Over the weekend, I had the good fortune of escaping the cold wet city for Miami.  In between bouts of beach and people watching, I popped into the shops along Collins Ave to see if South Beach had more to offer than bedazzled Ed Hardy paraphernalia.  As predicted, Barney’s quenched my thirst for innovation.  I was astonished by the simple lighting solution that brightened the entire menswear floor.  “People will come from all over to visit the store, so we definitely wanted elements of memorability and surprise,” said Kent Wells, Director of Retail Planning and Design for RGLA .  Relying on new and creative ways to use utilitarian objects, Barney’s Miami CO-OP combined a mix of materials, fixturing systems and artisan objects to create an eclectic store environment, with an emphasis on wacky and fun.

Speaking of [...]

Though we’d typically hold off on our cloud postings til late March when pairings can be aligned with April showers, cumulous floaters have proven inspirational as of late.  Åsa Dahlbäck, a graphic designer from Sweden, creates sharp textured markings to form bold fluffy dimples.  Utilizing the largest markers in the box, Tsumori Chisato’s cloud dress portrays a dreamlike state, obscuring clarity with harmonious violets.

In a playful salute to “partly-cloudy” weather reports, Rose Clark’s collaboration with Sinem Erkas reveals a portable balloon installation series for fashion and art magazine, Exit. Continuing along bold and witty lines, the users of we heart it, found amusement in this hungry gutter by The 6emeia Project.  Harmless street art to make you smile.

Fusing photography with playful attainability, these pastel clouds encourage conceptual daydreaming.