Budget: Appreciating Adidas

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Mainstream men’s fashion rarely takes the risks that women’s fashion is applauded for, though every now and then the majors go out on a limb and surprise us. This time, Adidas Consortium has us smiling, as they’ve taken a nod from ALife’s playbook with their random assortment of materials and styles. On account of our cut and pasting, this round up hardly looks like a cohesive collection, though Gilt Groupe has photographed a greater assortment and is offering them all at a steep discount. Check out their on-line sample sale to add a bit of zing to your wardrobe.

August 26, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Homegoods: Budget Friendly Bears

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Over the past few months, we’ve jumped on the online sample bandwagon. Though many of the wares from Gilt Group, Rue la la and One Kings Lane don’t necessarily bring us to hit the “purchase” button, today’s KUMA collection of teddy bears from Areaware, via One Kings Lane, have us in a buyer’s conundrum. This collection, designed by Ross Menuez, a Pattern Pulp favorite, is chock full of whimsically modern cuddly accessories. Additionally, the collection is comprised of organic cotton and printed with soy-based ink. Aside from the markdown, ease of purchase, and environmentally friendly ethos, we’re certain these bears will put a smile on anyone’s face, young or old.

August 4, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

BA Street Finds: Saving in Style

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Saving money is certainly in style this season, and now so are piggy banks. Since everyone is pinching pennies, Argentine designers have transformed the kiddie version of a 401k into a design object for the style and money conscious. The colorful swine are dominating Buenos Aires’ boutiques, including Tienda Palacio, Puntos en el Espacio and Materia Urbana. Local kitsch brand Casicursi created two of our favorite piggys – one covered in leopard print, another in red and blue paisley. These two patterns have been dominating international trends, but look fresh when used in this unexpected way. Malba (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires), the premier modern art museum in Argentina, features colorful leather piggys in the must-see museum shop. The leather material of these banks celebrates the culture’s most popular export in a fun new way.

How else can you save in style?

By: Rebecca Silver

July 23, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Budget: Taping Spaces

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Budget slashing has forced artists, retailers and marketers across the globe to get creative in finding lower-cost solutions to advertise their wares. Be it a rummage in the craft bin or a simple play on words, trend-setters such as Anthropologie and Barneys have proven less can be more when the concepts are strong. Today we’ve chosen to focus on tape as a decorative way to enhance a creative message. Earlier this summer the malleable nature of this medium was incorporated in the Color Forms layout featured in the New York Times Magazine where the photographer chose to compliment this Matryoshka table with vibrant colored floor striping. Applying similar energy and stiff color blocking, this repuposed Umbro t-shirt from 2006 reveals that DIY done right can update any brand. Using color, function and a healthy dose of sexy, Marc Jacobs has created one of the simplest and most striking window displays on New York’s Bleeker Street, proving that duct tape can work for even the most innovative designers.

July 8, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Flooring Solutions for Every Space

A few weeks ago, our dear friend Judy Prays requested pointed guidance on flooring solutions. Having just left Brooklyn for LA, she had an endless to-do list, and getting her apartment in order was one check in need of web aggregation. Scroll through our list of colorful solutions, as options range from custom to DIY.

Birds + Fish:

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The Fish Rug by Eva Zeisal at The Rug Company, Bird Scallop Printed Rug at Urban Outfitters and the Flock Rug at CB2.

Florals:

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The Como Collection at Funky Rugs, Calvin Klein Floral Loom at Funky Rugs, and the Blosson Tree Rug at Urban Outfitters.

Earthy:

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Forest Floor Rug at Angela Adams, Gold Leaves Rug at Spacify and Branches Rug at Spacify.

Puzzles:

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Puzzle Perser by Katrin Sonnleitner, Against the Grain at Flor and Puzzle by Puzzle Floor.

Floor Stencils:

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Home Offices of De Leon & Primmer Architecture Workshop, JA45 Mokko stencil featured on Apartment Therapy and Catherine’s hand painted floor pattern featured on Design*Sponge.

Bold Geometrics:

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Kashmir by Kyle Bunting , Lemon Ginger by Madeline Weinrub and The Xian Collection by Brink and Campman for Funky Rugs.

Sticker/Adhesives/Appliques:

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Electrical Tapped Floor in NY Mag, Large Floor Sticker at Rockett St. George and Nenuphar stickers at Made in Design.

Graphic:

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The Xian Collection by Brink and Campman for Funky Rugs, Crystals Rug at Angela Adams and Jorun Rug at Ikea.

Painterly:

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Bois at Jamie Drake Rugs, Tibetan Modern Rug at Spacify, Blue Rink at The Rug Company.

Additional Contributions by Emily Gup.

May 1, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Service: Recession Saavy Patternmaking

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So you’re talented and terrified of not staying relevant in the ever-evolving digital marketplace. For the patternmakers out there working strictly by hand, you’re in luck if willing to expand upon your skill set. Orli Sharaby, the fashion editor for PSFK, recently forwarded us some uplifting news which she spotted on the blog, Fashion Biz Inc. FBI just announced the launch of a brand new free program for unemployed patternmakers set to start at the end of April. Courtesy of a grant provided by Microsoft Corporation, this special program offers free training to unemployed patternmakers who need to improve or enhance their computer skills in order to obtain full time employment. Alternatively, if you’re a graphic designer looking to hop the fence onto the crafty side, the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn offer periodic patternmaking classes. Sounds like a great opportunity to see if the grass is actually greener on the other side.

April 23, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik