In 2010, Christopher Nolan delivered one of cinema’s most unforgettable sequences: a zero-gravity hallway fight that defied physics and redefined practical effects. The scene from Inception featured Joseph Gordon-Levitt battling an opponent while their dreamworld corridor rotated around them, mirroring a van tumbling down a hill in another layer of reality. Nolan’s commitment to practical filmmaking led him to construct a massive rotating set where actors performed the entire sequence for real, creating what many consider a masterclass in tactile, analog special effects.
Now, a LEGO builder known as AboveBricks180 has recreated that iconic moment in brick form, complete with a working rotation mechanism. The 2,395-piece MOC (My Own Creation) doesn’t just capture the aesthetic of the hotel hallway. It brings the scene to life with a hand-crank system that lets you physically rotate the corridor, repositioning the minifigures mid-fight just like in the film. Currently seeking support on LEGO Ideas with 770 backers and counting, this build represents both technical ambition and genuine love for one of modern cinema’s most inventive sequences.
Designer: AboveBricks180
Building a stable rotating mechanism in LEGO that can support its own weight while maintaining structural integrity across multiple axes is legitimately difficult (as Nolan will tell you from larger-scale real-life experience). You’re essentially creating a drum that needs to spin smoothly without the whole thing collapsing or jamming, all while keeping minifigures positioned on surfaces that become walls, then ceiling, then floor. AboveBricks180 solved this with a hand-crank lever mounted at the back, connecting to the cylindrical hallway section through what appears to be a geared system housed in that dark grey mechanical compartment visible in the side views. The entire assembly sits on a display base that provides both stability and theatrical presence, with the “INCEPTION” nameplate doing some heavy lifting in terms of presentation. Fifteen years after the film’s release and people are still building elaborate tributes to a single three-minute sequence, which tells you something about how deeply that hallway fight embedded itself in pop culture consciousness.
Look at the color work and interior detailing. The film’s hotel corridor had this specific warm brown and tan aesthetic, almost Art Deco in its geometric simplicity, and this MOC captures it down to the wall sconces with their cream-colored light elements, the vertical brown slat work on the ceiling, the white ceiling panels, the door frames. Strip away the movie-accurate design work and you’re left with a clever mechanical toy. Add in the precise replication of Nolan’s set design and suddenly you have something that feels like it belongs in the film’s universe. The builder used Bricklink Studio for the design work, which tracks given the complexity involved. You can’t eyeball 2,395 pieces and hope for the best.
Turn that crank and watch the hallway rotate while Arthur and his opponent stay locked in their fighting poses. You can stage the scene at any angle you want, recreating different moments from the sequence. Arthur hanging from what’s now the ceiling? Rotate. Both grappling on the floor as it becomes a wall? Keep turning. This interactivity transforms the build from static sculpture into something closer to a kinetic toy, which feels appropriate given LEGO’s roots as a play system rather than just a modeling medium. Too many Ideas submissions lately treat LEGO as purely an artistic medium for adults, forgetting that the best sets balance display appeal with actual functionality. This one remembers.
Getting to 10,000 supporters on the Ideas platform means LEGO reviews it for potential production. Right now this sits at 770 with 403 days remaining, which feels achievable given Inception’s enduring cultural footprint. The rotating hallway scene specifically has staying power because it represents practical filmmaking at its most ambitious, the kind of thing that makes people go “wait, they actually built that?” when they learn no CGI was involved. AboveBricks180 clearly understands this, building something that honors both Nolan’s commitment to physical effects and the scene’s place in modern cinema history. Whether LEGO greenlights this for production or it remains a fan creation, the MOC succeeds at translating one medium’s impossible physics into another’s playful reality. You spin a crank and gravity shifts. Dreams feel real while we’re in them, and apparently so do LEGO sets when someone builds them with this much care. Vote for the build on the LEGO Ideas website here.
Do I have a problem with Squidward? Fundamentally, no. Emotionally, maybe. He could be less of a buzzkill, but he’s truly a model neighbor and a great employee at Krusty Krabs. But do I have a problem with Squidward-themed Crocs? Overwhelmingly. I’m a Croc evangelist for life, but these footwear are so incredibly niche I wouldn’t want to be caught dead wearing them. At the same time, I want to be around people who wear then just for the opportunity to judge them!
So, Crocs has been launching Spongebob-themed footwear to mark the launch of the latest movie, and while the company already unveiled Spongebob and Patrick-inspired clogs, they decided to keep the best (subjective, of course) drop for the absolute end. You see, the Spongebob and Patrick ones look fairly benign… but the Squidward clogs, dropped today, quite literally look like you’ve slipped your feet into a hole in Squidward’s skull. The details aren’t subtle at all. Each clog has an immaculate representation of Squidward’s face, with its skeptical stare and raised eyebrow, along with that nose only a mother can love.
Designer: Crocs
Let me reiterate. I love Spongebob as a franchise. I like Squidward as a character. But these shoes are, well, repellent to say the least. Don’t expect to score any ladies with these, but if you’re a diehard fan of the franchise, it’s entirely within your rights to collect these limited-edition pairs, and probably even wear them in support of the movie, which launches in May next year.
The entire croc is molded in the iconic Squidward pale green, with the strap being white and sporting an anchor symbol on the pivot-point. Available in unisex sizes, the shoes will officially hit the shelves on December 11th, with a price tag of $80. Am I talking smack about these shoes just so that I can convince enough people to NOT buy them so that I can get a shot at owning them? Probably, you’ll never know.
Also hitting the shelves tomorrow are the Spongebob and Patrick Star clogs, in their iconic colors and designs. The Spongebob one comes with arms on the shoes’ body, along with a belt running around the midsole to denote Spongebob’s iconic pants. The insole has Spongebob’s face printed on it, so the shoes look like him from the top. Similarly, even the Patrick Star ones come with Jibbitz that are typical to the starfish, like a rock, a minifigure of Patrick himself, a bottle of sunscreen, and a jar of mayo. The straps read Patrick’s famous lines ‘Is Mayonnaise An Instrument?’, and the midsole (like Spongebob) features the green and purple print from Patrick’s pants.
Design Mindset, Yanko Design’s original podcast series powered by KeyShot, has been steadily carving a niche for itself in the design world by giving listeners an inside view on how creativity becomes impact. Every Friday, the show brings together design’s top minds to share stories that go beyond the project and into the strategies, pitfalls, and breakthroughs shaping the industry today. Episode 10 is no exception, it explores the real-world effects of design publicity on careers, and the conversation is especially relevant to anyone hoping to turn a portfolio into a profession.
This week’s guest is Sarang Sheth, Editor-in-Chief at Yanko Design and a designer whose own path was transformed by media exposure. Few are better positioned to dissect the mechanics of design publicity, both as a former featured designer and now as a gatekeeper for one of the world’s most influential design platforms. The episode not only spotlights Sarang’s journey but also delivers a tactical playbook for designers seeking to amplify their work and maximize recognition.
When Five Views Become 450: The Career-Altering Power of Global Exposure
There’s a stark difference between being a talented designer and being a recognized one. This isn’t a lesson taught in most design schools, but it’s one Sarang Sheth learned firsthand in 2014. Fresh out of university and nine months into an unsuccessful job hunt abroad, he was sending portfolio links to companies and tracking their engagement. “I would see like, you know, I’m sending portfolios out to these companies and I’m getting like five views a day, three views a day. So I knew that people were checking their mails and at least looking through my work,” Sarang recalls. Then something shifted. He submitted work to Yanko Design, and editor Troy Turner decided to feature it. “Suddenly I saw like 300 views on my website and like 450 views. And I was like, okay, that’s a significant jump.”
But the numbers told only part of the story. The granular data revealed something more profound: views were coming in from Turkey, Croatia, and the UK. “This is incredible because A, I didn’t pay for it. And B, there was no extra work for me. All I had to do was share it with someone who was willing to talk about it,” Sarang says. This moment crystallized two truths for him. First, that international media exposure offered opportunities that local recognition simply couldn’t. As he bluntly puts it, “local recognition is like winning best dancer within your society, it does nothing.” And second, that storytelling itself could be a viable career path. The article about his work resonated with him as much as the traffic spike did. “I read the article and I realized that this is something I can actually do,” he remembers. That realization, combined with the viral reach of design media, didn’t just land him a job, it set the stage for his entire career trajectory. Today, Yanko Design reaches millions per month across multiple platforms, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and its newsletter. “Regardless of what your concept is, what your project is, there are multiple ways that Yanko Design can sort of get you to reach the audience that you’re looking to reach,” Sarang notes. Those eyeballs, he adds, increasingly include potential investors, jury members, and employers, all of whom can change the course of a designer’s career with a single connection.
Ideas Don’t Need to Be Real to Be Powerful
One of the most counterintuitive insights from the conversation is that conceptual work can resonate as powerfully as finished products, sometimes even more so. Sarang points to several examples that illustrate this phenomenon. Earlier this year, he featured a project by Indian designer Siddhant Patnaik, a Google-branded version of the AirPods Max. “People resonated with it so much that it ended up getting its own segment on Marques Brownlee’s Waveform podcast,” he shares. The design garnered hundreds of thousands of views not just on Yanko Design but across multiple media outlets, despite never being a real product. This isn’t an isolated case. Sarang has created his own conceptual designs for Yanko, foldable phones, patent-related concepts, and an Apple Pencil that docks inside a MacBook, which is still featured on Forbes. “I’ve seen reels on it and reels showing Yanko Design’s page. So, it’s great to see that people realize that they’re not necessarily fond of great products, they’re also fond of great ideas.”
This creates a fascinating dynamic: media visibility alone can stimulate demand and validate interest even before a product enters production. “A lot of times they’re concepts,” Sarang says about inquiries from potential buyers. “Which validates the fact that sometimes concepts are so much more exciting than reality.” The takeaway for designers is clear: don’t wait until you have a manufactured product to share your work. High-quality 3D renders and compelling narratives can generate demand, attract licensing interest, and open doors to partnerships. “Ideas are cheap, execution is tough, but something that I have also learned is that holding your cards close to the chest and not sharing those ideas with anybody doesn’t benefit anybody,” he advises. The key, however, is presentation. In the age of AI-generated imagery, granular control offered by professional 3D rendering can push a concept over the credibility threshold. “A pencil sketch has to be incredibly good as an idea to sort of translate to massive success. Whereas a really, really well-made render has a much easier path ahead,” Sarang explains.
Turn Ripples Into Waves: The Designer’s 48-Hour Action Plan
Getting featured is just the beginning. Too many designers treat media coverage as a finish line when it should be treated as a starting gun. Sarang is emphatic about this: designers need to move from passive observation to active amplification. “Don’t just repost initial coverage; turn ripples into waves,” he urges. The first step is preparation. Before pitching any publication, designers should have a press kit ready, complete with high-resolution images, project descriptions, and relevant context. “Please, it’s not that difficult. ChatGPT will literally write the press release for you and your images are already in there, you need to just compress them,” Sarang says. AI tools have made this process easier than ever, but the fundamentals remain: professional assets signal that you’re serious about your work.
Once a feature goes live, the real work begins. Designers should immediately reach out to other outlets, Designboom, Hypebeast, and niche blogs relevant to their work. “You should have at least five or six media contacts in your outreach,” Sarang recommends. Each additional feature compounds the impact of the first, creating what he calls a “cascading effect.” Media coverage also serves as social proof that can be leveraged in other contexts. “Use features to bolster award entries, multiplying reach and credibility,” he advises. But there’s a crucial caveat: not every design fits every outlet. Understanding platform fit is essential. “Each design blog or each design platform has its own visual ethos, has its own direction, has its own strengths,” Sarang explains. Yanko Design, for instance, may not be the right fit for highly technical architecture projects, but it excels with consumer-facing product design, EDC items, and tiny homes. Sarang is candid about this curation process: “If designers come to us with 2D sketches, we’re like, hey, you know what, render it out and then bring it back to us. We’d love to feature it then.” This isn’t gatekeeping; it’s guidance. The goal is to reach the right audience, and sometimes that means directing designers to other platforms where their work will resonate more strongly. As Sarang puts it, “You won’t go trying to plant a mango in winter.”
Crowdfunding First, Media Second, Awards Third
When presented with a hypothetical scenario during the podcast’s “Design Mindset Challenge”, a talented designer with budget and time to pursue one of three paths (major design award, crowdfunding campaign, or media features), Sarang’s answer was surprising and strategic. “Start with crowdfunding,” he says without hesitation. His reasoning is multifaceted. First, crowdfunding offers the strongest form of validation: real demand, backed by real money. “When you’re going down the crowdfunding route, it’s the highest form of design skill validation because you’re not getting clicks, you’re not getting a job, you’re setting up a company that is solely focused around your product,” he explains. Unlike media coverage, which generates interest, or awards, which confer prestige, crowdfunding forces execution. It demands prototyping, production planning, and supply chain management. “The people who look at the product and are like I believe in that vision, those are the people who are jumping on board, and that is the best way to put that stamp of approval on your product being a good idea,” Sarang notes.
Crowdfunding also offers pragmatic intellectual property protection. By being first to market, even in a crowdfunding context, designers stake their claim publicly. “When you share an idea on a design platform like us, we do share a lot of concepts, but it’s obvious,” Sarang says, acknowledging the risk of plagiarism. “First crowdfund, secure your IP in however, whatever way possible. Spend money on patents or copyrighting or whatever.” Once the crowdfunding campaign is live or funded, designers can leverage that momentum for media coverage. Publications are far more likely to feature a project with market validation than a standalone concept. “That will help you secure your idea and make sure that you’re not being plagiarized by other people who beat you to it,” Sarang adds. Finally, awards should come third. “Awards are a much more expensive bet, I would say. And the awards do have timelines,” he explains. Media can react quickly, publishing within days, while award results take months. The strategic sequence, crowdfunding, media, then awards, allows designers to build credibility at each stage, using prior success to unlock the next opportunity. This ecosystem approach doesn’t just maximize recognition; it creates sustainable business outcomes.
Why 2 Million Views Trump a Design Award
In the rapid-fire segment of the podcast, host Radhika Seth posed a provocative question: what’s more career-changing, winning a design award or getting 2 million views on Yanko Design? Sarang’s answer was immediate and unequivocal: “2 million views on Yanko Design. Wow. Because that has a cascading effect.” His response cuts to the heart of a broader truth about recognition in the digital age. Awards carry prestige and credibility, especially when backed by respected juries, but their reach is often limited to industry insiders. Media exposure, by contrast, casts a far wider net. A feature on Yanko Design doesn’t just reach designers; it reaches design consumers, potential investors, manufacturers exploring licensing opportunities, and employers scouting for talent. “Global features expose work to buyers, investors, co-founders, and employers,” Sarang notes, emphasizing that media responsiveness can even aid with time-sensitive opportunities like visa documentation.
Yanko Design’s audience, which Sarang describes as “design consumers” rather than just designers, is particularly valuable. “I like to believe that our audience are not only designers, but they also design consumers because I have seen so many campaigns, Kickstarter campaigns or the Indiegogo campaigns that we feature bring in so much of revenue for the campaigners,” he explains. Certain niches perform exceptionally well: EDC (everyday carry) items and tiny homes consistently generate strong engagement and conversions. “EDC content often drives campaign revenue,” Sarang says, noting that the writers at Yanko are genuine enthusiasts whose passion translates into the coverage. “A lot of our write-ups also come from a place of excitement and that just translates to the readers.” This isn’t to diminish the value of awards. Jury validation carries weight, and media partners often amplify award wins, creating a multiplier effect. But for sheer, immediate impact on a designer’s trajectory, media reach is unmatched. As Sarang puts it, “A 2 million-view YD feature can be more career-changing than a single award due to cascading recognition, opportunities, and serendipitous discovery by influential readers.”
From Designer to Storyteller: Why Context Matters
Sarang’s own career shift from designer to editor was inspired by filmmaker Gary Hustwit, an industrial designer turned documentarian whose films on Dieter Rams, Apple, and the Helvetica font have become cultural touchstones. “He was basically an industrial designer who also graduated and realized that his calling wasn’t industrial design, it was storytelling,” Sarang says. This resonated deeply. “Whenever I introduce myself, I say, you know how they say a picture is worth a thousand words? I’m the guy who writes those thousand words.” For Sarang, storytelling is a design-adjacent calling, one that expands the impact of products by giving them context and accessibility. “A lot of designers are so involved with creating products that they forget sometimes that the products need context and explanations,” he observes. This is where design media plays a crucial role: translating innovation into narratives that resonate with broader audiences.
Sarang’s approach to writing reflects this philosophy. Yanko Design doesn’t just catalog products; it explores their potential, their cultural relevance, and the problems they solve. “Translating products into accessible narratives expands impact,” he says, framing editorial work as an essential bridge between creators and consumers. This storytelling function is especially vital in an era dominated by algorithmic feeds and unpredictable social media platforms. “Algorithms are unpredictable,” Sarang notes. “Editorial curation connects designers with targeted stakeholders, buyers, investors, co-founders, through trusted storytelling and focused audiences.” Unlike a viral TikTok or Instagram post, which might reach millions but lack context or credibility, a curated editorial feature provides depth and legitimacy. It signals that the work has been vetted, that it’s worth paying attention to. For designers, this means that presentation and narrative matter as much as the design itself. A well-crafted story can turn a good product into a great one, and in some cases, it can even turn a concept into a business opportunity before the product exists at all.
Design Mindset premieres every Friday on Yanko Design, bringing fresh perspectives from design’s leading voices. This episode underscores a critical truth: design recognition isn’t just about talent, it’s about understanding the ecosystem of media, awards, and crowdfunding, and knowing how to navigate it strategically. For designers ready to share their work, Sarang’s advice is simple: “Send your work to Yanko Design, publication@yankodesign.com. Send it to us on Instagram, send us links, Behance links, whatever, however you want to send it to us. Please keep sending your work. It can’t get easier.”
“Today we cancel the apocalypse.” With just five words, Idris Elba’s Stacker Pentecost became the rallying cry of a generation – the gruff, determined voice that turned Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim from a spectacular mecha-vs-kaiju brawl into something more: a tribute to human resilience, teamwork, and the unyielding belief that we’re stronger together. His speech before the final assault on the Breach remains one of the most quoted moments in modern sci-fi cinema, right up there with the Jaegers themselves – those towering mechanical defenders that became instant icons the moment they lit up the screen in 2013.
Now, nearly a decade later, one passionate LEGO builder is bringing the Jaeger program home. Din0Bricks’ stunning fan-made tribute to the film’s most iconic mechs – Gipsy Danger, Crimson Typhoon, and Cherno Alpha – has earned a coveted Staff Pick on LEGO Ideas, and with 661 supporters already rallied to the cause, these titans of engineering might just march onto store shelves. Featuring 2,218 pieces of screen-accurate detail, from retractable swords to rotating saw blades and support helicopters, this isn’t just a fan project – it’s a love letter to del Toro’s iconic film as well as the power of LEGO creativity. The question is: are you ready to suit up (or brick up) and help make it a reality?
Designer: Din0bricks
At first we’ve got Gipsy Danger, a personal favorite because honestly, if you’re going to lead with anything, it’s the Mark-3 American Jaeger that punched a Category 4 kaiju with a cargo ship. At 807 pieces and standing 8.8 inches tall, this blue beast captures everything that made the hero mech memorable. The broad shoulders, that distinctive head design with the yellow visor, the nuclear reactor core prominently displayed on the chest – Din0Bricks nailed the proportions.
It comes with its iconic retractable sword (which becomes a chain whip of sorts when expanded), but you could ditch the sword for the aforementioned cargo ship, which does come included in this MOC (My Own Creation!). The articulation appears robust too, with visible ball joints at the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. This thing can actually pose, which matters more than most people realize when you’re displaying an 800-piece mecha on your shelf.
Next meet the Crimson Typhoon. The Chinese Jaeger’s triple-arm configuration was always going to be the toughest to pull off in LEGO form, and at 630 pieces, this is actually the smallest of the three builds. That makes sense when you consider the original design philosophy: Crimson was built for speed and agility, not brute force. The red and black color blocking works beautifully here, and those rotating saw blade hands are exactly the kind of detail that separates a good fan build from something worth producing. The regular pincer hands are included too, and you can merely swap out weapons, which I personally love.
What impresses me most is how Din0Bricks managed to engineer three functional arms while maintaining structural integrity. Anyone who’s built complex LEGO mechanics knows that adding a third articulated limb to a bipedal figure is asking for stability problems. The fact that this thing can stand at 7.6 inches tall without looking like it’s about to collapse tells me the internal skeleton is solid.
Then there’s Cherno Alpha, the true underdog in the series. The Russian Jaeger always had that brutalist, Cold War aesthetic that screamed “Soviet engineering will outlast your fancy technology,” and this 781-piece build captures that perfectly. Standing 10.5 inches tall, it’s the biggest of the three, which tracks given Cherno’s status as the oldest and most heavily armored Mark-1 still in active service. The olive green and grey color palette gives it that military hardware vibe, and the boxy, industrial frame looks like something that was built to take a beating and keep swinging.
While the Cherno Alpha doesn’t come with external weapons (this thing was a spring-loaded punching machine), it does have optional helicopters that attach to its shoulders, as a call-back to how these jaegers were deployed on the battlefield. Sure, a jaeger could merely walk to the scene of the crime, but it’s faster (and honestly safer for the city) to have these massive bots deployed via air. Each jaeger would be carried by at least two copters, and unleashed into the waters (or on land) to exact revenge on the kaijus.
The beauty of this project existing on LEGO Ideas is that it actually has a shot at becoming real. For those unfamiliar with the platform, LEGO Ideas is basically crowdfunding meets product development. Fans submit their original designs, other fans vote by supporting the project, and if a submission hits 10,000 supporters, LEGO’s review board considers it for official production. Din0Bricks currently sits at 661 supporters with 405 days remaining to hit that 10K threshold. Given that the film’s been criminally underserved in the collectibles market compared to other genre properties, this feels like the moment to actually make something happen. If you’ve ever wanted to own a piece of the Jaeger program, head over to the LEGO Ideas website and throw your support behind this thing. Sometimes the apocalypse doesn’t cancel itself; sometimes you need 10,000 people and a lot of Danish plastic to get the job done.
It’s hard not to smile when you think about E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Whether it’s the heartwarming friendship between Elliot and his otherworldly guest or the unforgettable image of them soaring across the moonlit sky, the movie’s magic feels timeless. That same magic now finds itself meticulously captured in KoalaBrick’s 2,204-piece LEGO set proposal—a tribute to the iconic “across the moon” scene, combined with a diorama-like display of key elements from the film.
This build is as much about artistry as it is about nostalgia. The silhouette of Elliot and E.T. against a crescent moon forms the centerpiece, with the lunar glow carefully contrasting the dense, detailed forest below. As your eyes wander through the scene, smaller touches, like the flower pot and the communication device, bring a delightful sense of recognition. Even E.T.’s spaceship makes an appearance, cleverly scaled to keep the diorama cohesive. You can almost hear John Williams’ sweeping score as you imagine putting the final pieces together.
Designer: KoalaBrick
What makes this design stand out isn’t just the clever use of LEGO elements; it’s how it balances playability with display-worthy craftsmanship. The forest, for instance, is layered with texture and depth, making it look lush without overwhelming the centerpiece. Peer into the forest and you notice minifigures of Elliot and E.T. standing around the comms device, along with a scaled-down model of the UFO and even the iconic flower pot that E.T. carries around. Yet, when you step back, the build feels more like a cinematic moment frozen in time—a LEGO version of the iconic frame pulled straight from Spielberg’s classic.
The moon backdrop isn’t merely a flat surface but a structure with depth and detail, thanks to the use of LEGO art bricks that help mimic the cratered surface of the moon. Not that a cratered moon is great for scientific authenticity, but rather this helps recreate the very textured detail seen on the poster. These design decisions ensure the set appeals to a wide range of LEGO enthusiasts, from casual fans who admire its display potential to skilled builders eager to create similar artpieces.
Few movies elicit the kind of universal fondness that E.T. does, making this set an instant crowd-pleaser. Whether you watched the film as a child, shared it with your kids, or simply appreciated its influence on pop culture, this build taps into those feelings effortlessly. It’s a love letter to a story that transcends generations. The film’s set around Halloween, but given that we’re a month late, I won’t judge you for re-watching it on Thanksgiving instead!
KoalaBrick’s creation is a heartfelt tribute that reimagines one of cinema’s most iconic scenes in brick form. Currently a submission on the LEGO Ideas website, KoalaBrick is accepting votes from the broader LEGO community to help turn this one-off artpiece into a retail box set that movie buffs and LEGO-nerds can buy and own. Vote for the E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial set on the LEGO Ideas website here.
If you loved the Nothing Phone’s glyph interface, their Community Edition phone may just absolutely capture your heart. Announced today following a lengthy community-driven design competition, the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus Community Edition made its global reveal, with a unique twist on the original phone’s design. Sure, you’ve got the Glyph Interface with LEDs that glow to make the phone’s rear panel turn into a dynamic display for notifications and alerts, but the new Community-made version of the phone comes with literal glow-in-the-dark ribbon cables that are ‘nothing’ like anything we’ve seen on any phone in the past decade!
Thanks to input from community members Astrid Vanhuyse and Kenta Akasaki, this phone stands out in a crowd—but not with power-hungry LEDs. Instead, it uses a green phosphorescent material that charges up with ambient light, glowing gently in dim settings and giving the 2(a) a dose of unique, eco-friendly style.
Designers: Astrid Vanhuyse & Kenta Akasaki for Nothing
The design shift here is significant, especially if you remember the original Phone (2) and the less glowy Phone (2a). While the Phone (2) featured bright LED glyphs, the 2(a) kept things quieter, dialing back on the glow to maintain a sleeker look. This Community Edition, though, reintroduces some of that distinctive Nothing flair, swapping LEDs for a phosphorescent effect along the phone’s ribbon cables and components. It’s a subtler, softer glow that gives the phone character without the need for extra power or flashing lights. Imagine your phone lighting up on the nightstand—not enough to keep you awake, just enough to catch your eye.
The phosphorescent material works just like those glow-in-the-dark stars you might have seen as a kid. It absorbs natural or artificial light and emits a soft glow when the lights go down. Unlike typical LEDs, it doesn’t drain the battery, giving this 2(a) a style boost without impacting battery life or performance. It’s the kind of understated cool that’s right in line with Nothing’s design philosophy: thoughtful, sustainable, and practical. Plus, it makes it easier to find in a dark room, giving the design a practical edge as well as aesthetic appeal.
The collaborative effort on this phone really says a lot about Nothing’s approach to designing for their community. The company didn’t just create the effect on its own; they opened it up to the public and sorted through more than 900 design submissions from fans across 47 countries. Out of these, Vanhuyse and Akasaki’s concept shone the brightest, resulting in a design that feels distinctively Nothing while showcasing a global community’s creativity. It’s part of Nothing’s shift toward community-centric product innovation, giving fans a real voice in shaping what they carry.
Nothing also went to great lengths to ensure this glow effect wasn’t just a gimmick but a part of the Phone (2a) Plus Community Edition’s build. The phosphorescent material is durable and seamlessly integrated, meaning it won’t interfere with the phone’s performance or longevity. You get a sturdy device with an artistic edge, a blend of tech and simplicity that fits seamlessly into daily life.
The Phone (2a) Plus Community Edition is priced at $518 USD (£399 / €449 / ₹29,999), with sales beginning on November 12. If you’re located in London, you might also grab one in person at the Nothing Soho store on November 16. There are just 1,000 units available up for grabs… so if you enjoy the idea of having a phone so dazzling that you’ll never want to put a case on it, grab one while you still can. And for anybody at dbrand or Spigen, you best believe people will want glowing cases for their iPhones and flagship Androids too!
When you think of spacesuits, luxury fashion probably doesn’t come to mind—but Axiom Space and Prada are changing that. Together, they’ve unveiled the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), a next-generation spacesuit designed for NASA’s Artemis III mission, which will return astronauts to the Moon. This suit represents a groundbreaking shift in both form and function, blending the technical precision required for space exploration with the high-performance materials and design innovations Prada is known for. And it’s more than just a style statement: the AxEMU has been carefully crafted to support the historic lunar landing of astronaut Christina Koch, who will be the first woman to walk on the Moon.
Designers: Axiom Space and Prada
An Unlikely Collab between NASA and Prada
At first glance, the AxEMU may not look like the bulky spacesuits we’ve come to expect. In fact, that’s the point. Designed with a scalable and adaptable architecture, this suit breaks free from the rigid, one-size-fits-all approach of traditional space gear. The AxEMU is built to accommodate a wide range of body types, allowing astronauts from various anthropometric percentiles—meaning different heights, weights, and builds—to feel comfortable and functional in the suit. Whether you’re on the smaller side or fall into the larger percentile, the AxEMU adjusts to ensure maximum mobility, a critical factor for a mission as demanding as Artemis III.
Prada’s expertise in material science plays a key role here. The luxury fashion house worked closely with Axiom engineers to develop an outer layer that not only looks sleek but also performs under extreme conditions. Crafted from a reflective white material, this layer helps regulate temperature by reflecting the sun’s heat while simultaneously protecting the astronaut from lunar dust and radiation. While traditional spacesuits focus on pure functionality, the AxEMU integrates aesthetics with performance, combining Prada’s advanced sewing techniques with Axiom’s life support technology to create something truly revolutionary in both appearance and utility.
High-Tech Meets High-Street Fashion
What truly sets the AxEMU apart from its predecessors is its balance between high-end design and cutting-edge technology. The suit boasts enhanced safety systems, including a regenerable carbon dioxide scrubbing system that ensures astronauts can breathe safely during spacewalks lasting up to eight hours. It also features advanced cooling technology, which is crucial for maintaining comfort in the extremes of the lunar environment. Astronauts will be better equipped to perform complex tasks thanks to upgraded dexterity in the gloves—something previous spacesuits struggled with, often limiting the fine motor control astronauts need to manipulate tools or conduct experiments.
The helmet also offers significant upgrades, with an advanced visor that improves visibility in the harsh lighting conditions of the Moon’s surface. The design of the AxEMU is about more than just protection; it’s about enabling astronauts to push the boundaries of what’s possible in space exploration. Thanks to Prada’s involvement, the suit’s exterior may feel more like high-performance sportswear than traditional space armor. But make no mistake—this is gear built to survive the extreme cold and searing heat of the Moon’s surface, with every detail engineered to keep astronauts safe and functional in one of the most hostile environments known to man.
What Makes The AxEMU So Different?
Compared to existing spacesuits, the AxEMU is a leap forward in versatility and user experience. Most current spacesuits, like NASA’s EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit), were designed decades ago, with little adaptation for the variety of missions astronauts now face. The AxEMU, by contrast, is built with a flexible architecture that can evolve for different missions, from the lunar surface to low-Earth orbit. This flexibility allows Axiom Space to customize the suit for a wide range of environments and tasks, whereas older suits were often mission-specific, with limited adaptability.
Safety is another area where the AxEMU shines. Conventional spacesuits are built with basic redundancy, but the AxEMU integrates a more robust set of redundant systems, ensuring multiple fail-safes in life support and mobility functions. This suit also goes beyond standard temperature control, using Prada’s material expertise to provide better heat management, allowing astronauts to remain comfortable during long spacewalks, even in the harsh lunar environment. Furthermore, the AxEMU has been tested with advanced simulations, including underwater testing to mimic the reduced gravity on the Moon, setting a new standard for preparation and reliability.
Designed for Christina Koch: A Spacesuit for the First Woman on the Moon
Christina Koch will make history as the first woman to walk on the Moon, and the AxEMU has been designed with that momentous occasion in mind. While traditional spacesuits were largely designed for male astronauts, the AxEMU has been engineered with inclusivity at its core. One of the key differences lies in its customizability: unlike older suits that often required uncomfortable modifications for female astronauts, the AxEMU offers a better fit right from the start, making adjustments seamless and comfortable for a wide range of body types. This is particularly important for Koch, as a properly fitted suit means enhanced mobility and reduced fatigue during long spacewalks.
Additionally, the suit’s gloves, helmet, and overall design have been tailored for precision, allowing Koch to work more efficiently on the lunar surface. The improved dexterity of the gloves will enable her to conduct more intricate scientific tasks, such as collecting samples and performing experiments, without the restrictions of older spacesuit designs. For Koch, the first woman to explore the Moon, having a suit that adapts to her needs, rather than her adapting to the suit, marks a symbolic and practical step forward in space exploration, ensuring that future missions can be more inclusive.
The AxEMU represents the future of spacesuits—one where technology, design, and inclusivity come together to push the boundaries of human potential. With Christina Koch set to wear this groundbreaking suit during her historic moonwalk, the AxEMU is leading the way into a new era of space exploration, where astronauts of diverse backgrounds, genders, and physiques will have the tools they need to reach new frontiers.
Now the richest woman in the music business (and the second richest musician lagging only behind Jay-Z), Taylor Swift deserves everything she’s attained. Sure, you might not love her music, you might not care for her entirely – but Taylor’s built an entire empire solely on her music skills. While other artists have diverged into building streaming platforms and record labels like Jay-Z, starting cosmetics businesses like Rihanna and Selena Gomez, or even working for fashion brands like Pharrell and Kanye West, Taylor’s net worth is SOLELY tied to her music. With her successful Eras Tour coming to a grand conclusion this year after 2 full years of back-to-back touring, it’s only fitting that she gets her own LEGO kit – even if it’s only fan-made. Designed by the folks at Minibrick Productions, the LEGO Ideas Eras Tour Poster is a seemingly flat piece of LEGO artwork modeled on the Eras Tour poster… but remove each individual thumbnail from the artwork and you’re greeted by a minifigure of Taylor dressed for that era! The poster contains 10 eras with 10 dedicated Taylor Swift minifigures.
The entire LEGO Ideas set comes made from 1,410 bricks, featuring a minimalist yet instantly recognizable depiction of the Eras poster. You’ve got all the eras on it, from Taylor’s debut album ‘Taylor Swift’ to the last album to debut before her tour, ‘Midnights’. It’s a fairly simple build, to be honest, with quite a few bricks going towards the artwork, as well as the frame. The result, however, is both intricate AND interactive, as pulling apart the thumbnail for any of the given eras reveals a tiny diorama featuring mama Swift herself.
The dioramas are all ‘taylor’-made to fit each era. It starts with her in her Teal dress for her debut album and era, moving onto icons like the casual outfit for Red, a black-donned Taylor with a snake for Reputation, Taylor in her iconic bodysuit for the Lover era, and the ‘bejeweled’ suit for Midnights. All the dioramas have tiny icons of the eras too, from clocks to guitars, snakes, and even the plaid pattern seen in the Evermore era.
“This brick-built poster will earn its rightful place on any LEGO lover and Swiftie’s wall!” says Minibrick Productions, who’s also responsible for other iconic LEGO sets like the LEGO Polaroid One-Step SX-70 camera, and even the LEGO Interstellar Miller’s Planet scene. Minibrick Productions’ current submission is gathering votes on the LEGO Ideas forum, where enthusiasts can vote for their favorite fan-made creations. With nearly 6,000 votes as of writing this, the LEGO Ideas Taylor Swift Eras Poster is well on its way to hitting the 10,000 vote mark, following which it’ll be reviewed by LEGO’s internal team and hopefully turned into an official box-set! If you’d like to see that happen, cast your vote on the LEGO Ideas website now!
They say your fashion choices are a reflection of your inner self. If that’s true, these shoes easily help channel your inner beast. Designed as a collaboration between rapper A$AP Rocky and PUMA, the Mostro 3.D is the latest in the partnership between the two. Not just your average shoe, the Mostro 3.D redefines the conventional, pushing the boundaries of design with a ferocity that commands attention. Drawing inspiration from the synergy of music, art, and technology, this collaboration elevates sneaker culture to new heights. Forget traditional aesthetics; this is all about unleashing the unexpected. With its red and black colorway, and the fiesty, scaly design achieved by 3D printing, the Mostro tries to grab eyeballs in ways that high fashion usually does – by being so audaciously different that you’re sure to make a statement.
Central to the Mostro 3.D’s allure is its groundbreaking use of 3D printing technology. Crafted through an advanced resin-based process, the shoe boasts a level of intricacy previously unattainable with conventional methods. This innovation translates into an arrestingly detailed silhouette, replete with audacious spikes that echo a futuristic, almost otherworldly presence. The sleek slip-on design serves not just as a convenience but as an aesthetic declaration of defiance against the norm. The gradient of black and red, achieved through a meticulous airbrush technique, becomes a dynamic canvas, capturing the essence of movement and transformation. Here, technology and artistry coexist in a harmonious dance, each pushing the other to create something truly transformative.
A$AP Rocky brings his raw, urban edge, infusing the project with an authenticity that resonates deeply with the streets. Conversely, PUMA’s legacy of innovation and its embrace of modern technology find a perfect playground in these shoes. It’s a meeting of rebellious spirit and technical prowess, culminating in footwear that’s as much about narrative as it is about aesthetics. Together, they craft more than a product—they create a voice that speaks to a new generation of fashion-forward thinkers. This is where music’s pulse meets the precision of advanced technology, resulting in an offering that truly transcends the ordinary.
The Mostro 3.D’s spiky, audacious design powerfully mirrors the trail Kanye West blazed with his Yeezy line, where footwear feels more like a wild artifact than a mere shoe. Channeling an almost primal vibe, these kicks tap into a non-human aesthetic that’s as captivating as it is rebellious. Imagine a creature from the Cambrian era, its unique form resurrected through cutting-edge 3D printing technology. Both A$AP Rocky and PUMA have seized this evolutionary inspiration, crafting a shoe that seems to pulse with life—a piece of wearable art that feels plucked from an ancient world, yet firmly planted in the future. This is more than just a nod to Yeezy’s avant-garde essence; it’s an evolution, inviting you to embrace a style that’s fiercely instinctual and utterly groundbreaking.
The Mostro 3.D captures a zeitgeist where fashion is not just about appearance but about identity and the courage to stand apart. These shoes are not just worn; they are unleashed—an anthem for those unafraid to make a statement. By challenging conventional means of design and production, A$AP Rocky and PUMA give us not only a glimpse into the future of footwear but also an invitation to take part in it. With the Mostro 3.D, the boundary between fashion and innovation blurs, offering us a tantalizing vision of what’s to come. Welcome to a new era of design where the only limit is imagination.
Brat Summer has inevitably led to Moo Deng Autumn.
Unless you’ve been living in a remote corner of the internet, you’ve heard of Moo Deng, the 3-month Pygmy Hippo at the Khao Kheow Zoo in Thailand that’s taken the internet by storm for being a symbol of cuteness and chaos. Moo Deng, despite her small size, has a big attitude. She adorably chomps on people’s legs, runs away when zookeepers try to make her bathe, and is just an overall mood with her perplexed expression and rosy cheeks. Given how divided the world is right now, Moo Deng seems to be one positive corner of the internet where everyone units to protect her and give her all the love and support she rightfully deserves… and now after getting her own merch line at Khao Kheow Zoo and a special blush line at Sephora, Moo Deng’s also got her very own fan-made LEGO build courtesy Cornbuilder, a Nebraska-based LEGO enthusiast.
Designer: Cornbuilder
This simple LEGO build from Cornbuilder captures the essence of Moo Deng the pygmy hippo perfectly. It’s adorably round, has all the right proportions, and comes with the signature light-tinted cheeks that Moo Deng is known and loved for (although a slightly pinker hue would have been perfect). The LEGO brick’s naturally glossy plastic appearance also lends itself perfectly to the build, given that Moo Deng herself has a radiant gloss on her slippery, well-hydrated skin.
The Moo Deng LEGO build comes with repositionable legs, a movable head, and even an adjustable jaw. You can position her in whatever pose you want, although she’s best remembered for being an absolute blur while she runs and scampers around or flounders as zookeepers try to handle her. The movable mouth is also perfect given that so many pictures have her with her jaw wide open as she she reigns absolute lovable chaos on everyone around her with her unprompted leg chomps or silent screams that have us all saying “Moo Deng is our spirit animal”!
Although Cornbuilder hasn’t released a detailed set of instructions on this build, it seems fairly easy to reverse-engineer, given how simple it looks. For more information, you can follow Cornbuilder on Instagram to keep yourself updated.
