01. The Car Launch series / pt.3: Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé

“I just spent 2 days in Tuscany for the launch of the new E-Class Coupé from Mercedes-Benz. There was a slight feeling of déja-vu, not from the car itself, but from the magnificent hilltop converted farmhouse in which we stayed. Coincidentally I had already been there a few years ago for the press launch of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage.” (arkitip)

02. Velodrome Tradition Lives On in Queens

“It has been more than a half-century since New Yorkers last flocked in great numbers to see cyclists tear around banked velodrome tracks at the center of Manhattan. Easy to forget, then, that Madison Square Garden, in its earlier incarnation off 26th Street and Madison Avenue, played host to major races watched by tens of thousands of spectators (some undoubtedly attracted, in the days before Nascar…” (nytimes)

03. Oslo Opera House wins Mies van der Rohe Award

“Norwegian architecture firmSnøhetta has won the Mies van der Rohe architecture award for the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in Oslo…” (archdaily)

04. Surgical masks by Yoriko Yoshida (above)

“Let’s face it, we’re all gonna get the Swine Flu and die. Stave off infection and look cool at the same time by wearing a Yoriko Yoshida’s surgical mask.” (cpluv)

05. Ikea selling $20 solar-powered desk lamps

“In case you hadn’t heard, Ikea is on the solar bandwagon. After pumping $75 million into various environmentally-sustainable initiatives, we’re starting to see products trickle out. Aside from solar-powered garden lights — which have actually been availalbe from numerous companies for a while — you can also pick up a $20 solar desk lamp.” (crunchgear)

This J. Crew large gingham pattern shirt was featured in what looks to be the first of many Spring Shirting features on Secret Forts. The oversized pattern on the ultra soft shirt looks to work well with everything from trouser, denim, to shorts. “Tailored fit—a slimmer cut with a made-to-measure feel. Point collar. Standard placket. Back yoke with two pleats. Long sleeves.” (jcrew)

Monocle Magazine teams up for a second time with Swedish bike maker, Skeppshult. “Called the V-Bike, its small wheels and three-speed Shimano gear system make it perfect for town touring. The unisex design also includes a detachable shopping basket, Abus lock, and bell.”

Though I am not fond of the smaller wheel, I do have to complement them on working a touring bike into a new form. I love the basket and rear rack. Perfect for beer and steaks.

R29 comes through with some looks from Matthew Williamson’s collection for H&M Men which drops on May 14th. How they looking? “Let’s just say, they don’t veer far from the ladies’ looks. Neon pants, full-on printed suits, lime shorts, and colorful scarves aside, Matthew even threw in a studded bomber jacket for those dudes looking for something more decadent to go with their badass self.”

More looks from the Matthew Williamson’s H&M Collection for Men after the jump.

Pack your cutlass and blunderbuss–it’s time to go a-pirating! The Invisible Hook takes readers inside the wily world of late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century pirates. With swashbuckling irreverence and devilish wit, Peter Leeson uncovers the hidden economics behind pirates’ notorious, entertaining, and sometimes downright shocking behavior. Why did pirates fly flags of Skull & Bones? Why did they create a “pirate code”? Were pirates really ferocious madmen? And what made them so successful? The Invisible Hook uses economics to examine these and other infamous aspects of piracy. Leeson argues that the pirate customs we know and love resulted from pirates responding rationally to prevailing economic conditions in the pursuit of profits.

The Invisible Hook looks at legendary pirate captains like Blackbeard, Black Bart Roberts, and Calico Jack Rackam, and shows how pirates’ search for plunder led them to pioneer remarkable and forward-thinking practices. Pirates understood the advantages of constitutional democracy–a model they adopted more than fifty years before the United States did so. Pirates also initiated an early system of workers’ compensation, regulated drinking and smoking, and in some cases practiced racial tolerance and equality. Leeson contends that pirates exemplified the virtues of vice–their self-seeking interests generated socially desirable effects and their greedy criminality secured social order. Pirates proved that anarchy could be organized.

Written by P.T. Leeson, the BB&T Professor for the Study of Capitalism, The Invisible Hook is out from Princeton Press.

Available now through Amazon.

Working with foremost milliner Stephen Jones, the V&A has mounted a collaborative exhibition uncovering the stories held in the rich collection of 17-centuries worth of headgear. The exhibition follows the life of a hat – from inspiration, to the salon, and then finally to the client.

As always, there is a superb web component to the exhibition. View that here. Or travel to London and visit to May 31, 2009.

Castaner is popular with the women. Their sandals and shoes can be seen everywhere during the summer months. United Arrows in Japan prefers the men’s line and has picked up some excellent looks for the season. The moc like shoes feature the Castaner espadrilles style rubber and rope soles. Comfort for the masses.

More detailed views of the Castaner Moc Slippers after the jump.

Our friends at Wallpaper* took some time out to interface with Diesel’s own, Renzo Rosso to discuss the coming release of the expansion line, Diesel Home Collection. On the question of why launch an home line, Mr. Rosso says, “Last year we launched a fabric line in collaboration with Zucchi, which was a natural route for a fashion brand to enter the homeware market. We intended to follow this with a range of furniture and lighting to allow our customers to create a total lifestyle environment based around Diesel’s brand.”

Read the full interview at Wallpaper*.

Still Life provides an advanced look at their forthcoming Autumn/WInter 2009 collection of men’s hats. Mixing leather, tweeds, and other fabrics against a variety of hat forms, Still Life offers something for everyman looking to increase their swagger.

More views from the Still Life Autumn/Winter 2009 collection.