A respected architect and designer whose work is in the permanent collection of MoMA died yesterday, two weeks after he was beaten during a mugging. South African-born architect Gerald Abramovitz, 82, was best known for his minimalist cantilever desk lamp, which he made for Best & Lloyd, and which is featured in MoMA. "He was a very dynamic, creative, charming person. He had the exuberance of an 18-year-old, and he was still designing," his friend Gene Koretz told the WSJ. more ›

Yesterday, it was discovered that Urban Outfitters had yet again ripped off the work of an independent designer, this time profiting disproportionately on the designs, descriptive copy and love for New York of Etsy seller Stevie Koerner, AKA Truche. Today, the story reached Miley Cyrus, and provoked her well-trained righteous indignation: "Not only [does Urban Outfitters] steal from artists," she tweeted, "but every time you give them money you help finance a campaign against gay equality." She followed up by quoting Rick Santorum, the "paleolithic" anti-Gay Republican senator to whom the CEO of Urban Outfitters has donated over $13,000, a second reason for her rage. But now there's a twist: Koerner is hardly the first jewelry maker to have the idea of slapping a heart shape on the silhouette of a U.S. state. more ›

Forget those mint-scented garbage bags that keep away rats, those aren't going to let your neighbors know how ridiculously wealthy you are—what will, are these Louis Vuitton garbage bags. They're not new to the market (Kanye was all over this ish back in February), but they did land on Curbed today in a designer-branded product post—meaning they're still around, meaning there's a market for these things (and yes, they've been spotted in NYC). more ›

Nate Berkus, who films his show here in New York, invited 11-year-old fashion designer Cecilia Cassini on to his show recently. Cassini has designed clothes for Miley Cyrus, some girl in the Twilight movies, and, well, she's taken it beyond bragging rights. In fact, some are calling her "The Most Insufferable Child Alive"—what do you think? [via Lindsayism] more ›

Currently Tobias Wong's website contains the following quote: "In a dream I saw a way to survive and I was full of joy." The 35-year-old designer died in his Manhattan home on Sunday, and the chief medical examiner has now ruled his death a suicide. more ›

Kenley Collins is one of the designers competing in the season's Project Runway. Hailing from Florida, she now lives and designs in New York, where she's been working on her own line in a small boutique, as well as freelancing and teaching. She recently told us about the show, her fellow designers and what trends appear to be back in New York. more ›

Orchard Street designer Doron Braunshtein (aka Apollo Braun, pictured) is at it again; in March he launched his "Who Killed Obama?" t-shirt and now he's added a new political statement to his line: the $250 "Jews Against Obama" t-shirt. more ›

World renowned merry-go-round designer Marvin Sylvor has saddled up for the great carousel in the sky following a kidney failure. He was 75. The Bronx-born Sylvor’s love for the fanciful rides dated back to his childhood, when his father, hell-bent to get to Rockaway beach, would always refuse to stop so the young Sylvor could ride a carousel near the Marine Park Bridge. more ›