Forecast Winter 2010-11 August 6, 2009

The way to reach market today is by creating innovative fabrics either through interesting weaves and prints or through creating sustainability by using technology for new experimentation. There are aspirations to achieve a harmony between sustainable development, a healthy lifestyle and the dynamic fashion world. The clear message of eco and sustainability reaches through re-cycling and up-cycling. In trend are Hybrid fabrics that mix ampleness and ergonomics, organic cotton and recycled polyester, in a friendly and futuristic spirit.

In terms of design there is a reverence for the past while gazing hopefully toward the future. This can be seen in Victorian elements, gothic architecture, heraldic motifs and harlequin prints. There is a return of bright colors and strong folklore statements, inspirations from around the world with embroidery, appliques and felting treatments.

Dream like nature is envisioned in both urban and tribal settings. The forest-like vegetation in both these settings is either mysterious or nearly surrealistic. Nature enters our living spaces, gives us touch of romance. Green, the season’s directional color unifies this eco modern style that merges city and nature. Warm tones alongside cold tones define this relationship between the Organic alongside Artificial. There is a movement from the conventional to a humorous distortion of the existing patterns and visuals such as checks, flower or geometrics.

Another interesting theme in prints includes enlarged or fragmented pixalation. Using pointillism s minimalist and monochromatic range of scattered motifs and patterned grounds creates optical effects. Traditional fabric weaves get enhanced by performance elements. Mineral tones are the basis for designing this balance between the warm and cool tones.

In this time of global recession and climate change Price, Quality and Longevity are the buying Mantra. People’s attitudes and belief systems are being altered and so will their opinions, desires and priorities be.

Based on the study of Promostyl, Textile View, Premier Vision,  Lenzing forecast

PANTONE VIEW Colour Planner—Spring/Summer 2010 May 27, 2009

MAGIC

MAGIC gives us the ability to imagine and to change. It opens up a world of infinite possibilities, connecting us again with the child we once were and still lives within each and every one of us. For Spring/Summer 2010, let’s use our own magical thinking to create products that surprise both the world and ourselves. “Magic is a bridge which allows you to move from the visible world to the invisible, and to learn the lessons of both worlds.” The intent of the magic determines the color to use.

Shadowplay

A counter to the past few seasons’ push toward all things bright and kaleidoscope in feeling, the color palette of Shadowplay goes beyond simple neutrals and monochromes to a more immaterial quality of blacks, grays, sands and whites. A great range to use as a basis with other color stories, shadowplay shows the importance of half tones, in both light and dark color families

Mirage

How we look and perceive the world around us is conditioned by light or the lack thereof. Mirage is marked by a simple, warm and natural summer “white” look, followed around by soft tinted, cool shadow neutrals. Here it is all about sunburned whites and down to earth shades.

Hypnotic

Here we use mixes of pastel, vivid and acid tones to create a universe in which both natural and synthetic materials are combined to give color an artificial appearance. The hypnotic palette frees us to flee the typical and established color combinations and connect with an imaginary future where we change our reality through the use of color.

Alchemy

Alchemy gives us the spirit of life and light, the energy of the sun and the tantalizing flames of a dancing fire. A color frenzy balanced by the essential neutral beige which sits in a pivotal spot between the stimulating and enlightening bursts of orange and yellow and the creativity and spirituality of the pinks and purples.

Talisman

The shades in the Talisman palette appear to have a magical power and radiate a powerful energy. This is a range of colors that are eclectic and the whole attitude here is about freedom of expression and the idea of new shades being applied to classic materials. What is important here is an interpretation that is exuberant, exotic and irregular.

Tale

Romantic and pure, blending like a soft kaleidoscope, Tale embodies a palette of subtle shades of pale. Colors are clean, harmonies are light and shapes are ancestral and classic. There is a feeling of understated materialism with the real magic clearly lying in the simplicity.

Shamanism

Incorporating colors from nature, Shamanism lets us connect with our more animalistic side. With trash highlighted as a design option, objects appear unfinished, materials look eroded, finishings are purposely soft and worn out and luxury fabrics are raw or rough.

Spellbound

From the deepest indigo, oriental ink and royal blue to the paper white, yellowed parchment and onion skin, the colors in spellbound let you start with a blank page and combine the magic of these colors to tell a new story.

2009 Interior Trends March 23, 2009

The Interior Trends as per IMM  Cologne 2009  is divided into Four Categories:

I would discuss here one category which is very interesting:

Extra Much/ To the Limit/ Juxtaposition / Virus Attacks / Trash Luxe

The search for new, groundbreaking materials, designs and structures drives us. A design is only good if the creator has given his all.

Juxtaposition

We follow two options simultaneously but still arrive at the same result. Our second life is a parallel universe, which looks damnably like the first one.

Trash Luxe

We are recyclers of industrial waste, infiltrating it with plenty of feeling. The new luxury is out there on the street, all you have to do is collect it.

Colours:

A blue-grey base is this year’s background colour, along with a broad spectrum of May green, bright orange and yellow. Apricot and cream, a variety of blues ranging from lavender to cyan, copper and gold complement the look.

Shapes:

A uniform look is indiscernible because of the vastly different approaches adopted, which range from the conventional to the experimental, from the technical to the organic. In addition, some designs are down to the material or manufacturing technique used.

Materials:

New materials and technologies dominate. Technical synthetics, previously unused in the furniture segment, are making inroads. In addition, new perspectives are opening up for familiar materials like aluminium and Plexiglas, due to the use of innovative processing techniques.

Print Forecast Spring Summer 2009-10 March 23, 2009

Promostyl Style guide forecasts four print trends for the Spring Summer 2009-10.

The first theme Decadance gets influences from Art Nouveau and Art Deco. There is lot of  influence from William Morris Patterns.

The second theme Post-it revolves around Japanese liberty patterns and is minimalistic.

The third theme Wave is inspired by classical country motifs influenced by Japanese motifs.

The last theme Wild is based on vegetation , foliage, rhythmic stripes colored with retro colors.

Heimtextil Trends 2009 Report January 20, 2009

There were lot of interesting  lectures related to trends in Heimtextil.   PerclersParis, one of the  trend research agency Sari Myohanen presents four trends to her audience.

The first theme was Instant City based on functionality of the product superimposed with sensuality.The next theme was Ambivalence based on sustainabilty and eco luxury. This year we are not talking about just sustainable products but we are adding a new luxury to it. The thrd theme was Envisage based on obvious well being. Its about wellness movement, macrobiotic food, antibacterial fabrics, encapsulated fabrics giving lot of finishes related to freshness and fuctionality with understated ornaments. The last theme was Migrations based on cross- cultural ethnic mix.

There was a  glimpse  of lifestyle products in different contexts – from the eco-kitchen, with its heavy lifestyle influence, to new typographies for table runners. “We are at the moment living in a time of opposing tendencies” says the agency’s senior stylist. One current pushes us in the direction of a sustainable “slowing-down lifestyle” (she calls this trend “urban nature und radical design”). It seeks authenticity and substance and is more about quality than quantity. It finds expression in durable, practical, timeless furniture and home decorations, which “seduce us with their lifestyle implications” and have finally rid themselves of the “purple dungarees” image. On the other hand, there is sense of acceleration and a life lived at break-neck speed, dominated by amusement and fun: high-tech fabrics that are functional rather than sustainable. “A paradox“. And how will the notion of sustainability develop? I ask as a final question. “Natural materials; but elegant. New surfaces and new forms. Bast, terracotta, everything hyper modern, new indigo style, batik patterns”. And I wonder, how come there are these contradictions? If sustainable products, which people enjoy and which are fun because of modern design, take account of the environment and natural resources, and are not manufactured using child labour, then this ought to be a fantastic symbiosis, shouldn’t it?

Eco-Fibers August 17, 2008

There once was a woman  who decided her underclothes should be made of milk, her blouse of green wood and her skirt of the Spanish broom whose bright yellow flowers scented the summer evenings. She also desired a jacket that hung to perfection, and finally chose one made of corn.

Now this may sound like spinning an improbable yarn. But teasing out fanciful threads from unexpected fibers has become a thriving industry near the northern Italian city of Brescia. “We cannot compete with China in terms of cost and bulk for basic products,” said Romano Bonadei, co-founder and past president of Filartex, a yarn-spinning company that focuses on high-end yarns. “But we can hold our own when it comes to producing customized yarns for clients whose needs we take care of,” from concept definition to communicating with weavers “we know will do our product justice. We sell a service, not a yarn.”

Today cotton cultivation ranks second only to corn as the world’s most polluting agricultural product.

Filartex has created a solution to the problem in a line of naturally dyed yarns made from hand-picked organic cotton, as has another company in the Brescia area – Maclodio Filati. Testing in both these companies’ well-equipped laboratories has shown that fibers unstressed by chemical substances have 10 to 15 percent greater absorbancy to dyes than conventional cotton. So dyeing requires lower concentrations of the color, and finished textiles are easier on the skin.

Maclodio is breaking new ground. The company has started spinning yarns made from cultivated wood fiber registered as Lenpur, an American trademark for which Maclodio has exclusive distribution worldwide, except in Japan.

The timber, Canadian silver fir, is harvested according to ecological criteria, and the yarn produced by the company’s method is not only extremely smooth, but also wears well in hot or cool climates. It has the coziness of silk, the feel of cashmere and the freshness of linen. The fact that Lenpur absorbs water so readily and then releases the dampness into the air makes it useful as light, silken toweling.

Milkofil, another yarn by Maclodio, uses spinnable fibers obtained from casein, the white, odorless protein from which cheese is made.

Fibers were, in fact, first obtained from milk in 1935, when fascist Italy was bent on pursuing a policy of autarky, a commodity self-reliance aimed at avoiding international trade. Under names like Lanital, Aralac and Merinova, these yarns replaced wool until the postwar period. By the 1950s, however, such substitutes had been happily forgotten as an embarrassing blip on the national fashion conscience.

A few years ago, Beringheli’s team rediscovered the process and began testing it. They found that milk fibers are soft, brilliant, anti-bacterial, absorbent and humectant – in other words, the milk protein contains a natural lubricant that keeps the skin moisturized and smooth, and the absorbing power of the yarns draws dampness away from the body, stabilizing body temperature. Maclodio registered Milkofil as a trademark in 2007, and a major European producer of baby and children’s wear will be using the yarn in its future collections.

Maize is the source of another fiber that can be woven for the production of some impressive fabrics. The American firm Cargill Dow of Minnesota has registered its process and supplies the fibers that Maclodio turns into the yarns used for a silken-draped jersey fabric.

Collaboration with research centers in Italy and Romania has led to the discovery of an environmentally friendly process of enzymatic maceration of the harvested plant that produces some promising fibers. Initial tests suggest that the yarns will be similar to linen and hemp, but 75 percent lighter, with the added boon of absorbing dye better than linen does.

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization has declared 2009 to be International Natural Fiber Year.

Source:IHT

Escada Summer 2008 Collection Color Codes August 5, 2008

Promostyl print forecast Fall 2009-20010 August 5, 2008

Pantone hot color of the Year August 4, 2008

Pantone Selects Color of the Year for 2008:
PANTONE® 18-3943 BLUE IRIS

Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the des

ign industries, selected PANTONE 18-3943 Blue Iris, a beautifully balanced blue-purple, as the color of the year for 2008. Combining the stable and calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities of purple, Blue Iris satisfies the need for reassurance in a complex world, while adding a hint of mystery and excitement.

“From a color forecasting perspective, we have chosen PANTONE 18-3943 Blue Iris as the color of the year, as it best represents color direction in 2008 for fashion, cosmetics and home products,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “As a reflection of the times, Blue Iris brings together the dependable aspect of blue, underscored by a strong, soul-searching purple cast. Emotionally, it is anchoring and meditative with a touch of magic. Look for it artfully combined with deeper plums, red-browns, yellow-greens, grapes and grays.”

Pantone Selects Color of the Year for 2007:
PANTONE® 19-1557 TCX Chili Pepper Red .

Urban Fashion August 4, 2008

The word urban is thrown about so casually nowadays that it is hard to determine what it actually means and whether it means the same thing in every context.

There has been much debate in the music industry about the word urban actually acting as a euphemism for music of black origin, however, the dictionary defines it as of or living in a city or town. So what does the word urban actually mean? And more importantly, what does it mean in the context of fashion?

For the purposes of the UK Urban Fashion Awards, the word urban has been taken to mean the culture that arises in cities and towns as a result of the fusion of different cultures, lifestyles, ideas and attitudes.

Urban Fashion is edgy and reflects lifestyle, attitudes and individuality. Unlike mainstream fashion, anything goes in the urban fashion world and designers are not pressured into conforming to trends. This scene is a law unto itself and trends change with the wind. Inspiration for urban lifestyle trends comes not from the media but from those trendsetters, those individuals within the scene that lead. Those that turn ideas into action. Those who refuse to follow conventions. These are the people that direct the urban scene.

Urban Fashion does not bow to the trends dictated by mainstream fashion. As its central themes are individuality, going against the grain and youth culture, it is an industry which is evolving very rapidly and whose path and trends are somewhat unpredictable. Influences are varied and numerous and include American, British, Asian, Caribbean and African culture, rock, pop, hip-hop, indie and dancehall music. The skateboard culture, youth culture and mainstream fashion also influence urban fashion. All these influences and many more have given rise to a rich fusion of colour, design, style and attitude, which has created the unique and distinctive UK Urban Fashion scene. This scene is also quite distinct from mainstream fashion because the designs are more practical and are, therefore, more likely to be worn on a day-to-day basis, which is to be expected in view of the fact that the word urban is often thought to be synonymous with what is happening on the streets.

In conclusion, urban fashion is real fashion, style that exudes individuality and attitude and is what the ordinary fashion savvy shoppers are wearing right now

source: www.uufa.co.uk

What is good design? June 13, 2008

I‘ve learned (the hard way) not to do it, but if random strangers – like taxi drivers, or whoever’s sitting on the next airplane seat – ask what I do and I’m rash enough to confess to being a design critic, they invariably follow up with: “So what is good design?”

The stock answer is that good design is generally a combination of different qualities – what it does, what it looks like, and so on. But as our expectations of design change, so do those qualities and the relationship between them. Let’s look at what they are – and where they stand – right now:

1. What it does This is the nonnegotiable. Whatever it is, and whatever other great qualities it has, it can’t be well designed if it doesn’t do something useful. Even better is if that something couldn’t have been done before. That’s always been so, all the way back to the early 200s B.C. when Emperor Qin Shihuangdi conquered China equipped with a very early example of good design. The armies of the day were led by archers who made their own weapons, with the result that each archer’s arrows could only be fired from his own bow. Qin insisted that all arrows be made to the same length with identical, replaceable tips. If an archer ran out during a battle, he could use his colleagues’, and if he died, his ammunition wasn’t wasted.

Even today it’s possible for something to qualify as good design simply by fulfilling its function efficiently. Take Google’s logo. Stylistically, it’s awful with a dodgy font and the twee illustrations for the customized “holiday logos” with which Google marks special occasions such as Christmas Day, St. Patrick’s Day and landmark birthdays. But those tweely illustrated logos are so much fun – like a gift from Google – that they make us think more fondly of it. Job done.

2. How it looksFew things enrage design purists more than suggesting that good design is all about looks. It isn’t. But Qin’s arrows and Google’s logo are exceptions, because function is seldom enough either, and there’s nothing wrong with enjoying eye candy. That’s why textbook examples of good design – such as Marcel Breuer’s 1920s chairs, or Dieter Rams’s 1950s electrical products for Braun – tend to score highly on form and function. But our perception of what looks good is becoming increasingly complex, and often contradictory.

Once we sought beauty in art, but now we tend to prize it for being challenging or provocative, and feel more comfortable admiring beauty in things that are also useful, like Apple’s gorgeous digital products. We’ve also grown suspicious of beauty in an era when we know that so many “beautiful” images are literally optical illusions, the result of digital retouching. Perhaps that’s why the jolie laide aesthetic of the German designer Konstantin Grcic has become so fashionable in furniture design. Its ungainliness seems authentic.

3. What’s newThe belief that the new is better than the old was a central tenet of 20th-century design culture, and it’s still seductive today. Geeky though this sounds, I love the styling of the new Coca-Cola Classic can, but love it even more for knowing that it’s the product of the latest printing technology.

But innovation isn’t enough on its own. Take the glue invented in 1968 by 3M, which could stick paper onto a flat surface but wasn’t strong enough to do so permanently. It was a useless innovation until one of the company’s scientists was in church and realized that the glue could have stopped his bookmark from slipping out of his hymnbook. Cue the very useful Post-it note.

Our faith in the new has also been shaken by environmental concerns (though more about them later). We still see innovation as being beneficial, not least as it’s our best chance of tackling our environmental problems, but we’re more skeptical about it. Take the Nano, the cheap five-seater car launched by Tata in India. Once we’d have raved about a people’s car selling for as little as 100,000 rupees, or $2,400; instead we grouch about its ecological impact.

4. How it worksThis has always mattered. No one likes things that are tricky to operate, but how they work (or, to be specific, how we work them) matters much more today; at least it does when it comes to digital products. You can guess roughly how to operate an electronic object, like a TV set or record player, just by looking at it. But how could anyone be expected to know what to do with an inscrutable box of tricks, like an MP3 player or a cellphone, from its opaque appearance?

That’s why the user interface software (“U.I.” in geek-speak), which determines how we operate digital devices, is now so important in shaping our experience of using them, and whether or not we consider them to be well designed. Lousy U.I. design spawns irritatingly overcomplicated products. The inspired variety produces ones, like the iPhone, which are so easy to operate that you don’t need an instruction manual, or like the Wii, which are pure enjoyment.

5. Guilt What’s the point of designing something gorgeous and useful if it makes us feel guilty, because we know that it’s ethically or environmentally irresponsible? Once such concerns were dismissed as the hang-ups of a cranky minority. Not now. Just think of how quickly the plastic bag has become taboo in many countries.

How can we consider something to be well designed unless we feel confident about the way it was designed and made, and will be eventually be disposed of? Tata’s Nano is a prime example. Yet guiltlessness alone isn’t always enough. Think of the compact fluorescent light bulbs, which consume much less energy than their electricity-guzzling incandescent predecessors, but are so ugly, both in themselves and their soulless light, that they couldn’t possibly qualify as good design.

What it does: This is the nonnegotiable. Whatever it is, and whatever other great qualities it has, it can’t be well designed if it doesn’t do something useful. Take Google’s logo. Stylistically, it’s awful with a dodgy font and the twee illustrations for the customized “holiday logos.” But those tweely illustrated logos are so much fun that they make us think more fondly of it.

How it looks: Few things enrage design purists more than suggesting that good design is all about looks. It isn’t. Once we sought beauty in art, but now we tend to prize it for being challenging or provocative, and feel more comfortable admiring beauty in things that are also useful, like Apple’s gorgeous digital products.

We’ve also grown suspicious of beauty in an era when we know that so many “beautiful” images are literally optical illusions, the result of digital retouching. Perhaps that’s why the jolie laide aesthetic of the German designer Konstantin Grcic has become so fashionable in furniture design. Its ungainliness seems authentic.

What’s new: The belief that the new is better than the old was a central tenet of 20th-century design culture, and it’s still seductive today. Geeky though this sounds, I love the styling of the new Coca-Cola Classic can, but love it even more for knowing that it’s the product of the latest printing technology.

But innovation isn’t enough on its own. Take the glue invented in 1968 by 3M, which could stick paper onto a flat surface but wasn’t strong enough to do so permanently. It was a useless innovation until one of the company’s scientists was in church and realized that the glue could have stopped his bookmark from slipping out of his hymnbook. Cue the very useful Post-it note.

Our faith in the new has also been shaken by environmental concerns. We still see innovation as being beneficial, not least as it’s our best chance of tackling our environmental problems, but we’re more skeptical about it. Take the Nano, the cheap five-seater car launched by Tata in India. Once we’d have raved about a people’s car selling for as little as 100,000 rupees, or $2,400; instead we grouch about its ecological impact.

How it works: This has always mattered. No one likes things that are tricky to operate. Take the iPhone, which is so easy to operate that you don’t need an instruction manual.

Guilt: What’s the point of designing something gorgeous and useful if it makes us feel guilty, because we know that it’s ethically or environmentally irresponsible? Just think of how quickly the plastic bag has become taboo in many countries. Yet guiltlessness alone isn’t always enough. Think of the compact fluorescent light bulbs, which consume much less energy than their electricity- guzzling incandescent predecessors, but are so ugly, both in themselves and their soulless light, that they couldn’t possibly qualify as good design.

[Source: IHT]

Logo trends 2008 June 1, 2008

This year, there has been a change in the nature of trends themselves. It’s harder and harder to trace the rhizomatous spread of ideas anymore – which truly is a good thing.

What follows are 15 trends that have indeed popped up all over the world. Overcasting them all are prevailing winds that are worth noting first:

• We saw less emphasis on sustainability or general “greenness” in logo design. There’s plenty of natural imagery, but being “green” doesn’t seem all that unique anymore.
• Colors are becoming more vivid. Desaturation has drained away, and the chroma factor pumped up.
• There’s an overall move toward cleanliness – in type, in line, in color – as if ideas are getting more and more succinct. It may be an indication of the degree of seriousness with which branding is now regarded.
• Less is more common: less calligraphy, less Photoshop tricks, less artificial highlights.
• Found pattern and illustration hang on and on and on. With a bottomless treasure chest of visual history constantly at the ready through retail collections and over the internet, it’s a direction that’s not likely to run its course soon, if ever.

And now, the trends. Please remember that they are gathered here to chart long-term movement or change, not to offer design suggestions. It’s a living history. The key is to study the trends, then evolve forward – as far forward as you can leap – from them.

Supernova

Imagine what astrophysicists would label a supernova or the eruption and attendant explosion of a star. In a light show reminiscent of the jump to hyperdrive in the original Star Wars, these logos attack the challenge of motion head on. For years we’ve seen marks that have created the impression of motion from a profile perspective using streaks or blurs to signify speed.

These examples drive a field of elements toward or away from the viewer using a variety of methods. The LodgeNet logo (by Jerry Kuyper) advertises the company’s in-room movie service by flying a picture at you with a smart explosive technique. This blast is simple in construction and void of halftone – particularly interesting considering the product is an online commodity that could easily have justified overboard solutions replete with RGB trickery.

1. Jerry Kuyper for LodgeNet 2. Gabi Toth for Halo Consulting 3. Crave Inc. for IQ Beverage Group 4. Mirko Ilic Corp. for Dr. Zoran Djindjic Fund

Fine Line

Consistency of line weight is one of the tenants of good logo design. It builds rhythm and ensures legibility at first glance. Forget this rule for this category. Turn your line weight down to hairline and start drawing. Most of these logos live on two levels: first glance, and then second glance, with reader glasses. Typically, a heavier image with message one serves as a background field. The more profound message two is generally encrypted over the top of or knocked out of the heavier image.

Fine strokes weights may read as no more than pattern initially, but they can also carry the dichotomy of a counter message. A variation on this is the use of linear art en masse to create enough weight to define a message as in the PULSE logo. This yin yang process tends to captivate the viewer and lends a sense of intelligence to a mark that doesn’t require a hammer to impart a subtle message.

1. Louis Fili for The Mermaid Inn 2. Hula + Hula for Cartoon Network Lainamerica 3. Unit for Artists for Peace 4. Point Blank Collection for Pulse

FoldOver

Imagine being asked to design a logo with a long strip of paper as your only tool. These quasi origami style solutions craft out a sense of dimensionality despite staying relatively flat. The material from which these are created range from (but are not limited to) transparent film, metal, and paper. There seems to be a message of cleverness and economy of stroke in many of these.

Sometimes the simplicity of the folds takes on additional meaning when the substrates demonstrate unique properties. Note how the opposite side of the material changes to a different color at every fold in the TURN logo. Or see how transparency enforces the visual overlap of material. In some ways, this technique creates a bit of a puzzle effect. It engages the viewer as it tempts them into tracing out the path of the mark or trying to determine if the folds could really occur as offered.

1. PMKFA for Yes King 2. Gardner Design for Liberty Capital 3. A3 Design for Urban Architectural Group 4. Addis Creson for Turn

Global Expansion

What a refreshing outlook this trend presents. Time was that any company involved in international commerce gave some passing consideration to a globe as their logo. It’s a solution that has become terribly challenging to address with an original perspective. These logos at least have the honesty to step back and say, “Hey, we may not be fully global yet, but give us time.” All of these marks rely on a centric pattern that diminishes at the edge and then warps out to wrap the sphere in symbolic expansion.

Cato Purnell Partner’s diverse group of solutions for Dubai Airport succinctly communicates a key message. Commerce, travel, and tourism have made Dubai a true crossroad for international travelers, and this world-class logo has found a unique way to express the point. Using the Islamic sacred symbol of an octagram, or eight-pointed star, the logo starts to envelope the global sphere with its spreading tile mosaic. The dissemination of a culture is no accidental message in this mark.

1. Lippincott for XOHM 2. Cato Purnell Partners for Dubai International 3. Futurebrand BC&H for Transpiratininga 4. FIRON for Novatel

Loops

Continuous bands, yes, but not all of these marks have that certain mojo of the Mobius strip. Moving away from the universal sign of infinity, this group of logos seems to celebrate the flow of a closed cycle. No doubt more than a few rubber bands were called into action for their modeling services, but a ribbon-like figure was not mandatory.

There is something personal about the lack of perfect symmetry displayed here. The flexible nature of these logos signifies the ability to transform to meet the needs of the moment. Some appear to be snapshots of motion captured in a millisecond, of an object tense with energy.

The Peugeot 307 loop reflects the profile of that specific car but also seems to hover weightlessly above the ground. The chromed appearance of the mark takes on a surrealistic quality while conveying a certain technical prowess as well.

1. Lippincott for IBM & Freescale 2. Angelini Design for Peugeot International 3. Miriello Grafico, Inc. for Qualcomm 4. Double Brand for Long term car rent

Jawbreakers

Anyone who’s ever torn up his or her mouth grazing on a jawbreaker or Gobstopper can attest to the concentric rainbow displayed on a perfect cross-section of the confection. There is a certain childhood joy associated with the perfect cleaving of these orbs that is akin to discovering hidden treasure. The 70’s op-art quality of these marks is accomplished with little regard for a reserved palette. Generally, brilliant color is a must and often cross-sections are as unique as Technicolor snowflakes.

There is a youthfulness to these logos that addresses a certain vitality in the market. You can’t help but smile at the visual joy they seem to capture. Influences could include Target’s inventive use of its own logo in marketing efforts, although the red and white of their mark seems sedate in comparison to examples shown here.

1. Form for Dazed & Confused/Topshop 2. MacLaren McCann Calgary for Telphonic 3. Volatile for Antidote 4. Volatile for Pod

Strobe

Animation in the static environment of print is challenging at best, but with some sequential stop-motion images, a solution is at hand. Remember those flip-books that with a riffle played out a short animation? Now, take the images, place them on a single surface, and this is the result. These marks have a slinky-like, fluid nature that lends a graceful aesthetic to their associated companies.

The Nikon logo crafted by Interbrand some years ago may have signaled the introduction of this process with a major brand. Sprint’s adoption of Lippincott’s logo, a representation of the stop-motion animation of pin dropping, opened the gates for deeper exploration and solutions in a similar vein. Nokia Siemens’ new animated logo, created by Moving Brands, successfully plays out the strobe concept when adapted to print.

1. Interbrand for Nikon 2. Moving Brands for Nokia Siemens Networks 3. Lippincott for UMW 4. Lippincott for Sprint

Nimbus

Shield your eyes and pull out the 30 spf sunblock. It’s not a sunburn you’ll fear, but you may need to protect yourself from overly bright ideas. There is a certain glorification associated with all of these marks. The central core of the image is usually a bright tunnel out of which great light emanates. If this sounds a bit like the parting of clouds and the appearance of deities, you may not be far off.

Dissemination of light or energy by the use of rays is far more than an astral aura. This indicates a central subject or capability and the prospect that it holds the key or the solution to whatever the question is. Light also connotes knowledge and guidance. Even distribution of these spokes ensures a fairness of distribution and equality of access. As a moth will attest, there is an attracting radiance to these logos, regardless of color.

1. Gardner Design for Catalyst 2. Glitschka Studios for Proctor & Gamble 3. Circulodiseno, SC fr New Venturees 4. Chris Herron Design for Marimon Inc. & Kelly Swofford Roy

Stitch

Over the last several years, designers have taken refuge with a variety of appropriated patterns. Design backgrounds have become shrines for wallpaper swatches, Victorian patterns, organic flora, faux wood grains and any other rococo-retro surface that is not nailed down or otherwise copyrighted.

Houndstooth and herringbone aside, designers on more boutique projects are dipping into their grandmothers’ baskets of sundries and notions. This is often not as much about textile patterns as it is about the elements that hold a garment together. Zig zag, whip, and cross-stitch are a few of the strokes in the sewing arsenal. Bric-a-brac, fishnet, fringe, and tassels are also working their way into these solutions. This common language of mundane elements takes on a refreshing, often feminine beauty when layered together with great taste. Just remember that the difference between a tablecloth and a haute couture gown is not the material, but knowing what to do with it.

1. The Woodbine Agency for Lamp 2. tenn_do_ten for chico 3. The Pink Pear Design Company for Rummage 4. Hammerpress for Natasha’s Mulberry & Mott

Colorblind

Sometimes clusters of a logo technique surface with little if any rationale. For this bracket, it’s as if National Geographic just reported the recent unearthing of a series of Ishihara color plates for color blind testing. The influence is obvious but the timing is unexplained. You have to admire the chutzpah of a client willing to adopt a logo that 7% of the male population and 0.4% of women won’t be able to understand.

Maybe this is exactly the point. These marks represent a quirkiness associated with entities that only a certain percent of the population will be able to really appreciate. Even for individuals without color blindness, these visuals can be a bit challenging to decipher. But that adds to their mystique and helps to build affinity for the logos when the viewer realizes he has passed the test. Either way, there is a joyful, reminiscent charm at work here – either that or this report is entirely wrong and these companies all sell Dippin’ Dots ice cream.

1. Colorblind Chameleon – Self Promotion 2. Range for Dennis Murphy 3. Pearpod for Razoo 4. Cricket Design Works for Creme Cafe

Amoeba

These are soft, inflated blobs without any sharp corners to fall and hurt yourself on. Their friendly shapes are generally unstructured and much like an amoeba under the lens of an electron microscope, fluid and in motion. Amoeba comes from the Greek word amoibe, meaning to change, and this trend is about flux. The elements that compose these logos are anything but static. You can imagine a relationship between the parts of a logo as if they have just divided from one another.

This process of morphing and motion give us a clue about the structure and processes of the businesses represented here. Flexibility and an agile nature allow businesses to adapt in mercurial industries. These are entities that embrace the value of evolution. If you’re evolving, chances are you’re a living organism, and there aren’t too many of those with corners.

1. Tactix Creative for DJ Eddie Amador 2. Double Brand for Poza Showroom 3. Mola for EDP 4. Yaroslav Zheleznyakov for Promotion

Facets

Ali Baba and the 40 thieves knew what mattered in a cavern laden with jewel-encrusted treasure. In these precious gems, there is an intrinsic value of which legends are crafted. Whose eyes are not stopped by the alluring refractions of a precious bobble? What a perfect substance from which to carve an identity.

To create the greatest value in a material as base as a stone, one has to first recognize potential worth. With exacting efforts, a trained eye can cut away the precise amount that will best maximize value. All of this is done with the looming specter of complete failure if the action is not correct. With great risk comes great reward.

These logos can also address the multifaceted nature of a business. By arranging these facets in their optimal positions you create the greatest clarity and light. Or maybe it’s not that deep and we just like bright and shiny things.

1. Kitsh for Clay Saphire 2. Thomas Manss & Company for VCC Perfect Pictures 3. Gardner Design for Lavish 4. BFive for Solo Company

Doodles

There is a base honesty to an image that has never been shoved in one side of a computer and back out the other. There is still some soul attached to the mark and even a little sweat and blood from the originator. No attempt is being made to deceive the consumer and certainly there was no upper level management committee to quash the innocence of the humbly crafted logo.

Immediacy is an important justifier for these marks as well. The Rebuild logo, developed after Hurricane Katrina sends the message, these people need your help now. There is no time to finesse a corporate solution to the problem here: We need the help and response of everyone, and we need it now.

Personal messages and a sense of humanity are associated with these marks. It is the assurance the middleman has been cut out, and that this message is between me and you and no one else.

1. Steve’s Portfolio for www.thehurricaneposterproject.com 2. Stubborn Sideburns for Hipposchemes 3. Fifth Letter for Shawn Lynch 4. Studio Oscar for Levi Strauss

Flourish

Take a piece of relatively unassuming typography, water and fertilize with insane pixie dust, and let it grow. These logos could be relatives of the Flora and Embellish trend identified over the last two years, but they are definitely about type on steroids. Imagine type with hair that has been coiffed for fashion week in a Fellini movie.

Credit the stunning work of Si Scott and the unbridled design of Marian Bantjes as primary influences on this work. Scott specifically has developed a signature look that is being emulated a bit too close for comfort, in some instances.

Decorative flourishes gone wild identify these entities: They give more than you anticipate and are conscious of the frills and excesses necessary to carry you to satisfaction. These designs are exoticand unexpected but with enough whimsy to avoid being overtly feminine.

1. Lucero Design for Project 240 Apparel 2. United* for Bar Carrera NY 3. Team Manila Graphic Design Studio for Neu Media 4. Distrubancy Graphic Treatment for Eclipse Streetwear

Fibrous

Twisting threads travel in tandem or are spun together to form a twine with even greater strength. Or you see the tendrils of a vine traveling outward from a single source. Maybe it’s the ebb and flow of a rhythmic group of fine fibers acting in concert to create the illusion of a solid mass. These are just of few of the descriptions that help define this category.

A collective acting in unison to maximize action and create strength in numbers is at the heart of these logos. These are not lines in perfect step with one and other. Unlike the grooves of a record, these elements show a degree of independence and celebrate the diversity of the components as they unite.

Uniting elements for a common good has become a prevalent theme of late. This trend transcends the corporate world and is seen in social efforts as well. Respect of individuality and honor of uniqueness are admirable pursuits.

1. Guillermo Brea & Associates for Argentina 2. Najlon for Town RIJEKA 3. Mattson Creative for The Collective 4. AtomicasStudio for 2 excite

Minor Trends

Some categories emerged this year that did not qualify for their own lanes, but which are still worthy of mention.

	Animotion: What makes these designs unique is that they are designed to be in motion. They are not static designs that were juiced up later. You can view some excellent examples in action at www.LogoLounge.com.Moving Brands for Swisscom
	Braille Words: Imagine words, numbers, or letters formed out of Braille-like dots.Pearpod for Plus 3
	Stacks: These logos are like transparent sandwiches that have shape stacked upon shape upon shape.Bukka Design for Neven Vision
	Contact Drop: If a contact lens dropped on top of a logo, you’d have the same effect that these logos have. They are generally lens- or circular in shape with a hard outer edge and a soft inner edge. Think of the Barrack Obama logo.FutureBrand for MasterCard Worldwide
	Psyche Type: If you want to know what is going to happen in any kind of design, look back to what was happening 30 years ago. It’s a never-ending merry-go-round of style. Witness the groovin’ psychedelic type treatments that are so popular today. It’s Haight-Ashbury all over again.Yaroslav Zheleznyakov for Lemonades from Arbuzov
	Pathways: There are also plenty of motion lines to be seen, going up and down, back and forth, or around and around. These are like tracers — sometimes transparent like light, bouncing around or bending in space. The Tennis Australia logo is an excellent example. Where the ball goes, the logo goes.FutureBrand (UK) for Lakshmi N. Mittal
	Warped: If you take a gridded piece of paper and start to fold or twist it, the printed grid will begin to conform to whatever motion you’re applying. But in this category of logos, the substrate is more pliable, more flexible than paper. There’s more give and stretch, so that lines on the x and y axis become contorted.thackway+mccord for FINRA

Finally, it’s worth noting that there’s a reasonably reliable place to look every day for the very latest in logo design : television promo graphics for any of the major “style” channels ” FTV, Discovery, Discovery and Living, NGC, and more. Because they have the money and the ability to get work out there quickly, the channels tend to be progressive forecasters and trend setters. And designers, just like the rest of the unwashed masses, are home on the couch, watching.

Source: Logo Lounge

Leh – Ladakh April 21, 2008

This year again I am going to Leh Ladakh and Zanskar valley. The last trip was amazing. Those people who want to join the gang for this year… contact me..

Milan Furniture Fair April 21, 2008

The dominant theme of the most directional pieces in Milan this year was survivalism, and how designers can help us (and themselves) to navigate the perils of contemporary life. The catalysts are the familiar problems of recession, environmental crisis and design’s neurosis about its role in a saturated consumer culture.The survivalists (as we’ll call them) responded by adopting a rugged, improvisational approach to design and a slightly forlorn, Goth-inspired style with dark colors and fractured shapes. They made the most of scarce materials by recycling or inventing them, often in objects with multiple functions.

This piece titled, “Evolution lovers’ seat,” designed and made by the young Spanish designer Nacho Carbonell, made its first appearance at the 2008 Milan Furniture Fair.

“Chinese Objects Object,” shown here, which was designed by Studio Maarten Baas for Contrasts Gallery.

The Dutch ceramics company, Royal Tichelaar Makkum, commissioned new flower pyramids from the Dutch designers Jurgen Bey, Studio Job, Hella Jongerius and Alexander von Slobbe. The pyramids are to be exhibited at the Moss design gallery in New York next month. This is Jurgen Bey’s design.

One of the dominant themes in contemporary design is for designers to develop objects that propose, rather than dictate, solutions to the practical problems of daily life by acting as “works in progress” to be completed by the people who use them. A young Israeli designer, Shay Alkalay, has produced such an object in “Stack,” a collection of individual drawers that can be piled on top of each other to create towers of different shapes and sizes, and in different combinations of colors.

Designed by Trent Jansen for the Dutch furniture group Moooi, the “Pregnant Chair” is intended to symbolize the relationship between a mother and her child.

“Enlaced Antibodi” was designed as an outdoor chair by Patricia Urquiola for the Italian furniture manufacturer Moroso. The metal structure of the chair is enlaced with colored PVC strings.

One way in which the European furniture industry is battling back against growing competition from China is by playing the history card. Porro, an Italian manufacturer, has reissued vintage design by reproducing the “Cubovo” lacquered wood and glass trolley, originally designed in 1962 by Bruno Munari, one of Italy’s most gifted designers and design theorists.

This “Globe chandelier,” was designed by Studio Job for Swarovski Crystal Palace.

The inspiration for the “Bouquet chairs” came from an installation created from some 30,000 paper tissues by the Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka for the New York showroom of the Italian furniture manufacturer Moroso. Yoshioka reworked the concept using fabric to devise a contemporary – and very poetic – version of old-fashioned rag furnishings. Each of the hundreds of fabric squares is sewn individually to look like petals on the flower-like shape of the seat.

Texworld Color Trends Autumn/Winter 2008/2009 April 14, 2008

Revive

The warming light of cosy interiors in winter and the rich, expressive colourfulness of leather and woods reflect a scale of warm brown and golden shades.

Camel, leather, rust, walnut and pumpkin satisfy the need for cocooning proximity.

Allowing yourself to be spoilt and not resisting every sweet temptation makes life worth living.

Reflect

The play of light and shade is reminiscent of the cinema of the forties. The couture of that time inspires an elegance which finds itself in the silky pastels and the dark shades of the colour range.

With quality and sophistication it refines the fashion statement.

Seductive frivolity and masculine allures are blended into a sensual cocktail. The decoration of art déco enriches in the filigree details.

Preserve

The longing of mankind for unspoilt naturalness is greater than ever. The wide-open space of Nordic landscapes sets the mood with a range of cool, authentic natural shades.

Vegetal and mineral shades modulate olive green, khaki and fango tones to icy blue nuances.

Sulphur and woolly Ecru stimulate the restrained prevailing mood. Casual attitude is the ideal ground for a relaxed, but quality appearance. Today‘s claim to comfort characterizes stamps the materiality.

Construct

The cool objectivity of modern architecture offers the setting an urban atmosphere in grey and deep dark shades.

Intensive colours like red, pink, violet or green shine have a monochrome shine, like lights in the city. They define new volumes, provide rhythm for graphic or accentuated sporty looks.

A decided modernity stylishly points clearly to the future. Fashion makes use of current technologies to improve textile functionality and to find stylistic forms of expression previously unknown.

Fall 2008 Design Forecast April 14, 2008

There are dozens of design tradeshows but when it comes to home decor, Maison & Objet is the most influential, with the best in show generally setting the season’s trends.

TRENDS
Bursting Roses
Chintz just got modern and highly exclusive. For fall, it’s a roses-only club and the blossoms are massive, vibrant, and graphic.

Fabulous Fuchsia
Magenta to hot pinks is the “in” color for home furnishings.

Text Messaging
Typography becomes the pattern of choice as jumbled words take shape on pillows, candles, and lighting.

See-Through Structure
Furniture is stripped to its bare bones. Metals and high-tech plastics are molded into the shapes of tables and chairs, but left untreated for a see-through effect.

Strong Yellow
No longer an accent color, yellow solidifies its place in today’s primary palette.

Fractures
Smooth surfaces take a back seat to faceted edges. High-gloss tableware and lacquered furniture take on texture with their new anglular shapes and details.

Spring 2008 Tabletop Trends April 14, 2008

Gridlock: A loose crisscross pattern is an organic take on the rigid grid.
Minimalist Blooms: Flowers have lost their leaves and their petals have gone abstract.
Greek Chic: Greco-Roman motifs get modern.
Nest: The bird theme has been around; now table fashions take a cue from their twiggy abode.
Polka Dots: White circles on colorful backgrounds—it’s cute, it’s classic, it’s back.

Spring Summer 2008 Screen Printing Trend Forecast Report April 14, 2008

Summer/Spring 2008 Screen-printing Trend/Forecasting Report fashion will be swept away by Romanticist, Energetic, Formalist, and Fundamental inspired designs. From washed pastels to a vibrant and golden color palette summer ‘08 will combine these liberating colors with natural and synthetic fibers to create a sophisticated luxury for the next spring/summer season.
Inspired by Pop Art and Urban culture next spring/summer 08 screen-printed designs will be centered on Typographic messages, Prints and graphic repeats, Mod floral’s, and Retrospective geometrics. Incorporating 3 tone, halftone, pictorial, and texts spring/summers screen designs will adorn knitted t-shirts, tanks, dresses, textiles for 2008. Market ranges from suburban trendsetters to urban casual-wear adults.

I. Colors

A. Romanticist
· Washed Pastels
· Sea foam, Kiwi, Plum, Corel, Cream
B. Energetic / Formalist
· Vibrant bights
· Orange, Blue, Turquoise,
· Fuchsia, Raspberry, Red
C. Fundamental
· Golden
· Turquoise, Yellow, Army Green, Gold, Brown

II. Fibers

A. Cotton, Linen, Mohair, Cashmere
B. Polyester, Polyamide, Metallic, Synthetic

III. Fabrics

A. Nylon, Poplin, Tweed, Denim,
B. Jersey, Handcrafted Knits, Cable knits
C. Jacquard, Velvet, Taffeta, Voile, chiffon

IV. Finishing’s

A. Seersucker, Long staple cotton
B. Yarn dyed, Chunky knit, Soft knit
C. Micro texture, Sheen
V. Screen Printing Themes
A. Typographic Messages
· Logo, Street signs, Industrial
· Tie Dye, Japanese African blue prints
B. Graphic Repeated Prints
· Wallpaper, Country Style, Kitchen
· Floral, Ditsy, Linear, Sketchy
C. Mod Floral
· Stylized Pop Floral
· Geometric, Bulls Eye Dots, 60’s
· Graphic, Bold dynamic, Checks, Stripes
D. Retrospective
· Stylized Floral
· Scandinavian Geometrics
· Plaids, Checks, Oversized

VI. Screen Print Technique

A. 3 tone, Halftone,
B. Color Blocking, Sketchy, Solid
C. Pictorial, Logo, Messaging

VII. Inspirations

A. 60’s Art
B. Found Objects
C. Country Fairytale
D. Technical Advancements
E. Pop Culture, Urban Culture

VIII. Garments

A. Knitted T’s
B. Knitted Tanks
C. Dresses

IX. Market

A. Juvenile: 12-21
· Urban, Suburban, Trend setter, Sportswear
B. Young Adult: 21-35
· Urban, Suburban, Casual Wear

Bibliograhpy

*Forecast Part II Summer: Silhouettes Summer 2008. Here & There, 2007.
*The Color Cubicle: Fall Winter 07-08. Here & There, 2006.
*”Information & Inspiration No. 852 June/July 08.” International Textiles Date: June 2008.
–

Pantone Color Forecast {Spring + Fall ‘08} February 12, 2008

Many know about Pantone, the mega color standards company who unveils color forecasts for each season — today their Fall ‘08 forecast was released to the public on their website. I always download mine and print it out in color so it’s handy. It’s important for all designers to preview the next it colors – from interiors to fashion, product, and beyond.

Spring ‘08 Palette.
“Refreshing splashes of invigorating brights punctuate classic, versatile neutrals as designers offer a playful spring palette for endless exploration and creative combinations. Variations on popular colors such as energizing red, cool, waterborne blue and eco-friendly greens also play a key role this season.” – Pantone

Pantone scours advertising, magazines, movies, websites, and other facets of pop culture to unearth color cues, even surveys of socio-economic trends, art exhibits, and considering even the state of the global economy. After intense research and analysis, they sell colors to clients a few years in advance and then poll them to discern popular choices so they can then produce color planning guides that influence the multitudes. I walked around for years thinking these trends just happened for no reason at all. But oh no, everything is calculated. That’s why it’s critical for you to know what the color forecast is for each season because then you can use it as a guide in your design in order to stay current.

Maison & Objet : inspiration and trends February 12, 2008

Design trends at Maison & Objet, according to PointClickHome.com :

Subtly Moroccan: The international design scene is buzzing with young Moroccan designers like Arzu Firuz. This rug by the female designer for Polystyl plays on negative space to create a graphic floor display.

Zenza’s hanging pendants are like those found in Casablanca, but with a twist. A hot trend at Maison & Objet, styles created from pierced materials are typical of Moroccan design.

The ornate pattern on this pillow by Nur is another typically Moroccan trait, but the refined palette updates the look.

The shapes of Akkal’s tea set are familiar to the region, but when presented in a red high-gloss clay, the pieces have the casual appeal of fiestaware

Purple and Grey: The dominant palette at Maison & Objet as well as other major home decor shows this year. ThisWilliam Yeoward pillow is just all-around fabulous.

Le Jacquard Français didn’t have too far to travel, yet they still jumped on the global purple and grey trend, as shown here in their Jacquard woven linens.

This woven blanket, with its stylish combination of color and texture, by Zoeppritz won a Maison & Objet best-in-show award.

The moody, yet sophisticated shade between purple and grey refines the sweet blooms on these Andrew

Chalet Chic: Seen everywhere, this trend may have been started by Diamantini & Domeniconi cuckoo clock. It was wild success in last year’s introductions.

Fur mixed with preppy plaids couldn’t be more Aspen. And the Country Corner stag pillow in the backgrouns is one of the many examples of deer, elk, and bear motifs featured at the show.

These Katherine Leuze throws, pillows, and slippers are soft and fuzzy—but distinctly wild

Exposed wood conjures up visions of the mountains. Friedemann Beuhler’s bowl is pure but regal.

Japanese Reign: Asian inspiration has always been a dominant force in contemporary design, but this year it literally overwhelmed all other trends. The Hanori bed for Gabel is in a traditional cherry blossom print, but in red is no longer as sweet and subtle.

Birds, bamboo and cherry blossoms were a common theme a the show. Here, Alberto Pinto’s delicate hand-painted designs in a soft turquoise are a new take on these motifs. Pinto has always embraced Orientalism in his designs—he has even written a book on the topic.

This stunning enlarged black cherry blossom print was designed by the London firm, Innermost.

These red vases in floral honeycomb pattern by Asian Tide strongly embody the Asian influence felt thoughout the show.

Natural Glitz: This season, nature got dressy. Florals were decked in bronze, platinum, and gold. Alex Davis Design immortalized the houseplant with his metallic palms, cacti, and aloe vera. With their long stems, they can live beautifully in floor vases.

More of Alex Davis Davis’s metallic houseplants displayed in equally glitzy pots.

These Golden Timber dishes by Bodo Sperlein embrace the tree in its simplest form, but do so with shimmering color.Gilded tree rings in concentric circles are a stylish highlight on this salad plate, while the charger’s tighter lines give it a faux bois effect.