Patterns through romance, fashion and rock & roll- acquaint yourself with the latest product collaboration from Benefit and Diet Coke (by way of PSFK). In an effort to reach a fashion customer base, these limited edition cans have “gotten glam” using basic textures and silhouettes.
If tasked with this project, I know I’d be more experimental, like this campaign. What patterns would you suggest?
We all snap photos of our favorite things- my iPhone has a disproportionate amount of graffiti, textiles and logos in it’s library. As I was clearing my cache yesterday, I was reminded of a few favorite type designs from the past few months.
The Marni display on the left was a wall decal at Barneys earlier this year and Kaight is a fashion boutique that just opened along Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. Both designs share an elegant particle theme, emulating movement and transition. If you go to Kaight’s website you’ll be pleasantly surprised with it’s seasonal adaptation, have a look– what do you think?
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Always a proponent of repetition, I thought I’d share two examples where patterns steal the show online. The above banners on The Sydney Morning Herald illustrate the power of color and graphic detailing when paired alongside text. Your eye is immediately drawn to the advertising, even before the duck.
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J.Crew illustrates a similar technique in their online holiday sale. When paired with text, large shapes with relevant or abstract meaning can be a wonderful compliment.
When flipping through the January 2012 Vogue, it took us about half a second to notice something familiar about the Lexus ad (as seen on the left). Immediately, we called to mind the meticulously dissembled works of Todd McLellan (example on the right) that we spotted last February whose images were quickly disseminated throughout the blogosphere with glee. Could Lexus have gotten their inspiration from Todd who incidentally also photographs cars and advertisements?
A little digging finds that this photograph from Lexus was only the beginning of a project in which four fashion designers – Moss Lipow, Eddie Borgo, John Patrick and Alejandro Ingelmo – were challenged to “rethink their notions of automotive design” for an ad campaign slated to appear in Vogue.
A Lexus CT 200h hybrid car was taken apart and from the pieces the designers created clothing and accessories. The results of the project were on display at the recent Art Basel Miami Beach.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GwQp7969lHY
We think the approach is interesting and certainly touches on a number of markets. Of course, fans of Todd’s work (and probably the mechanically inclined, too) will appreciate the peculiar beauty of seeing a machine taken apart and laid out piece by piece. Enthusiasts of repurposing goods, especially the parts of gadgets (example: watch parts) to make accessories will also likely take note. Intent on showing off both their goals for sustainability and their innovative engineering – and likewise an apparent appreciation for creative thinking – Lexus also might make you think about the cycle of inspiration and of the lines in which art, advertising and design blend, merge and where, if any, are there boundaries.
Coverage by Emily Gup
Identities are a funny thing. In one instance you’re one version of yourself and in another you’re an entirely different character. Alternate parts of your personality shine at varying times. Now add a digital layer. A boundary of sorts, something to protect you from the reality of what’s true and what’s false.
Today’s story hones in on the awkward line between these worlds. Photographically, it’s illustrated by Neil Barret’s latest print campaign of youth divided. Reminding us of Nick Cave’s beautiful and often confusing costumes, we have David Sim’s latest spread in LOVE Magazine and bringing an eerie surrealist interpretation to the table, there’s Dow’s Einstein-infused Solutionism campaign.
Anyone who spends time with me knows I love video and am always recommending it to clients when branching out into editorial content. Between the massive budgets that produce seasonal campaigns and homemade flip camera productions, there’s a swath of space in between to produce films on a budget and today’s Kate Spade feature is a perfect example. Enjoy.