Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

You could own literally one of any of the thousands of bags that are out there… but like we say, finding a bag that’s as unique as you and that connects with you on some levels is an experience that’s completely different. We’ve featured hundreds, nay, thousands of bags on Yanko Design, and each one has been mainly about innovative problem solving, but not the Beyond Borders. Beyond Borders is storage that does its job no doubt, but does so with a level of class that will enrich your soul.

Unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, Beyond Borders takes the elegance you see in good furniture design, and injects that into your bag. Imagine the Eames Lounge Chair’s spirit in your luggage. That’s how beautiful the Beyond Borders bags are, because like the lounge chair, the bags are made of the finest leather… and wood! The bags use a beautiful color/texture/finish interplay between the leather and wood to create some absolutely stunning looking bags. Named Scandinavia, the collection of bags feature actual sheets of wooden ply (oak and walnut) that lend a pleasing character to your storage, while also giving the luggage its sturdiness and shape. The wood elements help create the structure of the bag, while the rest of the bag is crafted from the finest leather, making storage that look unique as a range, but also by themselves, because of the unique print of the woodgrain.

Using techniques that most haven’t seen employed in the fashion business, Beyond Borders works seamlessly with leather and wood to create luggage that is ergonomic, sturdy, and most importantly lightweight. The wood inserts don’t add to the bulk of the bag and each bag design feels just as heavy as their all-leather counterparts. Available in three different designs, the Scandinavia collection allow you to choose between a large holdall bag for all your travel needs, a messenger backpack that shapeshifts between a sling to a two shoulder bag, allowing you to carry it the way you want, and a midi backpack, for when your storage needs are low but your style needs are high. The bags come in four different color combinations, allowing you to choose between brown, black, and pink (nude) leather as well as oak and walnut wood variants. Needless to say the resultant styles are nothing short of stunning as they showcase the good qualities of both the leather and the wood.

Functionally, the bags are a cross between soft and hard-shell luggage, providing the advantages of both. However, aesthetically, they’re like no bag I’ve ever seen. The leather may give the bag a familiar aesthetic, but the presence of wood makes it look positively out of this world. Yes, this bag will hold your belongings, but it’s also the design equivalent of the Eames Lounge Chair standing a class apart in this world filled with functional leather beanbags.

Designer: Thanos Pappas

Click here to Buy Now: $580.00 $850.00

BACKPACK/MESSENGER BAG

Backpack/ Messenger bag could be used as a backpack as well as a messenger bag depending on how you will place the adjustable straps. Perfect for city use, for the gym, to go to work or even to travel light on a trip. It includes inside pockets for better organizing your books and notes, and an external pocket for quick access to your mobile and glasses. It can fit a laptop up to 15”.

MIDI BACKPACK

Midi backpack has the perfect size and weight for an everyday use, walks around the city or even to take it on the countryside with you. Equipped with a large inside compartment it easily fits all the everyday items along with a 13” laptop.

HOLDALL

Holdall is the luggage you’ll want for your next trip. It has the perfect size to take on the plane with you while it fits all your clothes for the trip. It’s equipped with an easy access external pocket as well as two internal dividers for a better organizing. It comes with an adjustable strap for an easier transportation.

Click here to Buy Now: $580.00 $850.00

Mark my words when I say that there will be a day when an Apple exec walks up on stage and says that the iPhone can shoot in seamless 360°. The future has two wide angle lenses on the front and back of phones and honestly I can’t wait for that future!

However, if you want to skip the line, the Giroptic iO HD simply sits on your phone and uses two rather massive fisheye lenses to capture your world in 360°, both in image as well as video, with seamless stitching. Not only can the iO capture images and videos in HD… it can live-stream in HD too! Designed to be a simple plug-play device, the iO can be used right out of the box along with the Android or iOS app, depending on the variant you own. Besides, the carrying case for the iO even doubles up as a rather wonderful phone stand so you can capture media in 360°, hands-free!

Designer: Giroptic

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The Shield Satchel’s design logic is a rather interesting one. It doesn’t solve a conventional problem, but rather, brings about a balance in the scales of justice. With the amount of political unrest in today’s world, with people rallying to protest decisions made by our governments, or fellow citizens, or even civic bodies, the Shield Satchel becomes a personal safety device. While police forces can resort to violence in times of public unrest, the shield satchel is a citizen’s equivalent of riot gear. It hangs from your shoulder like a regular bag, but opens up into a shield when needed, allowing you to defend yourself from attacks by others. The polycarbonate construction can defend most physical attacks from batons to rocks, while its clear construction makes sure you know when you’re being attacked so you can stay safe.

In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need a Shield Satchel, but it’s good to know that there’s a product designed to protect you as you rally for your rights and views!

Designer: Celine Setiadi

I recently tried my hand at the Ukulele, and being a guitarist myself, two things instantly came to mind. How difficult it is to wrap your head around the ukulele, especially since its string setup is different, but at the same how friendly it looks and sounds! Don’t underestimate its cuteness… the Ukulele can be a little confusing at first and there are two ways to go about it. A. Perseverance, and B. Creativity! Designers from Kaist University chose the latter and developed an attachment that reduces one’s effort to just simply pushing a button. The EasyKu won’t teach you how to play the Ukulele, but will have you performing in no time. The 3D printed contraption sits across the instrument’s fretboard, and comes with its set of buttons/keys that when pushed, press down on the Ukulele’s strings in a particular chord format.

What’s better is that the EasyKu isn’t a product more than it is an idea. Designers are encouraging people to take the CAD files and print the EasyKu for themselves, allowing you to use the Ukulele as a true accompaniment instrument without the hassle of having to learn it, so you can sing and perform your favorite music pieces without getting your fingers twisted in a knot!

Designers: Moojin Joh, Chanwook Kim, Hankyung Kim