Backdrops have come under scrutiny the more photo booths enter the mainstream. Smilebooth offers textures ranging from neon and confetti to boxed and modular. As more people are tasked with creative decision-making (brides, party planners, etc.), I thought I’d share some examples of the white variety.

There’s a classic simplicity to working within a monochromatic palette that allows the subject to shine. The print campaign above (unknown, unfortunately), focuses on a neon pop while the sheet installation (above and below) from Shanghai’s World Financial Tower is a beautiful and fun installation to interact with (that’s my friend Naveen amidst the white abyss).

Here’s a snapshot of the photobooth from my wedding party (yes, that’s my arm), shot by Moss & Isaac and styled by You Plus Me and a side view of the [...]

We’re mixing things up today! Whenever creative city tours go live, we usually try to focus on hotspots in a single city (not a bad thing, right?)- though today, I’m stringing a multiple city tour together, under the umbrella of a reoccurring pattern.

While I’m constantly in touch with friends and colleagues living abroad, grilling them on pop culture and random social trends, I’ll say that I’m quite fortunate to have a job that has me on the go when I’m not on the wacom tablet. Scouting inspiration and observing daily routine in cities and suburbs around the globe is absolutely fascinating and something I probably wouldn’t have fallen into had I not left my full-time job six years ago.

So today’s feature. Of the 9 photos, I took 5 of them over the past year. The theme is graphic with unexpected [...]

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At my first job as a footwear designer, I snapped photos like a pro. Women on the subway, kid appliques at the market, tiger heels on fifth avenue, everything from high to low to everything in between. After leaving the company, it was hard to untrain my eye to go directly to people’s feet…something I still find myself doing on a semi-regular basis.

On my Fall scouting trip to Paris and London, the footwear gods overcame my camera. There were so many treats, I particularly loved the Sandro and Bensimon high tops. Here’s a round up of some of the more interesting (and wearable) pieces from the trip.

1. Bensimon | 2. Sandro | 3. Isabel Marant | 4. BGN Boutique | 5. Adidas | 6. Shop in the Marias | [...]

I’m a fan of circular symmetry just as much as the next designer, but when it comes to free form chaos, it can be really refreshing to just let loose. David Huffman’s done just that within a topographic landscape for Floating World #1, his mixed media on canvas piece that’s currently on display at the Patricia Sweetow Gallery.

Applying a similar layering technique with an explosive saturated palette, Yayoi Kusama’s latest project is just as eye-catching.

Pairing a white room with stickers and children, organized chaos creates a living, breathing installation.

The full pictorial set can be viewed on This is Colossal. It’s worth a visit, as the process is a nice reminder that beauty often has a singular focus.

When flipping through the January 2012 Vogue, it took us about half a second to notice something familiar about the Lexus ad (as seen on the left). Immediately, we called to mind the meticulously dissembled works of Todd McLellan (example on the right) that we spotted last February whose images were quickly disseminated throughout the blogosphere with glee. Could Lexus have gotten their inspiration from Todd who incidentally also photographs cars and advertisements?

A little digging finds that this photograph from Lexus was only the beginning of a project in which four fashion designers – Moss Lipow, Eddie Borgo, John Patrick and Alejandro Ingelmo – were challenged to “rethink their notions of automotive design” for an ad campaign slated to appear in Vogue.

A Lexus CT 200h hybrid car was taken apart and from the pieces the designers created clothing [...]

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Here are a few favorites from last month’s trip abroad. I snapped shots of three major categories, one of which was lighting. From hanging clusters to smooth and modern wood to cardboard molds and animal inspired sculptures, each display was quite interesting. Which one’s your favorite?

1. H&M retail display at Selfridges  2,3,4. Bensimmon lighting  5,6,7,8. Liberty London lighting  9. Ted Baker printed dress at Selfridges

Identities are a funny thing. In one instance you’re one version of yourself and in another you’re an entirely different character. Alternate parts of your personality shine at varying times. Now add a digital layer. A boundary of sorts, something to protect you from the reality of what’s true and what’s false.

Today’s story hones in on the awkward line between these worlds. Photographically, it’s illustrated by Neil Barret’s latest print campaign of youth divided. Reminding us of Nick Cave’s beautiful and often confusing costumes, we have David Sim’s latest spread in LOVE Magazine and bringing an eerie surrealist interpretation to the table, there’s Dow’s Einstein-infused Solutionism campaign.

I recently gave a talk on color in the digital sphere and it’s influence on tangible design. The audience was a mix of color-obsessed industry folks and continuing education creatives. Though this particular mood board didn’t make it’s way into my slideshow, it’s an interesting compilation of pixelated pastels. Taking a nod from computer themes, these Pokemon characters, Missoni pillows, Preen dresses and Repetto flats all tell a broader pink and magenta story.

Tying the theme together nicely, the Intro Now and Recco screen grabs from Mobile Patterns remind us to cross reference our influences for a an accurate depiction of what’s current and what’s to come.

Back in March of 2010 we highlighted an emerging angular trend. Today we’re following up, as it doesn’t appear to be dissipating- it fact it’s continuing to evolve into other markets. We’ve seen the classic diamond shape shift to a crystal-like gem in the fashion, home and marketing industries and interesting, the color and “vectorfunk” style has been adapted to a new campaign. Bombay Sapphire’s latest creative initiative looks like an extension of Chase Bank’s design roll out in 2010. We wonder if it’s a coincidence, a collaboration or a copycat. Either way, the visuals are crisp, and somewhat interchangeable.

We’ve seen woodgrain vectors populating lampshades and cushions for a while now. Interestingly, Celine’s hopped on board, applyng a photo realistic pattern in her Fall collection. Mimicking this elongated directional pattern, this Hlaska wallet is a textural take and marketed towards men. Keeping it unisex, the gray version of this pattern, realized on a rug is the Finnish handiwork of Elina Helenius.

Lately, I’ve been reading a lot about how we’ve reverted back to basics when it comes to digital design in the 2D vs 3D realm. When we could first work with depth, we took the bait, went crazy, shadowed everything and added a bevel and emboss. As styles have evolved and we move towards simplification of data overload, basic geometrics have gained prominence in design navigation and it seems like we’re in an age of geometric simplification.

Which brings me to today’s feature on piecemeal geometrics. Using line to texturize, this skirt from Al & Alicia is busy, yet beautifully restricted by palette & structure.

Using vector and paint to illustrate the same point, Chris Benz‘s latest runway collection magnifies the circle, forcing us to ebb and flow within his patterns.