Music: Gotye's Illustrative Storytelling

It seems like everyone’s familiar with the Gotye song by now (with over 200 million views) for Somebody That I Used to Know. Impressive, right? The animation’s consistant with the crystal trend we’ve grown accustomed to seeing, though the application’s fresh and fitting for the story. I only just stumbled on the original version after catching up on a blog favorite of mine, Apron Anxiety.

Alyssa puts it best, “Listen to words – holy shit who hasn’t been there, on one end or the other – come on now. I’m supposed to be blogging about good reviews and food-porn and purple carrots and book parties all that good stuff, but it’s Saturday and just want to let it all goooooooooo….”

May 9, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Textiles: Global Tracking Beyond Google

Many of us love and collect maps so it’s no surprise to see modern adaptations to current collections. I recently came across this Carven number while browsing Barney’s after a dentist appointment. It’s quite playful in a polished way. Using a muted palette and traditional layout (who remembers the pull-down version from elementary school?!), this Elizabeth LeCourt dress merges uptown and downtown seamlessly. Reminding us that there are alternatives to the long-winded travel email, Best Made Co adds a needle and thread for DIY participation in their Stitching Postcards (which was recently featured in Wayfare Magazine).

This adorable onesie is from Mini Rodini and almost looks like a web 2.0 info graphic. I saw it on Swiss Miss last week. Precious, no?

May 7, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Friday (ahem, Sunday) Quick Links!

1. Ignacio Torres’ series of gifs, Stellar, live up to their title via The Jealous Curator
2. Love these faceted wooden polka dot vases from Stampel via The Design Files
3. Tickled by Garance Broca’s knit take on the Space Invaders game via Style Bubble
4. Lovely DIY marbled glassware created using nail polish via Honestly WTF
5. Brooklyn artists Faile covered a building with handmade tiles via booooooom
6. Cornelia Konrads’ mind-bending site-specific installations via This is Colossal
7. Geometric painted dwellings from Tiébélé in Burkina Faso, West Africa via Poppytalk
8. Digging these colorful DIY furniture legs via Morning by Foley
9. The patterns in these textiles are actually encoded messages via design-milk
10. Cara Barer’s art blurs the line between object, sculpture & photography via Trendland
11. Beyond amazing – Ava Roth’s hand painted walls via design*sponge
12. Stunning double exposure photography by Jon Duenas via The Fox is Black

Coverage by Emily Gup

May 6, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Twitter Influencer: Karan Singh

Karan Singh is an Australian illustrator and designer currently residing in Manhattan. With experience gained from working at a multidisciplinary studio and spending the past five years as an independent illustrator, Karan’s projects have seen him interact with a gamut of clients ranging from local design boutiques to internationally recognized brands and agencies. We love his exuberantly colored, punchy illustrations and his elegant, interesting and innovative typography.

In addition to illustration, Karan is the curator and writer for his self-initiated side project Pig Bimpin’, an online resource for documenting creative people, articles of industry and a showcase for excellent work. This enthusiasm for not just his own work, but also that his fellow creative peers and the creative process as a whole carries through to his twitter feed. On twitter, Karan happily praises and shares the work of others, his adventures as a creative professional and the latest updates on his projects. Follow along for a colorful time!

May 5, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Styling a Grunge Shoot with Chelsa Skees

Every once in a while friends ask what it’s like to style a shoot so I thought I’d give a little insight from a recent job. While most assignments are different, on this particular shoot I was given complete creative authority which is what I enjoy the most. I got an inspiration board and was told to pull my looks from 3 brands: Cushnie et Ochs, Sandro, and Suno.

I was inspired to pull a few downtown modern grunge looks together that were chic while adding girly-skirts and frilly-socks for a softer feel. I knew there was going to be a green wig on the set and some colorful backdrops so I pulled bright tops to clash colors for a fun pop.

In addition to getting the inspiration boards I was given a few descriptor words: cool, colorful, fun, and hip. It’s my job to bring these adjectives to life. Every time I book a shoot I try to gather all the info I can- from expectations, models, color, mood, environment and brand to ensure each job’s a success. Photos by Tom Mendes and myself.

Coverage by Chelsa Skees

May 5, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Weavers in India Changing the World

Taking a page out of the Nike Girl Effect campaign, the artistic execution of the IOU Project is equally striking. The video sheds light on the unique, handmade fabrics handwoven in India. The message reminds us of the individuality of each garment and traces the production and process to finished goods. Created by Jossie Malis- Zunmakamera and music by Julie Reier.

May 4, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik