It’s always interesting to see how brands interpret seemingly simple trends. Boxed grids, for example, keep surfacing throughout fashion and retail displays this summer. From store windows to dress prints to retail structures, grids are an intrinsic part of this season’s design. This Gregory Parkinson dress marries a 2D print with 3D patchwork, mirroring the front and backside of ceramic tiling. Proving this style can easily become a wearable print, Dries Van Norton adds texture and shading. Using color blocking and grout, this boutique in the Daikanyama district, just outside of Tokyo proves that the intersecting lines are just as interesting as the tiles, something Louis Vuitton’s made evident with their hand-drawn window display on Fifth Avenue this month.

Tribal narratives, wood cutouts and sumi-ink drawings have been around since the beginning of time. While geometric interpretations have been surfacing in art and fashion for over a year now, it’s refreshing to see a more fluid technique taking hold across several mediums.  A major influencer in this space is the Sumi Ink Club. Based in Los Angeles, this creative community is producing work at a rapid pace. From this Keith Haring-like blazer to this Lucky Dragon’s Open Power Record, it’s pretty clear that this topsy turvy style is gaining traction in several branding markets. Contrasting the soft shapes of the sumi brush, Dennis McNett reminds us that black and white texture can be sharp, surly and folk-like. Barneys Department store recently commissioned him to design their summer windows, bringing this underground skater-style art [...]

The right lighting can make or break a retail space. Every interior designer knows this. While exploring Tokyo and Kyoto last week, I stumbled upon several lighting displays that completely blew me away. Interestingly (and practically), all of the rounded sculptures were open, intricate and reflected the mood of the store’s merchandise. Pass the Baton‘s white cups resembled recycled china, a theme consistent to the store. This rose ball from furniture row in Kyoto, had a polished boutique-like vibe. One of the most impressive interpretations of the dome trend was on full display at Franc Franc, a newish luxury concept store that housed wares ranging from Monocle to J. Period. The chandelier was so impressive and open, it allowed shoppers to view from above and below, making it interactive, tangible and a [...]

The title of today’s feature couldn’t be more appropriate given the current state of the Gulf Coast. This week’s New Yorker cover by Bob Staake tips its hat to the oil slick that’s been glistening like a mirage for the past two months. Interestingly, and somewhat oddly, the nod to M.C. Escher’s graphic puzzle was eerily foreshadowed and beautifully executed by Alexander McQueen at this time last year. The print is timeless, adaptable and a seamless reflection of the times.

When’s the last time you sat down and wrote a letter that wasn’t a to-do list on a post-it note? These days it seems like the credit card signature is the only handwritten word that gets any attention. Interestingly, designers have been toying with handwritten treatments and scanned-in type for a while now, trying to contrast minimalist trends and appear more approachable for the recession-minded masses. The above notebook from The Home Port Collection is an interesting product example that carries the nostalgia of yesteryear, reminding us of simpler times when learning to read and write was the toughest part of the day. Paralleling this mix-media approach, this Parisian painting from the home magazine, Cote Maison reflects a similar objective, proving cursive is beautiful, adaptable and a playful solution to any adult room.

Back in March we noticed water graphics popping up across multiple mediums. From tactile materials to type, to glossy palettes, hints of aquatic influences were showing up before it felt seasonally appropriate. Today we can say the trend has finally arrived, particularly since it’s been making the global rounds. Rob Gonzalez and Jonathan Quainton of the UK firm, Sawdust, recently designed this vector-heavy tote, Beat, for Carry Hope. The analogy, graphics and flow all compliment the message, reminding us that water circulation mirrors the heart’s blood flow. Using a hand painted wave to create an all-over pattern, Shanghai Tang, a luxury brand from China, achieves a similar goal. The romantic shape offsets the woodblock effect, proving harsh or soft, it’s possible to interpret movement, so long as it’s brand-consistent.

If today were to have a theme, it would be maze-like, the perfect analogy for what 9-5ers call the “hump day.” Off the heels of Luke Ramsey’s playful collage-like paintings, we thought we’d bring the day full circle with another artist who is making waves with black and white movement. Hisham Akira Bharoocha is an artist currently based in Brooklyn with a portfolio chock full of intricate linework. While the contrasting linear movement all happens within a singular canvas, it’s amazing to follow the dead-ends, as they create 3D-like texture from afar. Piecing these black and white bits together as mixed media, H&M’s retail display in Paris reminds us not to fear mismatched textures. These busy prints are wearable, as evident by Isabella Blow, proving the timeless appeal that can accompany simple geometry.

Our society is collectively obsessed with augmentation- from tattoos to plastic surgery to just about anything that individualizes us or makes us a “better version” of the status quo. It’s only natural that creative types would react to this phenomena, and today we present two paralleling projects that provide social commentary on the trend. Lucy McRae and Bart Hess of LucyandBart have been taking ordinary objects and manipulating their bodies for years now. The photographs are stunning and a reminder that the human body’s been a canvas for the human mind since the beginning of time. Translating this concept into wearable fashion, Sandra Backlund, of Sweden also uses the body as a starting point. Her knitwear is surreal, polished and a realistic interpretation of this fascination.

There’s a freshness to gouache that Adobe Illustrator just can’t compete with. Whether it’s the unique spontaneity in the color transitions or the subtleties in each expressive stroke, watercolor designs are unmatched – and quite popular these days. Be it Hugo Guinness, Robin Cameron or The Selby, each of these New York artists continue to interpret the medium in fun, playful, inspiring ways. Guinness recently released a new series of works that are currently selling at the John Derian store, expanding his collection beyond black and white prints. Cameron’s mixed media explores materials, color and layout with an energy that compliments her other drawings. The Selby’s recent update to his banner image provides a creative and commercial solution for self branding, proving that watercolor can be chaotic, corporate or custom, so long [...]

Paper inspired fashion’s been making a come back for some time now. Economy-conscious retail displays, photo shoot backdrops, ad campaigns and merchandise are collectively toying with the perception of luxury, fashion and mass consumption. This Comme des Garcons advertisement is a playful stab at paper’s short shelf life. The unconventional layout distorts the model, looks like trash and invites the viewer to laugh at the irony of the storyline.

Following a similar creative path, Craig McDean‘s Paper Bag Princess spread from the September ’09 issue of W Magazine pairs discarded shopping bags with beautifully disenchanted models for a bag-lady inspired layout. Everyone in the fashion world knows how important the shopping bag is, as a foil stamped logo paired with thick paper provides consumer acceptance and a way to prove you can afford what’s inside. The out-of-store [...]

About two years ago, I was out dining at Gusto Organics with a few friends when I came across this multi-colored tip jar. It was an incredibly clever use of paperclips and I snapped a pic without giving it a second thought. Fast forward to the International Gift Fair from this past January. With the fabulous home goods editor, Amy Preiser by my side, we traversed aisle after aisle of decorative tchotchkes, taking note of what to expect for the coming year. When we hit the British gift booth, NPW, we stopped in our tracks at these number clips. Amy thought they were the cutest things she’d ever seen and I couldn’t believe the tip jar from years back was seeing a corporate revival. Fast forward five more months and we now have Barney’s spring catalog. The [...]

Contradictions are commonplace for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you work in politics, law or are on year 10 of a loving relationship, every topic is debatable. Interestingly, the fashion and design worlds have started reinterpreting these ambiguities with their own form of graphic messaging. The results are crisp, blocky, handwritten and an exploration of popular symbolism, true vs. false and clever witticisms. Here’s a collection of some of our favorite images portraying luck, fear and hope for the future.

1. 1. vs Rogan Tee, $67
2. 2. Dieter Rams Tee, Someday Shop
3. 3. Night Break Rogan Tee, $67
4. 4. Sir Drake, Achieve the Impossible Tee, Blue & Cream, $50
5. 5. Mochino Cheap & Chic, FW 2010
6. 6. Mochino Cheap & Chic, FW 2010
7. 7. Colette Tee
8. 8. TV on the Radio Album Art by Morning Breath
9. 9.