I was driving home this afternoon and rather than listen to my Ipod while stuck in traffic for the remaining hour of the trip, I turned to NPR for a little update on what was going on in the world.
Talk of the Nation was airing and I found the story to be very intersting. It seems that “Essence” an African-American magazin recently hired a white fashion director. Now this has sparked some debate in the African-American community. It was interesting to hear the different takes on the subject from callers to the show. Some said that if the new director was the best person for the job, than why did it matter the color of her skin. Some people felt that since it was a publication directed towards African-Americans, the director should be as well. On the other hand there were those who said that the magazine changed years ago when they were sold to Time Warner.
It seems like an intersting debate, and one that should bring some questions to the surface over time. What do you think? Sound off in the comments section below!
Talk about Experience Design.
One of our favorite events at Olive and Toast & Jam is attending Miami’s Art Basel. For 41 years Miami Beach has been transformed with the inspiration of design, type, light, brand activation, and top-quality exhibitions in their galleries and museums (all over South Florida).
From music, installations to brand-centric sponsored events – it’s a rich, fun, stylish filled 3 days to get your design swerve on. Featured below is an assortment of images capturing some of the heart of the event. One of our favorites is Tatiana, a street artist, one of the 50 artists providing a kinetic experience while you hop from one event to another.
In the early 1970s Lillian Bassman, among the most important fashion photographers of the 20th century, made the decision to dispose of her career, quite literally. Artists do this all the time without the intent — giving themselves over to excess, retreating to ashrams — but Ms. Bassman’s approach was aggressive and determined. Disillusioned by the costuming of the late 1960s, she had had enough of fashion and expressed her disdain by destroying decades’ worth of negatives and placing others in a trash bag in the coal room of her Upper East Side carriage house. Her era of furtive eroticism was over, and there was no point in scrapbooking it.
Ms. Bassman took her most significant pictures from the late ’40s to the early ’60s; most were published in Harper’s Bazaar under the stewardship of the magazine’s influential art director Alexey Brodovitch and belong distinctly to the era of “Mad Men” New York. The clothes have a structured beauty; the gloves are mandatory; the necks are long. Elegant men with cigarettes between their fingers occasionally enter the frame, encountering women who appear utterly indifferent to their attention. The perversions of inequality are absent; what appears instead is the glamour of a protracted cultural moment in which women were free from any expectation of sexual pursuit. The power of Ms. Bassman’s photographs is the power of a woman who is never moved to make a call.
Six years ago, at 87, Ms. Bassman discovered the glories of Photoshop and so began a new chapter in digital photography. She works every day in her studio, toying and reconfiguring from about 11 in the morning until dinnertime, and claims a proud proficiency with her computer. It is a skill however that does not extend to the use of e-mail or Google. “I’m not interested,” she said, “in any of that.”
Louise Goldin’s futuristic military collection was in the usual Goldin style of very structured and padded silhouettes.
Color palettes of moss greens and army blues with red and gold accents run with the current military trends of New York and London fashion week.
This is my first glimpse into Louise’s work and style and find it striking, playful, utilitarian, urban and playful.
Reminds me of the styling/design of costumes from a few films, like Planet of the Apes, 5th Element and a little storm troopers in there for good measure.
The fashion show reflecting the 2010/2011 Fall/Winter line is not necessarily exciting footage but gives you a little more insight into the experential style of Louise Goldin.
The fluorescent lights with the cool gray background really bring his style together.
Intrigued by the way plants and animals respond to their environments as they grow, Hur’s designs themselves adapt and change depending on how they’re worn. She expressly designs each interchangeable system of textile pieces to engage the customer and expand their opportunity for personal expression while still maintaining Hur’s original design concept. The outcome of her deeply considered garments are irresistibly touchable, textured pieces for wearing or using as a home furnishing.
Laser cutting, acid printing and etching fabric, Eunsuk Hur’s ethereal, multi-layered creations are already making a name for themselves in fashion and interior design. Moving abroad from South Korea to London to further her studies, Hur graduated earlier this year from the renowned Central Saint Martins School for Art and Design.
As seen on one of our favorite content/design/channels – Cool Hunting, here is a great example of design, interior, retail and experience design.
Nike – fusing culture, interaction and brand values with cutting edge fashion, design and immersion – a true winner. The textural sole applications and modeling, the suspended runner’s numbers/mobile installation – it’s wonderful.
Stella’s MAHTVA shoe is a great design solution around fusing fashion with sport.
Inspired by boxing boots, the Mahtva is a lightweight, all-purpose trainer. Featuring a textile and suede upper, with long-lasting EVA cushioning, this versatile shoe is an ideal choice for gym or casual wear.
One of my favorite photographers is Jill Greenberg. Period. Her style combines cutting edge photography and lighting combined with subtle post production techniques that have established a unique viewpoint and an instantly recognizable aesthetic. She has photographed a virtual who’s who of the design, celebrity and fashion world, and her photography has graced the covers of Fast Company this past year as the business magazine attempts to stay relevant in the digital age. She is perhaps best known for her stunning series of photos featuring children and monkeys. One day we hope to afford her talent. You can view more of her work at her site here . And see her in action featured in this cool hunting video:
We’ve been talking about it, but nooooo…you haven’t wanted to listen. Well, it’s here, Augmented Reality (AR) now becoming (fast becoming) a household term. Esquire’s new issue, takes advantage of this technology by featuring several AR nodes throughout it’s issue.
You download the software, quickly from their website – and then, as you find a graphic node in the issue, you hold it up to the camera/screen – and Voila!
You are immersed into the world of celebrity with Robert Downey Jr. or a beautiful girl sharing jokes with you, each different, depending on what time of day you are engaging online with her. It’s brilliant – a great selling tool, and just imagine the future of AR and what it might provide to your customers. We are working on a few AR concepts with some great partners and hope to work on some great projects to come.
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