From fossilized takes on iconic design, to climate change and the best place for wedding dress inspiration, here are the stories that captured our attention this week!

Lisa Jasper: Design History Fossilized in Crystal
I love seeing these iconic design items reimagined in such a timeless (but completely on-trend) organic material. (via Fast Co. Design)

William Oh: Monochromatic Store Jumps Across the Pond
Tomorrow marks the US opening of Chrissie Rucker’s the White Company in Flatiron, an upscale home & lifestyle store based in the UK – it’ll be interesting to see how the monochromatic offering will be received. (via The New York Times)

Gabriel Rodriguez: Yeezy Designer and… IKEA?
IKEA is taking the industry’s fascination with its bright blue bag into its own hands, by bringing in one of the fashion world’s favorite designers. Virgil Abloh, the founder and designer behind Off-White, has been tasked with designing the company’s new bag in a revolutionary design collaboration. (via Refinery29)

Meghan Dockendorf: Polluted Popsicles Project
This student project about clean water that was done in Taiwan caught my eye because it was such a powerful and visual way to make a point! (via BoredPanda)

Jamie Weissman: Clean Beauty Trend Cashing in on Climate Change?
An interesting look at the beauty industry and how it influences the environment. (via Refinery29)

Sara Gardner: Staying Productive During the Workday
Stumbled across this article and it served as a reminder to try and keep good work habits on a daily basis, so I thought it would be worthwhile to share. Sometimes something as simple as stepping outside into the sun can do a world of difference to break up a crazed workday and refocus your energies. (via Jocelyn K. Glei)

Brandon Roldan: Puerto Rico Statehood Possibility
Though voter participation was a 23% turnout, 97% of the votes were in support of US statehood. Puerto Rico is one step closer to becoming our 51st state… (via CNN)

Also, an aside, but the NYC Pride Parade will be broadcast for the first time on a major television network – local ABC station WABC-TV! (via NBC News)

Elyse DePasquale: Getting Married Where the Catering Is a Pretzel Vendor
Every Friday, I take my lunch break by the New York City Clerk’s offices [just a few blocks away from VP+C’s offices] to watch people come outside after they’ve just been married. I love to see all the different styles of dresses (I have my own vintage wedding dress shop on Etsy!) and always feel very inspired. (via The New York Times)

Melodie Mendez: American Dream Score
This test was an interesting way to see how your experiences and background stack up comparatively, and I liked the way they incorporated some contemporary comparisons – when I took my test, it said “if your life had a soundtrack, it might include Believe by Justin Bieber.” (via Fast Company / Take the survey at Moving Up USA)