Revolutionaries are T-shaped and Rare

“Revolutionaries who have driven most recent innovation and who will drive nearly all of it in the future are T-shaped. That is, they have their specialties—areas of deep expertise—but on top of that they boast a solid breadth, an umbrella if you will, of wide-ranging knowledge and interests. It is the ability to work in an interdisciplinary fashion and to see how different ideas, sectors, people, and markets connect,” says Donofrio.

I recently read Innovation that Matters, by Nicholas M. Donofrio. It articulates the characteristics of many innovators and describes them as rare individuals. More interestingly, it argues for a new era of invention, one that thinks not about quantity but about problem solving. Donorfrio, an IBM veteran acknowledges the advancements made in computing but points out the need to examine the world and see what is missing, instead of simply assuming the answer is more of the same.

Today innovation normally centers around more power he says, more storage or more speed, whether it is necessary or not. He argues that better education is the solution to creating more revolutionaries. I agree but do not believe the solution is as simple as good education. Depth and breath can be learned but creativity and good will are not simply products of the mind. NATALIA

For the full article visit: http://tiny.cc/OH8UY

Parsons launches Transdisciplinary Design program

A graduate of Parsons, I was surprised to learn about the latest upgrade. Parsons has launched a trans-disciplinary MFA design program which will focus on Design Thinking as a means to problem solving and redesigning the world. This will be offered as an alternative to a more traditional design curriculum which tends to be organized by industry category (e.g. fashion, graphic or interior design).

I am a fan of silo-busting. In fact, it is what I do best. In addition to honing my craft, I look for the connections between changes in technology and its effect on fashion design. I study cultural shifts in food and imagine how to solve sustainability problems with textiles.

Experts are important, but I believe we are in a world dominated by specialists that often miss the big picture. They diagnose symptoms instead of root causes. Designers that see beyond industry sectors to understand how everything works together are rare and valuable. If we learn nothing else from nature, we should know that all things are connected and learning about our interconnectedness is a wise task. NATALIA

For the full story visit: http://tiny.cc/YrGb8

Nokia Designs that Save, Cost More

In the New York Times article, “Nokia Tries to Undo Blunders in U.S.,” journalist, Kevin J. O’brien interviews executives at Nokia, a Finnish company and the world’s largest cell phone maker, about its decline in the United States.

Nokia’s comments are best summarized by this quote: “Among its biggest blunders, analysts and former Nokia executives say, the company failed to design many of its phones to the tastes of American consumers, instead mass producing devices for the global market to save on production costs.” That move cost Nokia almost a 30% share of the American market. On Thursday, Nokia posted a 1.36 billion loss and a global sales decline of 20%.

Evident in this story: the value of good design, and the cost of short-term thinking.

Example, Nokia was slow to develop a smart phone that could compete with the iPhone, a consistently growing sector of the cell phone market. And refused to tailor merchandise to local tastes and demands, at a penalty. The cell phone industry is extremely competitive and good design is an important element to any business success story.

Now, “Mark Louison, president of Nokia’s North American unit, says the company is laying the groundwork for long-term success.” Long-term, is a word not often uttered in corporate America. That said, having a vision of the long-term, the future that is, will be critical to any company looking to thrive.

If  only more executives  would take the time to understand the long-term picture and build for local markets, we would all benefit from an environmentally and economically sustainable world. NATALIA

Hip-tech Pop Culture

When I see performers like Kanye West and Lady Gaga sporting light up clothing and accessories I can’t help but think that this could be a glimpse into the near future of fashion.  The visceral use of the technology lends itself in performance but could there actually be a real world purpose? Yes, but not yet. A new technology called Lumalive has emerged, and like most fashion technology collaborations, Lumalive is best suited as marketing buzz. Until there are more fashion designers that understand material technology and see the big picture, we will continue to see frivolous high-tech innovations.

Lumalive is a branch off product from Phillips, and specializes in pieces of clothing with embedded LED lights that can create moving images within the textile itself. So far, they have been pushing the idea that this is an eye catching way to promote your company, product or event.  The images that are created within the garment are very generic and look like a scrolling movie theater marquee. None the less, the experience is visually stimulating, and as this technology evolves the images will become more complex.

It seems inevitable that its novelty will wear off and that Lumalive will make its way into mainstream retail. Considering how fast trends in fashion move people may just crave a light bright garment for back to school.  Now the idea of illuminating clothing becoming accessible doesn’t seem to be so Tron-esque anymore.

CABEZAS

Hussein Chalayan

“I’m not a fashion person or an art person. I’m an ideas person.” That is the most succinct description Hussein Chalayan can offer to a world of outsiders looking at his creations. The British Designer of the year for 1999 and 2000 has a new exhibit at the Design Museum in London. True to form, his clothing is arguably art. Dresses made from LED screens, futuristic silhouettes, it is all very inspiring perhaps, but who will buy it and wear it? The avant garde designer makes no attempt to choose between art and fashion and that is evident in his creations.

As a Central Saint Martins senior he buried his collection of silk clothing in the earth to see how it would decay. Clearly, Chalayan is an idea person. It does not seem he is designing practical clothing for people to actually wear despite his admission that he hates it when people say they are inspired by his collections. He wants people to buy.

In his 2000 Sadler Wells show Chalayan’s models stepped into what looked like coffee tables and then pulled them up over themselves and they were garments. In his current collection the His Before Minus Now dress is programmed to change shape by a remote and is made of aircraft materials, there is a dress made of over 15,000 LED lights and one that shines lasers. Hard to believe Chalayan also works for Puma, but he seems to criss cross barriers in fashion and art effortlessly.

Seemingly excessive in ideas and unusual materials, yet fascinating, Chalayan’s last 15 years of work can be seen at the Design Museum in London until April 24^th.

– GANDRUD

Design Museum

Hussein Chalayan

 

English Retreads

English Retreads is a Boulder, CO based company born from Heather English’s own desire for a vegan handbag. Heather, a strict vegetarian, was looking for a leather alternative handbag. One day while floating down Boulder Creek on an inner tube she got an idea to refurbish vintage rubber and made herself a bag with tools from the local company McGuckin Hardware. After producing her bag and a few for friends, the company was officially founded in 2001 and operated out of her basement. Now based out of North Boulder, English Retreads continues to collect used inner tubes from local bike shops and gas stations, reusing the rubber for everything from dog collars to purses and belts. The average inner tubes have traveled an average of 60,000 miles already according to English Retreads.

Aside from a personal commitment to vegetarianism, Heather had no formal background in design or production. The company’s philosophy is to create “one-of-a-kind, hand-crafter accessories that make a high-impact fashion statement and a low impact on the environment.” Eight years later the company offers its hip, urban, waterproof products throughout  local boutiques in the U.S. and Canada. Not only is the product committed to social and ecological consciousness, English Retreads is a member of Co-op America’s Green Business Network and offsets its carbon footprint.

The bags themselves are very individual since each inner tube has different markings and as of now the product is made by hand. Recently the line has expanded to include lined bags as well and the lining is made for PET, recycled plastic bottles. Of course the bags are sturdy because of the material and also a little heavy. English Retreads is a great example of a local business born from an individual need for a smart product.

English Retreads bags are only sold in local boutiques and the average cost is between$100 and $200, with the large Beetle (pictured above) retailing at $209. – GANDRUD

 English Retreads

McGuckin Hardware

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bionic Yarn

Beautiful, sustainable and durable. That’s the motto for Bionic Yarn and hopefully part of the fashion industry’s New Years resolution. 

Return Textiles Corp, a two-year-old New York based company, engineers and manufactures sustainable yarn and fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. The construct is made of a polyester core wrapped in recycled plastic and then depending on what the fabric will be used for, a combination of nylon, polyester or cotton will be wrapped around the recycled plastic in two different directions creating a tension similar to a Chinese finger trap. The durable fabric is used to make backpacks, luggage, handbags, active apparel, work wear, denim, footwear, home and outdoor furnishings.

 

According to Bionic Yarn it takes eighteen 1 liter recycled water bottles to make an average piece of luggage and seven recycled plastic bottles to make a pair of jeans. With 60 million plastic bottles from consumers being put into landfills daily, there is more than enough supply to continue developing these types of sustainable fabrics.

 

Pharrell Williams the Grammy winning musician and a new investor and owner of Bionic Yarn has incorporated the new material into his own clothing lines Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream.  Pharrell was quoted as having said he was fascinated with the technology and pleased with the softness of the denim as well. With growing concern for the environment Williams will be an ambassador to the company. As Pharrell says, “Our goal is to be the go-to fabric supplier. We want to provide quality fabrics that also happen to be sustainable. We want to do everything from high end luggage to high end denim, to university caps and gowns to Parks Department uniforms. It’s a plus that the fabric brings environmentalism to a whole new level.”

Let’s hope so Pharrell, let’s hope so.

Bionic Yarn

Billionaire Boys Club & Ice Cream

Prada Link Watch

LG and Prada have partnered together to make the Prada Link watch, an accessory to the new Prada II phone. The sleek, black, leather and stainless steel watch sorts calls and text messages without having to reach into your pocket or purse. Although the partnership between LG and Prada does prove that fashion and technology are beginning to work together to make beautiful functional accessories, it seems that the first generation of the phone needs more attention. The watch operates through Bluetooth and while it conveniently tells you who is calling, you still have to find your phone to take the call. The battery life is 48 hours requiring a charge every other night. At this point in the game it seems that a little more development needs to be done before this luxury good becomes useful, perhaps voice recognition would be the next step. Also, there is the concern for adding more stuff to your life and using more materials rather than smarter stuff and greener materials. Aside from the function, the aesthetic design is fantastic – an elegant and substantial watch demanding attention. Currently there is no pricing or US release date available.

Prada Link Watch and Phone Video

GANDRUD

The New, Green Museum

The California Academy of Science in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park has long been dedicated to the study of nature, and after 8 years and half a billion dollars in sustainable renovations, Italian architect Renzo Piano’s design is a pioneer in sustainable architecture. Unlike traditional theater museums, this museum is built inside the park, well underneath it to be more specific. The 2.5 acre living roof is the signature element. After walking the grounds in silence and observing the hills from a run down building, Piano sketched a simple rolling hill with a line underneath and with only his sketchbook, Piano beat the other five competitors.

Not only has Piano’s design been compared to Frank Lloyd Wright’s spiraling Guggenheim Museum and Frank Gehry’s titanium Guggenheim in Bilbao, the new museum is expected to capture the attention of the public with its design and green focus. Hoping to receive the highest ranking from the U. S. Green Building Council, a platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, the living roof absorbs storm water and according to the museum will prevent 3.6 million gallons of polluted water from entering into the eco-system. The living roof is also home to wildlife and California wildflowers. It is said that the roof keeps the building 10 degrees cooler and turns carbon dioxide into oxygen.  Solar cells produce 5-10% of the museum’s energy as well. The structure is insulated by nearly 216,000 pairs of Levi’s jeans, paying homage to the native San Francisco denim company.

Underneath the living roof, the museum houses the Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, Kimball Natural History Museum and includes a four story rainforest, a coral reef, a 100,000 gallon tank with Pacific coast marine life, a swamp, a habitat for penguins and exhibit on climate change and global warming.

Piano explains, “You almost never get a chance to build something in the middle of a great park, so it needed to be transparent…here you need to know about the connection with nature, so almost anywhere you are in this building you can see through to the outside.”

California Academy of Science: http://www.calacademy.org/
More on Renzo Piano: http://architect.architecture.sk/renzo-piano-architect/renzo-piano-architect.php

NANCY GANDRUD

Fashion Jobs of the Future

Chair of Fashion at Parsons, Simon Collins, moderates an informative panel of fashion industry leaders selected to discuss future careers in a fast-changing fashion industry. NATALIA

DESIGN FUTURST tv Sustainable Series

Our top 5 global brands designing beautiful sustainable fashion.

Eddie Bauer’s Mountain

Eddie Bauer is going back to its original roots by hiring mountaineer legend Jim Whittaker for insight on its expedition outerwear. The goal is to revive the brands sense of adventure and produce better performing products. Also to move away from its focus on indoor casual apparel in hopes of a big comeback.

When conservative companies hire athletes as design consultants they take a pronounced risk. In my opinion it is a great way to get the inside scoop on athletic apparel. Athletes know best what works and what does not. Brands that hire designers who live and breathe the brand are more successful.

Eddie Bauer’s new line of apparel will be put to the test when their new collection is launched in 2009. Their goal is to sell $450 per square foot, which is far from their $260 per square foot from last year. If sales increase for Eddie Bauer, these types of partnerships may become a more common occurrence. HANNA

iPhone Odyssey

Apple's new iPhone 3G

iPhone Odyssey
One New Yorker’s quest for Apple’s new iPhone 3G

Monday, July 7, 2008 – WASHINGTON

12:45 – Visit local AT&T store to check phone upgrade status. Everything is cool, but the sales guy warns that I should get there early on Friday if I want the iPhone. Last time they sold out before lunchtime. I didn’t think it would be a big deal.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008 – NEW YORK

10:00 – Download and read gizmodo.com’s “iPhone Survival Guide.” It says to go bring energy bars and bottled water and be prepared to camp out. Also, the AT&T account holder must be present. Since I’m on a family plan, that means I have to go back to DC and persuade my mother to wake up early on Friday and camp out at AT&T with me. I decide to make a weekend vacation out of it.

17:30 – Book bus ticket to DC, check AT&T’s website for iPhone checklist.

Thursday, July 10, 2008 – NEW YORK

16:30 – Leave work early and go to Penn Station. The bus is jam packed. After being stuck in traffic for an hour, the bus finally exits out of NYC.

22:35 – Finally arrive home.

00:45 – Set alarm for 6:30. Go to bed early in preparation for the long day ahead.

Friday, July 11, 2008 – WASHINGTON

7:45 – Arrive at local shopping mall. The parking garage seems rather full for 8 in the morning. I get a little nervous.

7:50 – Enter mall and run to AT&T store in time to see a long line snaking around the corner. We queue up behind a skinhead with major tattoos. He says he’s not worried. He’s gone through all this a year before for the first generation iPhone. He’s an iPhone veteran.

8:00 – The doors open exactly at 8, and the line finally moves. An AT&T salesperson walks by, explaining that they only let a few people in at once, and you must register your phone in the store, which takes about 15 minutes. I do the math; it’s going to be a long morning. I survey the barely moving line. Judging by appearances only, it looks to be mostly comprised of young/middle-aged professionals. I idly wonder if they are all skipping work this morning.

8AM queue at AT&T

Getting closer!

10:00 – Two hours later, we are ushered into AT&T. The sales rep asks what can he do for us today. I reply that I’m here to buy an iPhone. Like, duh, as if he didn’t know that already. He hands me my new iPhone 3G, but tells me that I can’t use it yet since it’s not activated. Apparently, the computer systems are down so everyone has to activate their phones at home through iTunes. Okay, that’s cool, as long as I can still get my phone.

10:20 – I walk out of AT&T feeling accomplished. The line is even longer than when we arrived over two hours ago. I proudly hold my yet-to-function iPhone. I’m dying to try it out to see if it lives up to all the hype.

11:00 – I try to set up my phone as per the instructions. I hook it up to my MacBook Pro and watch it connecting to iTunes. Ten minutes later, a memo box pops up. The network connection has timed out. I guess it can’t handle a million people trying to activate their phones all at once. Looks like I’ll have to wait to try out my new phone.

17:30 – I attempt to activate my phone again. This time I am lucky as it hooks right up to iTunes. Fifteen minutes later, my phone is finally activated! I set it up so that all my emails, contacts, and calendars are seamlessly synced to my phone. Then I upload music, photos, and videos.

Syncing iPhone to laptop

18:20 – Eight hours after leaving AT&T, my new iPhone is fully loaded and ready to go. Now I can enjoy spending the rest of my weekend customizing my phone.

Monday, July 14, 2008 – NEW YORK

10:00 – Back in New York and back at work. Everyone is talking about the new iPhone. The New York Times reports that Apple sold over one million in the first weekend. My co-worker complains that he waited for three hours on Friday at AT&T, only to find that it was sold out. Another co-worker says that on Saturday, the line at the 14th St Apple Store went all the way down past Jeffrey’s. Yeah, sounds like it was one hell of a weekend for all parties involved. But every time I pick up my new iPhone 3G, I remember that it was all worth it.  WU

The End

Sent from my iPhone

The Future of Bottled Water is Dry

Saving our environment is talk. The sale of bottled water has not declined since its introduction. A few facts from the Water Quality Association:

* Bottled water sales and consumption continue to rise, according to statistics released April 9, 2007, by the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) and Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC).

* Total US bottled water volume exceeded 8.25 billion gallons in 2006, a 9.5 percent increase over the prior year.

* Wholesale dollar sales for bottled water exceeded $10.8 billion in 2006, an 8.5 percent increase over the $10 billion in 2005.

My goal as a designer is to inspire and lead. It is evident that people are still consuming bottled water. This may be the result of too few alternatives. Forget your Nalgene (www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store) water bottle at home and your next alternative is bottled water. Tap water has earned such a bad reputation, spending 2 dollars on 12oz of water seems normal.

As a solution, I propose:

* Providing consumers with easy Internet based access to the quality of their local water supply.

* A nationwide roll out of water fountains. Yes, water fountains. Prior to the ubiquitous plastic Poland Springs water bottle, your average citizen was happy to use a public water fountain.

Some disagree with me because there is no money to be made by giving filtered water away for free. My reply, because it is not in a bottle does not mean it needs to be distributed freely. An example:

A few visionary restaurants in New York and California have offered filtered tap water as an alternative to bottled water. The filtered water costs the same as bottled water, yet has none of the environmental set-backs.

As the cost of producing and shipping bottle water surges and consumer awareness towards the environment increases, the popularity of bottled beverages will decrease.

I am currently designing filtered water fountains for the public space and welcome the feedback of water drinkers, beverage companies, city planners or filtration companies everywhere. NATALIA

Interesting Links

http://www.globalpackagegallery.com/main.php/v/bev/bottled+water/

Home

Speedo Swimsuit Technology

In competitive swimming, a quarter of a second can be the difference between first and fifth place. Coaches and athletes look for other alternatives to increase a player’s performance.

Speedo’s latest LZR Pulse fabric is designed to reduce muscle oscillation and skin vibrations through their “internal core stabilizer” that works similar to a corset to hug the body. It is made from a densely woven Nylon Elastane fabric that tightens the bod similar to a girdle. What adds to its competitive edge is that there are no sewn seams; instead edges are fused together using ultrasonic welding.

This sleeveless, second skin, shoulder-to-ankle suit is the most hydrodynamic swimsuit available when it comes reducing drag. Although, this new technological advancement created record breaking scores it is a controversial subject when used in competitive sports.

“Speedo is the Kleenex of swimwear, but not since the advent of steroids have we seen so many record-smashing events,” says analyst Marshal Cohen of the NPD Group. Some even refer to it as technological doping. (http://www.newsweek.com/id/142410).

Every athlete has access to this suit. It is ultimately up to the individual to spend $600 on a racer suit that takes twenty minutes to put on, and shaves a millisecond off the final time. Would you buy it? HANNA

MacGregor Golf: Interview with Innovator

MacGregor Golf is a 100 year old golf company, one with a new CEO. Michael J. Setola shares with us his vision and strategy for keeping the innovative brand strong.

NATALIA: Please give folks a bit of insight as to what your role entails.
Michael: As CEO of MacGregor, my primary role is to manage the investments and direction of the company. As it relates to product, inventory is our largest investment, so I keep a keen eye on product and product development.

NATALIA: How did you first become interested in fashion?
Michael: Funny story, but my first job was with Hanes Underwear. I was selling boxers and white briefs. Suddenly for the first time, colored underwear came on the scene and I saw the effect of fashion on something as simple as underwear. I was hooked on the excitement of newness and the effect great product has on business.

NATALIA: How would you define good innovation?
Michael: Good innovation is the combo of design, merchandising and sell through to the consumer. It needs to be relevant as truly new, but have meaning to the consumer.

NATALIA: Is innovation important to you? MacGregor?
Michael: At both the Greg Norman collection and in our MacGregor Golf Club companies, innovation is what separates us from the field.

NATALIA: How is innovation realized in your business?
Michael: Design, product development, technical services and production all must work together to bring innovation to the market in sync.

NATALIA: Any challenges or successes you have had bringing innovative design to market?
Michael: There are always challenges in getting all these components firing at the same time. Often, one area is ahead or behind in the ability to deliver innovation, so a project may be delayed.

NATALIA: What are some of the current innovation projects you are working on?
Michael: In apparel, climate controlled fabrics are becoming more important for the active golfer. Body temperature regulating developments are in our market and improvements are in the works. In golf clubs, we have a new metal that we are introducing to the clubface for game improvement.

NATALIA: Do you feel technology in fashion is just a trend?
Michael: Everything is a trend. It’s just about how long it stays with us. Technology will be with us for a long time, the consumer likes it.

NATALIA: In a few words please share with us your vision for the future.
Michael: Companies that innovate and develop consumer centric products will excel even more in the future. The combination of economic challenges and modern expectations will raise the bar for products to succeed.

Digital Downtown

New York held its new annual Digital Downtown, a consumer technology showcase at the World Financial Center Winter Garden this past weekend.  It featured the latest innovative trends on consumer electronics, from high definition televisions, mobile devices, audio, to energy saving and gaming devices.

Flat screen HDTV’s dominated the majority of the atrium with the new ultra thin 1.5 inch Hitachi standing out. The images were so clear, consumers stood for minutes admiring the image quality.  But, Roland, the world’s leading manufacturer of electronic musical instruments had the most amazing demonstrations of what the future brings.  One demonstration that stood out is known as “the parent’s dream” the silent drum set made of rubber, is attached to headphones that allow each hit, tap, snare to be translated to the original instrumental sound.  Another demonstration that stood out was the double keyboard with a microphone attachment that allowed you to sing into the microphone out of tune as it translates your tone perfectly into pitch. The instrument allowed the demonstrator to sing orchestral back up to Mariah Carey’s a cappella. With this new product soon to be in consumer hands, can anyone be the next Mariah Carey?

Technology is redefining our future and the way we communicate. New York, now being apart of the CEA (Consumer Electronics Association) can now spread the innovative developments through its global entertainment and media.  HANNA

Step it Up

The Renegade Craft Fair was held in Brooklyn this past weekend, showcasing the talents of various arts-and-crafts vendors, and promoting the increasingly popular form of “do-it-yourself” design. Fashion companies, such as Threadless (http://threadless.com) and Urban Tailor (http://urbantailor.com) are jumping on the DIY bandwagon by allowing customers to design their own garments or create their own graphic tees online. User-friendly web pages allow customers to click and create customized clothing based on provided styles and textiles. With the help of Internet technology, customers can instantly create and preview their own customized clothing.
Sneaker goliath, Nike, takes this trend one step further with their latest creation: Nike PhotoID. Combining mobile technology with the DIY trend, Nike PhotoID allows fans to create sneakers based on snapshots taken by their cell phones. The new program analyzes dominant colors in the photograph and then transfers those colors into a sneaker template. An image of the shoe is sent back to the mobile phone, and users have the option to save it as a wallpaper or order the actual footwear. The customized color-ways are available on Nike’s classic 1985 Dunk high-top basketball sneakers. Currently, Nike PhotoID is only available in Europe. WU

BMW Fabric Car

Most automobiles are fabricated in hard plastic, glass and metal, requiring many parts and joints. The team at BMW has rethought this approach and presented a seamless skin concept. The outcome is both ergonomic and beautiful.

Design Futurist believes the best innovation not only makes objects more beautiful, it makes them more functional. General complaints from drivers have little to do with the surface and everything to do with poor durability, vulnerable electrical systems and complicated repairs.

Seamless design can mean more graceful lines, simpler parts, and fluid transitions. We hope BMW, extends this thought process to the internal design of future cars. NATALIA

A Cooler World

Social networks such as Acoolworld.com and Asmallworld.net are private online communities. Actors, fashion designers, royals, and media makers are only a small percentage of what make up these networking sites. If Facebook is Democratic, they are Republican.

Asmallworld.net is an exclusive social network that only sends out invites to qualified individuals. It provides insight on global events, marketplace, forums on various topics, fashion, and city guides.

Acoolworld.com has brought design to exclusive social networking through the clandestine nature of its members only website. It is a social networking website for strategic connections to the most elite and private hideaways and adventures. Great power people gather here.

These networks provide people with the opportunity to view your profile and your company information in order to set out possible connections. It also acts as a guide to high-end travel, fashion, shops, sports, and nightlife.

So what is the difference between Asmallworld and Acoolworld? Both promote exclusive online interactivity for the privileged, but Acoolworld emphasizes the visual more, it was designed to be graphically chic and arresting, dare we say cool. Then there is the Diamond Lounge, a recent addition to the field. A new market for members only is forming. HANNA