Karma for $200, please.

In light of a recent conversation about karma, retail therapy has never felt this good. Seriously. Donna Karan's newest contribution to guilt-free fashion is United Zen (by Donna Karan), hawks 'specially designed clothing, decorative objects, donated artwork and educational materials related to health and healing. The Urban Zen Initiative is committed to health research combining the insight of traditional practices from both the East and the West.' And it's non-profit. Like she needs more money anyway.

Personally, I think it's a great idea. Haters who are probably tsk-tsking at the idea of blatant consumerism contributing to spiritual well-being can stick to wearing itchy, scratchy hemp. This is a perfect example of how the end result trumps the process.

Who cares that Bill Gates is a conniving, unethical businessman. He made his money and look at what he's doing for AIDS research now. I just hope that he's not consciously trading Karma. Because then I'd still see him in hell.

So, for those like-minded individuals who value sincere intentions over questionable methods, United Zen can be located at 75 Greenwich St, West Village, NY. For those who don't, you might as well make sure you rock up to the gates of hell in style.

Goodnight.

(Xie Xie to WGSN for the picture.)

Design: Intelligence Made Not-So Visible

For about £125, you can have Mies van der Rohe at your feet. I'm not sure exactly how long United Nude has been around, I was going to find out, then I got distracted.

Founded in part by Rem Koolhaas, the architect behind Prada's new flagship on Broadway, United Nude draws inspiration from design and architecture, and unravels them into footwear. And with a concept like that, you would hardly expect them to stick to polyutherene or leather. Kevlar, anyone?

I would probably buy a pair, simply because I think their approach is quite revolutionary, and I find the idea of kevlar-clad feet quite a conversation starter.

Anyway, included in their line of products are candy-cane striped ankle boots. (BARF) and block heel ballerinas (YUM). And although I like the idea of cross-disciplinary products, I cringe a little at the irony of it all. Even though the translation of design (in this case, Rohe's Barcelona chair) into footwear is seamlessly documented, I wonder where the application of design takes place. If design is indeed intelligence made visible as trumped by Bayley-Conran, then where is design in this shoe? It takes a great idea, and translates that idea through materials that are alien to footwear. Wouldn't that contradict the application of knowledge? In this case the application in question is the use of kevlar, a notoriously impenetrable, unbreathable, hence impractical material for footwear. I thought practicality and function was the holy grail in the application of knowledge? You be the judge.

Regardless, I think the Mobius gold wedge would look pretty cute with an LBD , non?

Good night.