with magnitudes of 5 or more. (For those of you outside earthquake country, anything beyond 6.5 or so will likely give you religion in a hurry.) At $124 it's not … Read more

Headgear has come a long way from the days when it was almost synonymous with adolescent torment. Today, headsets and headphones are often considered fashion items--and, as with clothing apparel, that can be a good or a bad thing.

We think that Audio-Technica's "ONTO" headphones fall into the former category, mostly for their simplicity. They remind us of the early lightweight Sennheiser phones from the '70s, which were a revolutionary break from the bulky Koss-type standard of the day.

Rather than shun the headband, Audio-Technica has made one that's much thinner and, as Gearfuse says, … Read more

If CD players like this had been designed earlier, the pending extinction of the disc might have been put off for years.

The "Square CD" player from Yanko Design is as much a work of art as it is a piece of technology, similar to the "Cuboglass" TV. (Both are designed in Italy, of course.) In each case, the appliance is meant to be displayed as part of the decor even when turned off.

Unlike most products created with this concept in mind, however, the Square CD looks even better turned on. That's because the … Read more

What is it that makes accessory manufacturers think that media players need flashing lights? Griffin recently came out with its "Disko" case in all its blinking glory, much to the dismay of some true Apple loyalists. But at least that product had some practical protective use.

The "Lumi Flasher" by Japan's Trinity, on the other hand, is simply lights for the sake of lights, with one white and four red LEDs that plug into the iPod's dock connector. It does include a "flashlight mode," according to Newlaunches, but we're not sure … Read more

Crave always appreciates an attempt to do something different, especially when it involves design--whether it succeeds or not. We're not quite sure which of those two categories this phone falls into, but it certainly is taking a novel approach.

Toshiba has apparently decided to take a bit of dramatic license in designing a new handset destined for the Japanese market, with countours that evoke image of stage curtains--hence the name of the line, "Drape." The phone continues its opera-house theme inside the clamshell, where you'll find an analog clock with a Cartier-style face bearing traditional Roman … Read more

As part of our charitable holiday wishes, we've asked that people not neglect the MacBooks in the family while their iPod siblings get all the attention. The response, we're happy to say, has been admirable.

If you're looking for one more accessory to stuff in your laptop's stocking, the ever-fashionable Chip Chick has just the item: a "form-fitting leather wrap." The line of "Signature Suits" from Case-Mate come in various designs of black, white and red with contrasting accents.

The case covers are a bit on the high side at $149, but … Read more