Stretching the known

Author Béatrice Lorans

This month, I’ve been drawn to projects that take something familiar and tilt it towards the future.

From purifiers and headphones to outerwear, each reinterprets a well-known format in a way that feels intentional. Some solve everyday frustrations, others expand cultural identity, and all of them show how design can refresh what we think we know.

Here’s what stood out…

Air purification has often felt functional rather than inspirational, but Airea takes a different path. Instead of simply trapping particles, this next-gen device recreates the same molecules our atmosphere uses to cleanse itself, continuously neutralising pathogens across an entire room.

I like how it blends ecological intent with technical precision: a compact, energy-efficient form that works harder than traditional filters while consuming less. It reframes a household object as part of a planetary system, designed for both health and sustainability.

+ See the project

Nothing’s latest release keeps building on the visual language they’ve been refining since launch. The semi-transparent ear cups, dot-matrix typography and steel arms are unapologetically bold, placing design front and centre. 

Whether the overt, attention-grabbing aesthetic is your vibe or not, you have to applaud the consistency of their brand. From the product itself to the campaign styling, everything reinforces the same sophisticated edginess and deepens their brand universe.

+ Take a look

The North Face has collaborated widely in recent years, but this partnership with Aimé Leon Dore feels particularly sharp. Classic silhouettes like the Nuptse and Denali are reconstructed with Casentino wool, nylon, and three-layer waterproofing, blending technical credibility with high-fashion detailing.

The result moves the brand further into lifestyle apparel, with pieces that carry both functional performance and cultural resonance. It shows how a heritage rooted in mountaineering can be reframed for the streets of New York without losing its edge.

+ Explore the collection

In recent years, French supermarket Monoprix has become an unexpected incubator of emerging design, and their latest collaboration with interior design school Ecole Camondo is an exciting continuation of this trend. As part of a competition, three young graduates got the chance to design a Monoprix collection combining audacity and accessible design.

I love how distinctive each range is, while equally fitting snugly into the Monoprix portfolio. As well as spotlighting emerging talent and creating creative opportunities, the brand now has a brilliant new collection thanks to this collaboration.

+ Check it out