Pattern Pulp

Colors & Summer Brights




1Summer_BrightsSummer’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.

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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.

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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.

 

Inspiration & Summer Shadows




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Here are a few snapshots from last week. It was a pleasure getting out from behind the computer screen and finding an unlimited supply of inspiration by the shore. These pictures are from the beach, the boardwalk, the ferry and a few shadow/umbrella formations. Most, could easily transition into textiles…number 4 has Calvin Klein home written all over it. What are some of your favorite everyday patterns that you’re spotting this summer? Share your pictures with us on instagram (with the hashtag #patternpulp so they group together) and I’ll post a few favorites next week!

 

Color: East Coast Americana




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We took a bit of a break in our postings last week to readjust, clean house and catch up. Hopefully you enjoyed your down time as well- be it by a beach, on a bike or reading the newspaper under a fan. I stayed in Manhattan over the 4th and aside from the extreme heat, it was nice to pop around an empty city. One of the highlights entailed biking down the Westside Highway during the fireworks show when they shut it down to cars. Another was a potluck picnic in Carl Schurz’s park (that’s my friend Lisa) and our favorite adventure entailed wedding celebrations in the Catskills. Here are a few photos…and a palette to match.

 

Color: Pale Palettes for Summer




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I’ve been living in a new apartment since September and the street’s a rather commercial one. It’s filled with banks, steakhouses, furniture showrooms and the Fed Ex and UPS headquarters. When you’re rushing to the train, it’s easy to miss the charm, but when you’re lingering, noticing the details, the gems start to pop. Here’s a beautiful find along Greenwich, just north of Canal St.

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The color blocking and pale palette represents the summer months ahead and it inspired me to make a stripe, then a plaid, then experiment some more.

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Here are a few darker compliments filled with contrast. They’re reminiscent of  men’s outerwear – specifically the snow gear that’s about to get packed away and stored til the Fall.

An Aquatic 4th of July




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Here’s hoping you had a restful weekend! There’s a bit of irony in today’s slideshow.

This collection is part of the Washed Up, Project Ocean window exhibit at Selfridges that I shot while visiting London a few weeks ago. In the spirit of summer fun, awareness and celebrating the ocean’s treasures, this theme couldn’t be more appropriate to usher in the second half of summer, particularly in light of Montana’s Yellowstone oil spill.

The New York Times




A week ago I had the pleasure of speaking with Tricia Romano, a reporter for the New York Times on the topic of swimwear pricing. We covered everything from the marketing evolution of the bikini to the reasoning behind high and low price points for corporate and indie designers. The article appeared in the style section of the Sunday Times this past weekend. Check it out here.

Tracking Repetitive + Awesome.
On Instagram.