Vera Neumann believed that fine art should be accessible to everyone – a radical idea for her time. The legendary artist and designer launched her scarf company in 1946 using excess parachute silk from World War II, setting into motion a lifetime career. Her bright and whimsical prints covered not just scarves but a litany of objects including slipcovers and plates. Up until her death in 1993, Vera did it all, never compromising her career for motherhood, family, or her art for business. While today’s Vera lovers have been forced to comb the internet and rummage through bins at thrift shops, Vera’s work has recently been given new life.

After having been rediscovered by Anthropologie, Vera’s patterns and art have been incorporated into a variety of wares for a handful of seasons. A book entitled, “Vera: The [...]

Back in September we interviewed Juanita Cardenas on her Polychromatico! line of clothing. This time around, we’re taking note of her chameleon-like sketchbook. Brought to our attention by Lauren Epstein, a good friend and avid PP supporter, it’s hard not to be glued to every page once you start scrolling through. The vibrant textures and raw experiments are evidence of a creative deep dive and prove our point that mood boards are the way to go when you’re in the concept-phase of a project. Take a look and tell us how you concept. What’s your favorite way to tackle a brief?

“All that I see stays in my mind waiting to be unearthed during the creative process,” explains Italian artist, Flavio Melchiorre. When you get lost in Melchiorre’s mesmerizing patterns you certainly see what he means. His colorful designs draw from all elements of everyday life, particularly street art.  Seeing his bold designs, you can easily imagine him walking by a splash of graffiti and filing it in his mind for years before it manifests into works such as Tips’ n Trips, Wild Things, or his recent iPhone skin for Grove. Check out our Q & A with this colorful Italian.

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PP:  How does your culture influence your design aesthetic?

FM: I would say naturally, everything that I live can influence my work. I have a great photographic memory and all that I [...]

The Dutch duo that is Stefan Scholten and Carole Baijings have been working together since they founded their design studio, Scholten & Baijings in 2000. Dedicated to an aesthetic of minimalism and intricate detail, this design force has become most famous for their keen arrangement of grids, gradients and patterns. Their catalog of work consists of home goods and fashion accessories and is quite inspirational, regardless what medium you’re accustomed to working in. Check them out!

I had the pleasure of tuning into Stylesight‘s Fall/Winter 2010 trend webinar earlier this week, presented by industry insiders, Sharon Graubard and Nina Stotler. Unsurprisingly, Graubard and Stotler labeled Marni’s overlapping color fields a print to watch for Fall. Some other mid century style setters to note are Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Erotokristos and Balenciaga.

Tapping other creative print and pattern worlds, Anna Bondoc‘s recent paper cut masterpieces are a reminder that paper continues to be a material of choice for designers and artists alike. Using just a knife and steady handwork, Bondoc combines color, shape and asymmetry to execute her wall friendly pieces. Her inspiration ranges from coffee beans to Scandinavian pitchers and the results are both organized and abstract.