Advertising: Patterns in Print

Fall advertising’s in full swing and today we’re sharing examples from the home, kids and fashion worlds. Patterns are woven into each spread in artistic, abstract, fluid ways. Pratesi‘s Gatsby bedding line shares the duality of crisp geometry and loose painterly lines. It’s a beautiful balance and particular colorway. It’s like seeing a moodboard alongside the final product- something we’re big fans of.

Following in the footsteps of DVF’s successful collaboration with GAP Kids, Kate and Jack Spade have teamed up to release a limited edition kids collection. From the looks of the ad, it’s going to be print focused. This camo christmas tree is a fun alternative to the red and green themes we’re used to seeing come Christmas time. And…taking things up a notch to a sexier Bright Lights, Big City tone, Jimmy Choo’s Cruise 2015 campaign melds light, movement, sex appeal and a city skyline. Harsh lines are met with loose light. It reminds me of the old Sex and the City Movie poster, right?

October 22, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik

Raquel Allegra: To Live and Dye

We love Raquel Allegra. Her textiles have a natural beauty to them that make you feel effortlessly put together. We’ve written about her collection and her patterns in the past, and wanted to share this recent collaboration with Merci Merci in Paris. To live and Dye in LA is an installation that overtook the store’s entrance and side wall. Everything about the strung up shirts, hombre gradient, mirrored case and chunky knit wall was breathtaking.

October 20, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik

Retail: Denim & DIY Dip Dye

Anyone who works in retail display design knows there’s an endless amount of tlc that goes into every execution. Whether creativity is being sparked by budget constraints, deadlines, or oddball restrictions, the behind-the-scenes repertoire is intense and hands on.

Interestingly, the two photos I snapped above are a contrast of sorts. The ripped denim chandelier at Warm NY, is beautifully complimented by white brick and directional lighting. The fabric stripes break the height of the space, bringing a softness to an otherwise cavernous nook. The results are effortlessly cool and bohemian.

The indigo dip dye cotton below, in contrast, is used to hide the department store ceiling at Selfridges in London. Not an easy feat. Both simulate a paralleling story, only this version seems 10x more time intensive. The display is beautiful, and busy, and actually reminds me a lot of wedding decor. What are your thoughts? Is this something you’d recreate and incorporate into your space?

August 27, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik

Retail Installations & Hanger Art

When I saw this at Anthropologie a while back, I was floored at how dry cleaner hangers could live an ethereal life beyond their intended purpose…but that’s what good retail installations do, right? They take ordinary, everyday objects and give them new meaning. These triangular ribbons mimic an avian theme and I love it. What do you think?

August 7, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik

Shades of Pink Around the Globe

In America, the color pink is often associated with youth culture. If you’re trying to be younger, or more feminine, or even more girly, you go for pink- it’s the defacto color of the female gender. Move across the Atlantic though, and you’ll find that pink serves as a cool, edgy accent. Vivid, florescent tips, paired with white or cream send an entirely different message- one that the French and the Swedes have embraced for a long time. Then, we have Karen Mainenti’s humorous painting that captures the conflict and dichotomy of color and the sexes. Here’s a quick round up of some favorite applications:

1. Hanro’s handmade dip-dyed paper torn window display in the Meat Packing District in Manhattan 2. A DIY maxi skirt on a pair & a spare 3. Very cool coasters from the Caribbean restaurant Glady’s in Crown Heights, Brooklyn 4. Youth retail display at ABC Carpet in Manhattan 5. A spectacular painting I took a photo of at my airbnb in Stockholm earlier this Spring 6. Revlon No.450 Gentlemen Prefer Pink by Karen Mainenti

July 24, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik

Where Art, Fashion & Retail Meet

How magnificent are these window displays? Bergdorf Goodman’s hit it again, with a truly spectacular collection to beckon the Spring season. Following my personal mantra, that inspiration is rooted in the world of art and politics (and is eventually translated for the masses), the luxury department store has tapped 10 artists, creating one of it’s most successful collaborations to date.

It’s exciting to turn a new generation of artists loose in our windows. We like the idea of using our windows as an evolving gallery to reflect the synergy of art and fashion, says Linda Fargo, Bergdorf’s SVP. If you live in New York and haven’t been by to see the spectacle, put it on your to-do list, and if you live beyond Manhattan, check out these talented artists, they’re making waves today.

Christopher Astley * Mattia Biagi * Kristin Cammermeyer * Sebastian Errazuriz * Lionel Esteve * Peter D. Gerakaris * Andrea Mary Marshall * Adam Parker Smith * Kasper Sonne * WXYZ x Laura Wass

PS, the candy constructed wallpaper seems like the feminine compliment to Leonardo Ulian’s work, just as the all-over pom poms reminds us of the dotted chaos trend from two years ago. Right?

February 12, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik