Spring/Summer: Public Execution of Love.

Ossimori, the brand invented by duo M.E. Evans, and Jessica Turner are at it again with their fantastic, over the top guerrilla marketing projects. Picture this: Five beautiful women, blindfolded sitting on the backs of five men, wearing nothing but company T's, and boy panties with a gun on the bum. Now, add the fact that this scene is set up in a heavily trafficked ancient piazza in Florence, and you can't beat it. Ingenuity, sex, the creep factor, all things Ossimori.

The Italian design company  was formed only one year ago, yet somehow are already making a name for themselves with their luxury comfort T's, and eery, obsessive concepts. "Concept is important to us" says Turner, "Ossimori was born out of the need to create, combining elements of design and art. The duel nature of humanity is our common theme. The nonsense of it.". You can see the concept clearly, and consistantly in their art shows, art work, and even their advertisements. Spring Summer 2011 slogan, "Love Made Hard" is a sexual inuendo that carries the theme well.  "There is a constant contradiction between the reality of life and fantasy," says Evans, "love being the greatest example. It is always presented in an unattainable way: The prince, the lady, the long gazes, the chaste affairs. But love is not about purity; it's about anger, the carnal urges, the jealous driven need to rip your love into pieces, to hurt them tenderly and then to kiss it all better.".

While some people might not get the theme, and might not understand their sarcastic, dark humour behind their work, but even those people get quality. I have to admit, of all of the T's I have ever worn in my life by American Apparel, or Gap, I have never found a T that is more comfortable with a better long, slender fit. The Italian standards of quality, and luxury are never a disappointment. If you are looking for something well made, comfortable, durable, and artistic you must order something from Das Gift by Ossimori. Spring/Summer line of T's is now available online or in select boutiques worldwide.

The Black Fades in Florence

I've been living in Italy for a few years now. Of the many differences I have noticed between the United States, and Italy is the style. Being Italian is a style. They don't think of it the same way we do in the US. For them, it's a part of a life, a very important part of life. They follow what is "in" and what is not closely. Even the men, the ones who don't know anything about style, know the right color to wear at certain times of the year. My boyfriend who is not really particularly interested in Italian Fashion or Italian design said, "I hate beige. Why is beige the color for spring/summer?". I just looked at him and said, "how do you know?" he said, "I'm Italian, we know". If I asked one of my guy friends at home about the "in" color for the season they would say, "whatever still fits me" or "whatever I pull from my floor that still smells clean". End of story.

Another difference is that they pay a great deal of attention to new, and upcoming things. Ossimori, a new "Made in Italy" design company has been around for a year, yet it's being recognized all the way in Macedonia already. Their line of shirts, Das Gift, are insanely comfortable and tagless, and they never fade. The quality is very Italian, although their approach to fashion is not. Despite that they have sold all over Europe, and from what I hear, are being emailed demanding the brand reach other parts of Europe. How are they known? For their strange guerilla marketing campaigns, art installations, and raw slogans such as this years, "Love Made Hard". Plus, Italians talk. They LOVE to talk. And often the conversations are around politics, fashion, and new business.

And still more things about Italy, Florence in particular, is that in the winter, nobody wears anything but black. Today, it's sunny, yet the streets are filled with black encased bodies. They won't wear something "lighter" until it is season appropriate despite the weather. In a few months, the season will change, the black will fade away and Beige will come in. I'm preparing my boyfriend with laundry accidents that turn his white shirts yellow, or as I have tried to twist the truth, "beige". "I'm helping" I say. "Yeah, thanks, I can see that" he says.