Retail: London Storefronts

There’s a lot of good color making the rounds in London this Spring.

We’ve been in a pastel period for some time, and it seems like we’re moving a bit forward, finally. Between Maitre Choux’s grand opening and the Liberty x Nike collaboration, the graphics are flat colorful vectors full of wit and whimsy.

The new patisserie in South Kensington is a passion project by Joakim Prat, and the editable items mirror the branding in their geometric story. The desserts are absolutely delicious, I highly recommend popping in if you’re a local – I went on a recent trip with my friend Lily, and it took all the willpower in the world to resist ripping into the package before getting it home to share.

Down on Regent Street, Liberty London’s window is a 3D model of patterned terrain. Foam core has been cut into curved landscapes, depicting depth through pattern. Check it out if you’re walking by, it’s really well done.

June 24, 2015 | By: Shayna Kulik

Fancy Fence Work from London

Just a short post today…here’s an incredible piece of artistry woven into a regular fence. Yalla Yalla is a Beirut Street Food Market in Shoreditch, London. Welcoming you into the space is this patchwork sculpture that’s almost invisible, until you’re up close, inspecting the menu, deciding whether or not you want to enter. It feels like wire crochet. Does anyone know who’s responsible for it?

June 1, 2015 | By: Shayna Kulik

Colors & Summer Brights

Summer’s arrived – especially in Manhattan where the temps are teetering on 90 degrees Farenheit. In acknowledgment and celebration of the season change, I thought I’d share some snaps from the past few weeks.

It’s been a bit of a travel forecasting whirlwind, and interestingly, it seems like the global color palettes are on the same page. The rose floral clutch is from Selfridges, while the mega leaf was spotted during a wedding weekend celebration in Tulum, Mexico. It truly feels like the Mara Hoffman of plants. I inserted myself in the mix- since the orange and pink play was unexpected, but extremely characteristic of the vibrancy throughout Morocco. That said, this dress is a Balinese print. This was a brief roadside coffee break, enroute to Marrakesh. Hay Design has created a pop up shop at Liberty London, and unsurprisingly, the patterns were fabulous. Here are a few tote bags from their spring collection. The geometric paper is from Pentreath & Hall, an interiors store just off Lambs Conduit Street in London. The folds make the 2D/3D graphics truly pop.

In putting this together, I thought I’d make a quick print that embodied all of the above, incorporating the colors and mood from each image. I don’t usually share my designs on the blog, but figured it’d be useful to illustrate the meaning behind concept and creation.

May 13, 2015 | By: Shayna Kulik

Budget Friendly Prints from Europe

I recently returned from eight days in London and Spain…which were a dream…after combatting the jet lag, of course. These patterns are just a few of many that I snapped while in Marylebone, Mallorca, Ibiza and Barcelona…the top left is of a door in Ibiza that shares a striking resemblance to a moire pattern. The second “wind and energy” print is from the Swedish store, And Other Stories (a personal favorite). There’s a simplicity to it that I just love. The bottom left is a new release from Zara, but I swear it looks like a Marni duplicate…can anyone confirm? The last print is from Monki, another Swedish store geared towards the young at heart with a few sophisticated basics (think Aritzia). I love the neon.

August 18, 2014 | By: Shayna Kulik

Social Enterprise & Bespoke Clutches

If I lived in London, I’d be a regular at The Darkroom. We feature them from time to time on Pattern Pulp, as their pieces are beautifully curated and their ethos aligns very closely to ours. Today we’re all about these clutches– a fair trade bespoke collaboration made in Madagascar and managed by the incredible social enterprise, Madwa.

The bags are made by a group of highly skilled craftswomen living in extreme poverty along Lake Alaotra. Madwa’s gone to great lengths to lay the foundation and provide infrastructure so this community can have economic independence. If you’re a fan, support the cause and the store and spread the word.

September 5, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik

A British & Japanese Dreamscape

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If you’d like to lose yourself in the Alice in Wonderland of brands, visit Swash London. The illustrations are intricate, eerie and beautiful. The founders, Sarah Swash and Toshio Yamanaka met at Central Saint Martins and merge their British and Japan roots seamlessly.

Swash have created anniversary scarves for Barneys and Le Bon Marché, exhibited handmade balloons at Liberty and adorned 5 floors of Isetan with Candy prints and giant animals. Other store projects include those at Tomorrowland and HP Theatre in Japan, Gago in France, RA in Belgium and Cochinechine in London.

March 13, 2013 | By: Shayna Kulik