Golla Laptop Bags

Golla of Finland makes some of the most street-worthy laptop bags around and were among the first to buck the "basic-black bag" trend. We thought these new releases (pictured above) were particularly worth noting as they show that two trends we spoke of last year are still alive and kicking. A touch of neon (the piping on the black and grey bags) and stencil & flat pattern floral prints continue.

Emoticons for Everyone

One of the defining things about today's youth culture is the obsessive-compulsive use of emoticons in texts and emails. That's why the upcoming emoticon keyboard called Bajca is sure to send more than a few neurons firing out of the atmosphere. Slated for release on Valentine's Day, 200 (although the Italian company behind Bajca tells me they do not yet have a distributor), the keyboard comes with interchangeable expressions and the ability to convert key caps into jewelry. Simply connect via USB to your computer, and voila. Emoticon your loved ones into oblivion.

The Greatest Laces

We've talked about the cult of lace-lovers among youth culture before - remember those neon laces we mentioned last year? Berlin-based brand Solebox recently put neon laces to shame when they collaborated with Puma and unveiled a sneaker with laces that actually ILLUMINATE.

New York based Starks is a laces manufacturer that is always upping their game. The newest arrivals to their online shop are the screen-printed checker laces (shown above in a coil). We also love a few of their others, like Tiger Stripe Camo, Step Tech, Fade to Blue, and Plus (shown above).

Designer Headphones

The big trend here - as I'm sure those of you who've followed our trend report in the past have noticed - is the increasing demand for unique looking personal gadgets. First came the laptop-and-ipod-stickers trend (which is now a huge industry) then came the earbuds-that-look-like-jewelry trend (still going strong). Next up are speakers that look like anything but, and new to the game are headphones with serious style.

All of the headphones shown above fall way outside of the typical student price range, but all are worth noting. The chocolate leather & stainless steel pair are from California watchmaker Nixon. The two printed pairs are part of an artists' series collaboration organized by WESC, and the wood-framed pair are a collaboration between Dutch artist Parra and The Perfect Unison company.

Watch for cheaper, student-friendly versions from competitive brands that aim to cash in on this new addition to the customization trend.

Rocky Mountain Soap Co

The Rocky Mountain Soap Company isn't exactly a new Canadian brand, but their growing product line is certainly Fabulous (the capital F is warranted!). Not just about soap, they offer all natural ingredients in everything from the apricot lip butter (a chap stick of sorts which retails for $4.49) to the avocado face bar (retails at $4.99). Our favorite of favorites is the cold and flu body rub (retails for $7.99), featured above.

Flamingo Sport EarClick2 Earphones

If you have ever been out running and wished there was an earphone that would not pop out, well your wish has been answered. Enter the Flamingo Sport EarClick2 Earphones.

The earphones comfortable sit securely in front of the ear canal. I bought a pair to try and and they are all I use now. They never fall out and since the speaker in not in your ear canal, you can hear ambient noise so you can be more aware as you are active:

Click below for a full review:
http://www.andpop.com/article/11688

They retail for $40 to $50 and are distributed in Canada by Winleader.

Luggage Tags from Pamela Barsky

The humor of the tell-it-like-it-is luggage tags from Pamela Barsky are fun, bright, and a great way to spot your bag on the busiest of carousels.
The website lists a package of 6 for $12.00, but we see no reason why you couldn't sell them individually for $4 - $5 each.