BEN—End of the year wrap...here we are. And, where do you find yourself currently? And since I know already ahead of writing this, what's the weather there?
ROTENDA—It’s that time! Let’s put a bow on this look back of the year. Man, lovely weather! It’s a sunny 18 degrees celsius morning in Johannesburg, South Africa. Should rise up to 26 degrees celsius! [Laughter] This just perfectly nods at our recent exchanges on graphic tees…. I could certainly do with some! [Laughter] Well, more on that! How’s it on your ends? Where are you writing this at and how’s the weather there?
BEN—I'm in Chicago where the weather has finally warmed up to 34F vs the -2F we were having a couple of days ago. Wild. But I have to say, there are certain parts of extreme weather like that I find interesting. I live rather high up in a highrise and I'm always fascinated by how far you can see at night when it's hyper cold like that. Makes the lights twinkle in an interesting way.
Per usual, though we'll expand a bit on this later, what's the most interesting thing you've seen in the past 30 days?
ROTENDA—[Laughter] Funny that I need a few more seconds to recall back one!
BEN—For me, forgive that it's quite selfish, but the photos Chris Bain did of the new aluminum incense bowl are just unreal. It's certainly a credit to the finishing quality from the fabrication partner we worked with...but his ability to light it is just phenomenal. I turn into a bit of an assistant for him when we shoot and I learn so much about the tiniest details and how they affect things visually. This was so fascinating with all the brushing, the top chamfers, the bottom radius, the leather, the sand, etc. Just truly in love with the final result. And thats not even taking into account the incredible photos he took at the fabricator of it being made.
ROTENDA—Those photos! I might have to second this and have it as my most interesting thing. I actually shot Chris a message sharing compliments on how the photos turned out! Those details you described, I thought they were all so well captured. Almost like they were “staged” on the bowl - if that makes sense ha!
Secondly, speaking of those photographs at the fabricator, there’s something about the moments he captured that well document the steps of manufacturing - with the pictures not only laying out a compelling visual diary, but they also give an educational insight into the manufacturing imprints/actions behind the details. What it takes…
BEN—I’d like to do even more of the behind the scenes and process photos of how these things come together. Seems to be tricky with some partners, but something I’d really like to do more. As we’ve noted, it’s often the process of concepting, designing, and fabricating the object that is more interesting than the object itself. Maybe. Sometimes it feels like the final products, objects, are really just the…they’re the residue of the whole approach.
Looking back with a wider lens... Looking specifically at the objects we worked on this past year. Which was the stand out for you?
ROTENDA—Instant gut reaction: The screen print press for BEAMS T and the Flying Fish team hat. I’d throw the cutting mat in there, but it’s just so much of a classic!
Looking at all as a whole with every other object of this year, the screen print press feels to stand as a “showcar”. It’s a functional and emotive means of showcasing conceptual principles of the Ben Edgar world. What a confident object. And I guess this is where the desire of ‘objects of scale’ comes in…. there’s more room to explore. Whilst on the other side, the hat is one of those graphical wonders of throwing relations, mathematics and the snap function in illustrator out of the window. And it works, perfectly so - as a viewer your mind is tricked to believe it has a graphical equation/problem to solve.
BEN—The flying fish hat! How could I forget? Funny as I wear one every day. Maybe time for some new colors of that one.
ROTENDA—Yes, I think so! Let me go ahead and ask yours, which have been your standouts of this year?
BEN—Honestly hard for me to pick. Have to agree on the BEAMS press. Excellent call out to see it as a concept car, showcar. So yeah, it's between the (still unnamed!!) screen print press for BEAMS T Tokyo and then oddly the embossed socks that came out the front part of the year. I don't love quantifying things via their sales, but the socks seemed to be a bit of a miss which I found quite interesting. If I'm honest, I actually almost find it more interesting when a product I'm personally really into doesn't land well commercially. It's a reminder that I'm truly walking the razor's edge with this company... I think it's important to continually push things right to the edge and sometimes over the edge. Ensures I'm not getting lazy...or worse, boring. [Laughter] The phrase I used on those socks was something like "graphic design without any color" and I didn't mean that to say it was only using black and white...it was that the idea was to use dimension rather than color/illustration to define its graphical design. I feel like when I look back and see the images we did of the socks, specifically the packaging, I feel like it's one of the more "pure" Ben Edgar things I've done. It came out exactly as I wished.
The screen printing press for BEAMS T Tokyo... Where to even start on this one... Such a wild project to work on. Speaking of walking the razor's edge, this one really pushed things. Almost feels like this one was entirely new ways of thinking about design and the brand entirely. Maybe in a more extreme way. It's really opened my mind to new ways of looking at what I'd like to create and, perhaps more importantly, the scale I'd like to create at. I've, for the most part, been making things that can fit into a shoebox for years...something changed in my brain to create something that large.
ROTENDA—A sculpture!? Like cars, I find that aesthetic things beyond the shoebox are fascinating studies. There’s a lot more moving pieces/sets of thinking that require a level of governing to have them holistically share a product’s intent. The BEAMS project was a lesson of the kind.
BEN—Actually… Another big one for me was the new website. While it's not a physical object, the process of designing it and working with Tommy to make it real, felt just as intense as any of the most complicated objects we've made. What felt like endless tiny edits to get it where it is right now. And I could honestly probably spend another 3 months on it right now. [Laughter] Actually, here's a question... Why are websites so difficult to design!?
ROTENDA—The website!! “The best ad. not from the marketing department”. The Image Export section goes even further on that. A very intentionally Ben Edgar thing… To your question on the difficulty in designing them, it is fair to acknowledge you’re not referencing the difficulty of having web design knowledge - but that of aesthetics and experience. We exchange a bunch of websites we like, and it has started to have me look at them as a language, not Latin, but still a way to communicate. Like having a conversation, sometimes you don’t have the words… Sometimes you learn new words and find better new ways to say things… That cycle may never stop, especially when you have things to say. This is all to say, I do imagine as the company evolves, so will the way of saying things via a website.
BEN—That’s the biggest lesson from the whole project… Even Tommy said it to me on a call or email, can’t remember, something to the effect of “Well, I mean, websites are never actually finished.” That was honestly a total breath of fresh air for me. Maybe more so because the objects we ship are truly done and can’t be edited when shipped.
Meal of the year? Mine is one I’ve actually had multiple times… New spot in Chicago called Il Carciofo that serves Roman inspired Italian dishes… The fried artichokes are just...insanely good. I’ve ordered them many, many times this year. Along with their fantastic pastas, etc.
ROTENDA—I’ve been aware of an Asian spot in Munich called Azuki, their fried shrimp garnished with walnuts and chili flakes… phew, has been a great dining addition since exploring the restaurant.
BEN—Trip of the year?
ROTENDA—Paris. From the airport to directly linking at Virgil’s archive exhibition was a thrill. Didn’t forget the dinner!
BEN—Paris for me as well. Reminded me how much I enjoy being in that city. Could waste years sitting at cafes and watching people walk by. But yes, that whole trip reset a few things for me mentally that truly needed a reset.
Car design of the year?
ROTENDA—In the obvious case of staying true, I will say a Black Badge Rolls-Royce. But, I’ll be fair and say the BMW Vision Driving Experience concept car developed on the basis of the Vision Neue Klasse is an incredible looking car. (We’ve talked volumes on this one, bringing Chris Bain to it too. [Laughter]
BEN—The whole BMW Neue Klasse thing, especially the 3 series, has my attention in a way that I haven’t experienced in a while. Maybe the last time was when the Audi A5 came out. It was by no means “affordable” but it was accessible yet had this design that was just beyond anything else floating around at the time.
But… I’d have to say the new Aston's Vanquish for me…I think that came out this year?
Design object of the year?
ROTENDA—Yeah! The Vanquish was this year. Beautiful car. I'd pick it over a Ferrari Roma/Amalfi.
Design object of the year? I found myself simply just going back to this one a lot, and that’s Tiffany’s FIFA Club World Cup™ Winners’ Trophy. Shoutout to Chelsea Football Club.
BEN—What an amazing call out. Love that. I feel like I should have some sort of instant answer for this one… Ah, my friend Byrnn runs a lovely watch blog called Dime Piece and did a fantastic collaboration reissuing an old Timex, the Intrepid, in a smaller new size. I purchased two, one for a friend and one for myself. It’s really no small feat to redesign / reengineer an existing watch into a smaller size and have it work well. They did an incredible job…especially on the dial color.
Memory of the year?
ROTENDA—For me it’d be that 24 hours in London, most of it spent at BeauBeaus cafe. Couldn’t write or plan any of how it went.
BEN—Memory of the year. This is a tricky one for me… Maybe just a bike ride here in Chicago in the fall weather when everything feels just perfect.
Song of the year? Doesn’t need to be released this year, etc.
ROTENDA—Freedom Is a Voice by Bobby McFerrin.
BEN—I have to go with the song I played the most... I Like It by DeBarge. Played that song on repeat.
Movie, or even YouTube video, of the year?
For me, if it doesn’t have to have been released in 2025… I’d go with a movie I watch a handful times a year that is somewhat of an odd one... Dante’s Peak. It has some incredible practical effects in it...and despite it being incredibly kitschy I have this weird love for the movie. Random one there.
ROTENDA—She Rides Shotgun. Had not heard of this movie until I browsed the on flight selection. Top tier expression of emotions by the actors!
BEN—Single image of the year?
ROTENDA—The mirror photo of us in Paris. They don’t come very often.
BEN—100% agree on that. I love that photo - frozen in time. Close second place for me is the photo of the Ghost Totes that Chris Bain shot…incredible photo.
Product of the year?
ROTENDA—The Arc’teryx Ogee Insulated Tote. My only go to weekender. Packs everything.
BEN—Arc’teryx!! Excellent call. Perhaps one of my truly favorite brands ever.
For me, with a bit of fear of sounding…a way I don't want to sound, it was the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36mm with a black dial I’d been waiting to purchase for over a year due to the whole waiting list thing that I was finally able to access. (Thank you to Hans and Jakob.) An object that truly lives up to it’s story.
Quote or thought of the year?
ROTENDA—Archie of PlayLab said this to me, and this is not word for word reference:
“…you get up to see the mountain ahead, from there you have to get down so you can begin climbing it…”
Was a profound time.
BEN—Wow. Leave it up to Archie. That quote has a sense of conviction to it. It has optimism in it inherently, but also a lovely sense of reality. For me, mine has some similarity perhaps in tone. Saw it a while ago on a friend’s instagram and I likely think of it daily… It really is quite jarring to me:
“You get what you think about whether you want it or not.”
It’s a heavy one honestly.
Maybe a good one to wrap up with… What do you want to make, design, or participate in this year?
For me…it’s the creation of a signature scent from scratch. I’d like to do a room spray and a candle. I’ve been lucky to work with a gentleman this year who studied scent creation in Grasse in France. I feel completely uneducated as I fumble through it and I love that sensation. I imagine creating something that becomes deeply familiar. That’s the goal at least. And…completely unrelated to that, I’d like to make something out of carbide this year. That material fascinates me. Maybe that’s what I’ll call the scent. Carbide by Benjamin Edgar.
Oh, and jewelry… Finally making that jewelry concept a reality.
ROTENDA—Carbide by Benjamin Edgar! What a name! On my ends I’d sum it into a single word you mentioned in your question, and that’s to “participate”. More and diversely. In wrapping this year, I acknowledge the lessons at the training ground… The call now is to be challenged through creative territories I may be half familiar with...apply and express. Oh, last note I’d add is: “tell more stories”.
Should we leave a classic one here too? One song you’d conclude this exchange with? I happen to have this song come in I’d call it a wrap with: Pedicato de Tela by Passion Coco.
BEN—Yes to all of that, especially the story telling note. That concept, “story driven brands” can get a bit worn out as of late…sometimes too much focus on the story and not enough on creating the best products you can. Hard to juggle both honestly. But if anything, the whole Ben Edgar project hasn’t quite told enough about the process and motivation behind what we do. More of that to come. The scent will be an especially good one for this. But yeah, just more and more sharing…
As for the song. I’ve been listening nonstop to this song I ripped from an old SNL video performance I found online. Can’t stop listening to it / watching it… Is It A Crime - Sade, live on SNL in 1985.
Happy new year everyone. Full speed ahead.
