Ciclotte is an innovative exercise bike, designed and made in Italy combining idea, form and technology in rethinking the traditional aesthetic and functional values of an exercise bike. The Ciclotte is an adaptation of the Ciclò project, an innovative prototype of a single-wheel city bike, which is now part of the permanent collection exhibited at the Triennale Design Museum in Milan. Ciclotte has been manufactured using exceptional materials like carbon, steel and glass fibres representing complete innovation in the fitness sector thanks to the unique technology of the epicycloid’s transmission system.

Designed by Luca Schieppati, a young designer from Milan, and manufactured by the Lamiflex Group in Bergamo, Ciclotte puts the breaks on the design of traditional gym equipment with shapes and finishes that appeal to users looking for a more aesthetically pleasing workout. {Pulse Magazine} And, if we’re being honest, exercise machines sometimes ends up functioning more as furniture anyway. A sculptural stationary bike that can be passed off as art is far less embarrassing than the bulky treadmill that doubles as a towel rack.

Quite a step outside Cavalli’s box, but for fashion lovers and exercise enthusiasts alike, your day has finally come. The bikes will be available beginning this month alongside Roberto Cavalli Gym, a collection of fitness apparel that lets you hang on to a bit of over-the-top glamour while you sweat. The limited-edition equipment will be available in six color variations:

• Black carbon fibre with details in jaguar-print pony
• Fuchsia carbon fibre with details in Alcantara® (a faux suede-like textile)
• Black carbon fibre with details in zebra-print pony
• Gold steel with details in Alcantara®
• Gold steel with details in jaguar-print pony
• Silver steel with details in Alcantara®

Both the bikes and the outfits are exclusively available at Roberto Cavalli boutiques around the world. {Racked}

This will not end well

In their pursuit of the perfect republic, one where there are no tanning taxes and stripper clothing is not only accepted, but required for dealings with the government, Snooki, Snooki’s pouf, JWoww, JWoww’s breasts, Pauly D, Pauly D’s gel and the rest of the Jersey Shore crew is headed to old Italia! {Defamer/Gawker}

As if Berlusconi weren’t enough.

Considering their… unique command of the English language, we can. not. wait. to see the crew make their way through Italy. MTV is securing work permits to continue the charade that the cast members actually needs the part time jobs they’re assigned, and Vinny Guadagnino’s family members have reportedly already offered to host the crew.

So many questions: will Italian American relations be permanently damaged? How shocked will the cast be when they discover fair haired, blue eyed Italians? How depressed will the girls be once they observe the slim Italian guys who’ve replaced the “juice head gorillas” of the Shore? Why is this show such a guilty pleasure?

We’ll await answers in season four. To any Italian readers, our apologies on behalf of the US in advance. We’re sure one overly tan pop culture figure is plenty.

Michael Kors retail locales have been popping up left and right. His newest store will be replacing the 7,000 sq. ft. Rockefeller Center shop at 49th Street and Channel Gardens currently housing Kenneth Cole (which is slated to close its doors this April, along with eight other full-price locations). The much-sought-after space will don marble floors, wood displays and a zebra hide motif.

Ready-to-wear from the Michael Michael Kors line alongside accessories from the Michael Kors, Michael Michael Kors, and Kors Michael Kors collections will be featured.

“The opening of my lifestyle flagship boutique at Rockefeller Center is an extremely humbling and exciting reality,” Kors said. “As both a designer and a native New Yorker, what could be more incredible than a store in the heart of the city at Rockefeller Center?”

Michael Kors is making big moves all over the world with lifestyle boutiques already in operation in Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Canary Islands, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the UK-just to name a few.

The brand is currently eyeing space on Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles, Madison Avenue in New York as well as a three-year plan to open 50 stores in the greater China region. {Daily Front Row}

The most unexpected aspiration? Kors would follow Vera Wang in jumping on the burger bandwagon if asked by the right chain. “I want a deal with In-N-Out Burger — to do a special sauce or a wrapper. I’m horseradish-obsessed!” {LA Times} Not sure if an In-N-Out burger with purchase will draw in the fashionistas, but if anyone can make it work, it would probably be Kors.

We love the idea, and think it’s about time we saw a plus size collection from the designer, although we wonder how Marc feels about his partner letting the news slip on twitter. While the explosion of plus-sized models in magazine spreads left more than a few people cynical about if it was tokenism or signs of a real change in fashion, it does seem to mark a shift. Saks Fifth Avenue’s New York flagship quietly announced plans to include sizes up to 20 with fall collections from Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana among others. While it would  nice to see larger sizes included on styles from the main range, something is better than nothing when it comes to more options for 12+ women who are interested in fashion, but don’t find the same variety of options at retail.  Some styles in the traditional 0-10 designer size range may not be flattering if they’re just sized up, so we’ll take the optimistic view that the split from the main line is for the purpose of creating clothes designed specifically to flatter larger sizes. As long as the end result is a sister line that has enough sartorial similarities to the Marc Jacobs aesthetic fans of all sizes have come to admire, we can’t wait to see the result.

In addition to the plus-size line, Robert also tweeted about a debut Marc Jacob’s Men’s show in Milan saying,  “Yea. I guess I broke the news on twitter that we were going to have our first Marc Jacobs Men’s Collection show to be held in Milan.”  The good news keeps on coming, but Duffy admits, “I’m over sharing, but  still unable to resist.”

Entering the "New York Minute" Exhibit - Giorgio Benni

In a slaughterhouse turned modern art museum, the “New York Minute” exhibit, which opened last week, has brought the vibrancy and rapidity of New York to the slow-moving, sultry streets of Rome, Italy. Over 60 New Yorkers paired up with local art students to transform the historic building – still replete with iron cages, meat hooks, cobblestones, and stables – into a space of dizzying color thatâ€s open until midnight – attracting a somewhat unorthodox audience of young clubbers. It strikes us as a deliciously contemporary and thought-provoking exhibit not to be missed.

Read more {Globespotters}

Read more {MACRO}