Over the past year, I’ve felt the urge to write about tigers on numerous occasions. Oddly though, it just didn’t feel right. Well, today’s the day this story finally gets threaded together, as a few trips to Barneys, the back streets of Paris and the Lower East Side have proven that tigers continue to play muse when it comes to graphic application- be it current or a throwback to the 80′s. The above murals are an inverse of each other, and an interesting parallel of color palettes. The composition to the left is a painting by Colleen Rochette and is on display at Barney’s Department store on Madison Avenue. The mural to the right is opposite L’as Du Falafel, a popular Falafel joint in the Marais in Paris.

This Diane Von Furstenburg dress puts the stripes and [...]

All creatives know that doodling leads to ideas. Ideas lead to innovation, and innovation keeps culture flowing. Interestingly, we’ve been noticing unruly markings in everything from media and textiles to graffiti and print. Some of our favorite adaptations of this trend come in the form of video.

Bruno Levy of New York City and Nimrod Weis of Melbourne, Australia are two multimedia artists at the forefront of motion graphics. This Modeselektor Deboutonner video incorporates thousands of photographs taken in Patan, Nepal over the course of a week. Using flashlights and long exposures, Levy was able to capture a truly magical landscape using simple tools and the notion of chance. Using a stationary, yet monumental sculpture, Lightscraper, Weis’ latest creation with Eness, is a light show projected onto a custom built aluminum structure, fabricated with a layer [...]

Diamonds in their purest form have remained desirable for centuries. From King Louis XIV of France to today’s modern bride, this gem signifies wealth, status and emotional commitment- three things that drive fashion and marketing teams crazy. Back in June, we covered global diamond patterns, as they were surfacing, and are now adding a few more to the bunch. Phillip Lim uses photo-realism in his bejeweled tank top while Rachel Roy simulates sparkle with cross-hatched slots on a quilted purse. Mimicking this concept with glass, Michael Kors references Hollywood glam with his new fragrance, Very Hollywood.

Additionally, many designers seem to be moving away from the traditional pyramid silhouette that we’re all accustomed to seeing. From Clé De Peau‘s eye shadow to Marc Jacob’s earrings on the cover of [...]

The scattering of physical features is similar to how digital identities resemble a kaleidoscope – lots of colorful parts pieced together to create different patterns. We are constantly juggling multiple on-line identities which when built together illustrate who “we are.” It’s not hard to take a trip down the digital rabbit hole and become lost in a sort of Wonderland, a marvelous “imaginary” place where we experience a bit of an identity crisis. Imagery reminiscent of this theme has been popping up throughout the fashion world, be it in this Agent Provocateur military spread, this Dazed and Confused Beth Ditto cover, or as Diane Von Furstenburg’s signature lip toss. It’s like Alice in Wonderland where Alice grows too big and then too small and in a conflicted state exclaims, “I know who I was when I [...]

Diane Von Furstenberg’s latest window display showcases mismatched patterns and fabric textures throughout her dress and bag collections.  Referencing bright and iconic summer shapes, reminiscent of j.crew flip flops and Tory Burch tunics, DVF’s approach to the upcoming season is blaringly optimistic.  That being said, I’d be curious to see how the recession translates into next year’s spring/summer collection, as today’s economical dip was hardly a factor when these ensembles were designed over a year ago.

L.A. Styles

While in Silverlake last month, I stumbled across Sally Bartz’s collection of handbags under her newly founded company, Halsea.  Inspired by west coast colors and summer icons, Bartz’s crab monograms and bamboo squares decorate luggage, tote and weekend bags, providing a breath of fresh air from LA’s hipster styles.

London Styles

UK designer, Peter Jensen has a playful [...]