Pattern Pulp Gift Guide, Part 2

Off the heels of yesterday’s budget-friendly list, today’s mix has a few high-end goodies. Enjoy part 2 of our arty gift guide!

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1. Lanvin Faces Playing Cards, Lanvin, $85
2. Geometric: Graphic Art & Pattern Font Book, Kapitza, $91
3. Fairisle Mittens, All Saints, $65
4. David David (Sanders) Pillow, The Darkroom, $118
5. Tribal Screen Printed Tights, Patternity, $56
6. Masko Box Top, All For Everyone, $260
7. Wheelie Double Deck Luggage, Burton, $289.95
8. Day 114 Dice Print by Lisa Congdon, 20×200, $20-200
9. Bliss Eau de Toilette, Bliss, $54
10. Star Studded Anniel Domitille, Sarenza, $96
11. Hand Painted Silk Skull Scarf, Crystal J. Silk, $101
12. 2011 Vector Funk 2011 Calendar, MWM Graphics, $33
13. Printed Leather iphone Case, Tovi Corrie, $39
14. Cork Yves Saint Laurent Brief Case, Bergdorf Goodman (at the store), $550
15. Thorny Glasses, Michele Varian, $132

December 14, 2010 | By: Shayna Kulik

Budget Buys: Saltbox Bags

Having just returned from a week of travel, I have luggage on the mind. While my Burton bag has served me well over the past few years, I can’t say I’m not tempted to upgrade every time I see a great pattern. A series of textured weekender bags from Saltbox are currently on sale on One Kings Lane. Check em out, as they’re a nice alternative to the Vera Bradley set.

July 16, 2010 | By: Shayna Kulik

Interview: Emil Kozak

Influenced by skateboarding culture, his homebase of Barcelona and a healthy dose of creative irony, Emil Kozak has become a leader of what’s relevant in today’s graphic market. Devising obscure references through words, objects and codes, Kozak has produced artwork for clients ranging from Vans, Element, and Burton, to Nike, Lab Skateboards and Uniqlo. “I hope that my work can remind us that imagination can defy gravity and bend time.” Kozak’s mantra is yet another example of trends in design bridging both space and time. Check out our Q+A for a glimpse into the world of this vector wunderkind.

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PP: What websites do you generally start your day with? Do you have a daily routine for news/blog/information consumption?

EK: I check the wave forecasts first thing when I wake up. Sometimes I check the news, but usually i just get started on working.

PP: As a designer, how did you discover your talent and how has it evolved over your creative career?

EK: When i was a kid I was really into Lego and making things out of wood. At my parents house there is still all my homemade pinball machines, pirate ships and what not. When I got older, I started making tape-covers for mix tapes and the demo-tapes for our punk-band on the Xerox machine at my dad’s work. When I finished High School, my mom gave me the idea to try out a graphic design education. I did and was hooked.

PP: Do you discuss your work with other designers? If so, how does that impact your creation process?

EK: Yes, I have friends with similar professions and we always help each other out, when the eyes give up… It affects more of the final decision making concerning colorways or small variations. Conceptual work etc. is between my notebook and me 🙂

PP: Where do you usually work on your patterns and what is your preferred method of creation + execution?

EK: First I sketch with pencil and paper. Then I scan and finish it on computer.

PP: When is the last time you took a professional/creative risk??

EK: I guess I take small risks on a weekly basis, but the last major one was deciding to go freelance, and start up my own studio.

PP: Do you incorporate commercial trends into your work and if so, is this a factor that drives your design?

EK: Sure, I’m just as much a product of my environment as anybody else. Zeitgeist and the contemporary is a powerful thing. I actually think it’s kinda cool that we are all in this boat together somehow with shared beliefs and a collective consciousness.

June 23, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Pixel Mashing

burton-bloomingdales

Photography and graphic design have become so interconnected in today’s marketplace that one medium rarely exists without the other. Websites like ffffound and qbn showcase the best and the brightest, overshadowing what many print monthlies used to accomplish. By offering a 24/7 stream of creative inspiration, designers and critics alike have been able to familiarize themselves with what’s current. This photo, taken by Bueller Designs in LA, displays a cluster of translucent dots that are a result water and light. By merely adding saturation and a grid, brands like Burton and Bloomingdales prove that the transition from natural beauty to commercial glam can be a quick (and profitable) one.

May 7, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Print: Environmental Prisms

prism-pop

Just as chefs have an intimate relationship with their food, graphic designers are often tied to their pixels. Much of the time these creative atoms are invisible at final execution, however lately, as our collective romance with the digital world has grown, so has the size of these geometric marks. Lisa Toff, the blogger behind MyConey, exemplifies this design style with her recently founded card company, prismPOP. Using bright vectors and soy inks to communicate her illustrations, Toff proves that you can be environmentally conscious while making a bold creative statement.

Toff will be showcasing her latest collection in Brooklyn this Sunday at the Handmade Cavalcade in addition to the Renegade Craft Fair in early June. For 20% off your next order (on etsy or in person), sign up for the mailing list and reference Pattern Pulp – you’ll receive a coupon via e-mail.

May 7, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Fashion: Mandatory Headgear

nutcase-helmets

I’m not really an extreme sports kinda girl. Every time I take my bike out for a ride, the only thing that stops me from returning it to the bike room is the fact that a protective path leads me to Bleeker Street and a helmet is covering my head. Imagery of taxi doors opening and tourist collisions are on repeat until my destination’s been reached. Neurotic perhaps, but appropriate for an accident-prone city like New York. Finding cool headgear to match my “coffee and muffin” bike hasn’t been easy, though the designers at Nutcase, have certainly presented fashionable options. Borrowing from the snowboarding aesthetic that made companies like Burton and 686 popular, Nutcase speaks to the creative loudmouth with their bright and playful designs.

ateliersruby-helmets

Les Ateliers Ruby caters to the fashionable motorcyclist or vespa enthusiast. Using glossy photography and a gorgeous subject matter, this French helmet company has certainly earned it’s place in the luxury sector.

velorbis-bike-accessories

Though this post is primarily dedicated to headgear, I’d be neglecting the purpose of Pattern Pulp if I let these two examples slide. Velorbis of Denmark is known for their beautiful (and practical) product offerings. Using an all-over Japanese floral, this Pannier makes me wish I had more to carry on my daily route. In an effort to disguise her helmet while still appearing chic, Shelly from Riding Pretty designed this Sherlock cape and hat combo, a creative adaptation to the oddly famous Snuggie.

March 13, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik