Trend: Tiger Treatments

Over the past year, I’ve felt the urge to write about tigers on numerous occasions. Oddly though, it just didn’t feel right. Well, today’s the day this story finally gets threaded together, as a few trips to Barneys, the back streets of Paris and the Lower East Side have proven that tigers continue to play muse when it comes to graphic application- be it current or a throwback to the 80’s. The above murals are an inverse of each other, and an interesting parallel of color palettes. The composition to the left is a painting by Colleen Rochette and is on display at Barney’s Department store on Madison Avenue. The mural to the right is opposite L’as Du Falafel, a popular Falafel joint in the Marais in Paris.

This Diane Von Furstenburg dress puts the stripes and eyes of the tiger on full display, creating an abstract and artistic interpretation of the animal print. Merging camouflage trends with a motif repeat approach, Sandro, a retail favorite for women in Paris, is selling tiger-bedecked dresses and shirts this season. Magnificent 7 plays homage to vintage asian themes while this white tiger painting at The Cake Shop, a popular indie music venue on the Lower East Side, is a distinct reminder that no one’s letting go of the 80’s anytime soon.

May 3, 2010 | By: Shayna Kulik

Barneys Warehouse Sale

It’s hard not to love Barneys. From Simon Doonan’s infamous Madison Ave. windows to the snarky advertising and retail displays, this department store is one step ahead when it comes to forward fashion business practices. Once again, their warehouse sale has descended upon us and if you live in NY or LA, it’s not a bad idea to check it out. Everything from Thakoon dresses to Marni shorts to Vena Cava shirts are considerably discounted from Feb 11th – Feb 28th. Click here to find out more!

February 15, 2010 | By: Shayna Kulik

Follow-up: The Spherical Formula

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Few motifs are as powerful as the starburst. We recently highlighted this symbol’s universal appeal and versatility in relation to logo design and beauty editorial. Today’s theme follows a similar track with other inspirational layouts. This R & Y Augousti mother of pearl serving tray is comprised of natural materials, giving it ethnic appeal. Following a similar path, Kate Miss, a New York based designer, advertises her Etsy shop organizing vibrant necklaces in a playful circular formation. The French footwear company, Repetto incorporates photo effects to emulate a snowflake with their Fall/Winter 08 advertisement. All successful executions inspired by the spherical formula!

By: Shayna Kulik

October 13, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Print: The Spherical Formula

Circular bursts serve as inspiration for countless campaigns and logo layouts. Be it corporate, luxury, indie or budget, there’s something subconsciously wholesome about a round shape that nearly everyone is drawn to. One of the reasons we’ve chosen to focus on Claudio Riaz’s make up brushes from Barney’s summer catalog and the Viceroy Hotel logo, which was appropriately placed in Ocean Drive, is that these two layouts, while wholly unrelated, make perfect visual sense when placed beside each other. Unintentionally, both images speak to the luxury traveler who considers themselves a minimalist. Add Levi’s Go Forth art to the mix and your younger sister and her camp friends have suddenly joined the graphic vacation. What’s the take away? Essentially, you’re halfway there if you choose the appropriate line quality, color and photography for your spherical identity.

September 1, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Event: Barneys Warehouse Sale

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Sample sales are commonplace in New York City. On an average Thursday you could be walking around midtown and pass by 5-10 handwritten signs beckoning you to enter. On the assumption that you’re even slightly adventurous, you decide to check it out and end up leaving with a garbage bag full of mark-down Tocca and Balmain. While some of these impulse buys may never see the light of day, the opportunity to own them is what gets shoppers excited. Today marks the start of Barney’s infamous week-long summer purge, otherwise known as their warehouse sale. For more info, check out their site.

August 20, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Street Finds: Urban Palettes

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There’s no shortage of inspiration when you live in a city that celebrates beauty and revels the grotesque. Today’s highlight captures the natural colors around town that can be used as a source of inspiration. From Vutera’s speakeasy neon lighting in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to this glass mosaic on New York City’s newest elevated park, The Highline, summer’s color combos are just as vibrant in nature as they are in city dwelling.

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This wall in Brooklyn speaks to several months of messaging. Once symbolic of a crumbling part of town, imagery such as this now serves as marketing inspiration for retailers such as Barneys and Urban Outfitters. Veering away from the grunge factor, this doorbell and name plate from San Francisco’s Russian Hill district, is both an amusing display of typography and a beautiful combination of warm muted tones.

Additional contributions by: Emily Gup

July 28, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik