Trend: White Collectives

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Most fashion aficionados and style connoisseurs will agree that white is a signifying color of summer- one that should be neatly tucked away after Labor Day. Interestingly, we’ve been noticing blatant references that defy this social rule in everything from music and beauty to fashion and (most obviously) home design this Fall season. Be it a jumble of sound equipment for Jay-Z’s newest album, Blueprint 3, this decorative West Village door, Jessica Simpson’s latest fragrance, Fancy Love, or Bergdorf Goodman‘s recent retail display, fanciful elements ranging from classic to contemporary can truly pop with a wash of white.

September 30, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Fashion: Technically Speaking

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The moment technical drawings began popping up in the mainstream, we knew back to school season was in full swing again. What’s most interesting about the above imagery is that regardless of the subject matter, both themes remind us of chalkboard drawings. J. Crew’s architectural lettering is comprised of strings and nails and has us saying our ABC’s, while the Gap has tapped the New Vintage Edison light bulb craze with black and white illustrated pajama pants. Regardless of the subject matter, these thin-lined contrasts conclusively define the western notion of education, and it’s refreshing to see more than just books ringing in the fall season.

September 14, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Follow-up: Diamonds are Forever Changing

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Diamonds in their purest form have remained desirable for centuries. From King Louis XIV of France to today’s modern bride, this gem signifies wealth, status and emotional commitment– three things that drive fashion and marketing teams crazy. Back in June, we covered global diamond patterns, as they were surfacing, and are now adding a few more to the bunch. Phillip Lim uses photo-realism in his bejeweled tank top while Rachel Roy simulates sparkle with cross-hatched slots on a quilted purse. Mimicking this concept with glass, Michael Kors references Hollywood glam with his new fragrance, Very Hollywood.

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Additionally, many designers seem to be moving away from the traditional pyramid silhouette that we’re all accustomed to seeing. From Clé De Peau‘s eye shadow to Marc Jacob’s earrings on the cover of the New York Times’ Style Magazine, to Diane Von Furstenburg and H.Stern’s latest watch collaboration, we’re curious to see where else these minimalist shapes will surface.

September 11, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Street Finds: Window Trends in New York

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Summer in the city is a great time for wandering. While the windows this season don’t presently hold the luster of the glittery holiday quarter, it’s not difficult to discern a bit of escapism in the air. The summer months are when we want to relive, if even for a moment, the thrills of our youth. It appears that retailers have tapped into this idea, hoping to pull at our nostalgic strings. Chanel and Marc Jacobs, staying true to their brands, have unveiled secret gardens, MAC‘s gotten crafty with gods eyes and Kate’s Paperie has taken the art of the pinwheel to a whole other level. Here at Pattern Pulp, we’re fervent observers, and so we’re continuing to photograph displays around town, connecting the dots whenever relevant themes and stories emerge. And so, our second window round up:

The Great Outdoors:

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These nature inspired windows are a bit of Alice and Wonderland meets Little Red Riding Hood. Bergdorf uses white birch, Dior incorporates leafless silhouettes and Ralph Lauren offsets their mannequins with bark-covered moss.

Vintage Bikes:

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The NYTimes recently proclaimed that New Yorkers have fallen back in love with their bikes. Vintage models have been visible all summer long, and in an effort to sell bohemian chic to the masses, retailers aren’t shying away from these bulky props. Here we have Paul Smith, Henri Bendel and a wooden model from Camper.

Assorted Headgear:

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Hats have really made a comeback over the past year. Be it New Vintage influences or a throw back to individualism, men’s fashion is embracing this forgotten accessory. In typical Barneys fashion, creativity creates the product. Bergdorf uses ethereal pop illustrations and John Varvatos suspends the real thing.

Back to School:

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Late August wouldn’t be complete without a few back to school windows. Books, pencils and blackboards dominate for J. Crew, Jack Spade, and Juicy Coutoure.

Bright + Basic:

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Bright colors prevail for these budget friendly windows. Custo Barcelona offsets their clothing with dangling textured nets while Brooklyn Industries weaves together colorful box strips for a pixelated effect. Eryn Brinie completes this geometric puzzle with dangling paper plates.

Wooden Landscapes:

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Reclaimed wood has always been a commodity for interior designers. Anthropologie and Barneys are capitalizing on this trend by getting crafty.

Coverage by: Emily Gup

September 2, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Retail: Plaid Toss

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It’s always fascinating when creative parallels emerge within unrelated markets. Vitra, a leading furniture concept store recently unveiled it’s Vegetal chair by suspending several black and white styles in their Meat Packing District windows. No more than two miles south, Burberry’s signature plaid has taken a similar route, by tossing it’s famous pattern in it’s Soho location window. This youthful touch looks like the work of Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s newish Creative Director. Merging plaid elegance with organic fast food, Sis. Deli + Café, a chain of restaurants in Helsinki, Finland, has proven that consumption and convenience can be effectively translated without bombarding the customer with incessant messaging.

August 19, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Digital Snacking

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Lately it seems that for Americans, life is delivered “on the go”. This style of living, most famously portrayed in the story, Fight Club, highlights the single serving lifestyle. “(The) Cordon Bleu hobby kit. Shampoo-conditioner combos, sample packaged mouthwash, tiny bars of soap, single serving friends.” While this trend was once attributed to the traveler on the go, it now characterizes consumption trends for a broader base of the population. Beyond the mini servings of cereal and 100-calorie packs of oreos, consumers are now snacking on their information as well. RSS feeds, text messaging, mobile apps, Twitter, and iPods all represent information, products and services that come in bite-sized packages that have been designed for flexible living and even disposable consumption.

This concept of splintered technology is conveyed through color in Bond No. 9’s summer window display. Each bottle of perfume is stacked in a tetris-like manner, reminding us of the infinite possibilities we must choose when devising a singular path. Jennifer Daniel, a graphic designer from the New York area is known for creating art as social commentary on the way we live our lives. This 404 illustration is the result of 36 unloadable images. In keeping with the spirit of the stirring mind, Propeller Modern, a home goods store based in San Francisco, sells this local work of art that reminds us of a topographical landscape compiled of “O’s” from every form of print media.

Additional contributions by: Kelsey-Lee LeGassick

August 17, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik