mother of pearl aw12

The blending of art & fashion will always make me smile, so when I read about Mother of Pearl’s autumn/winter 2012 collection over on Trendland, I was excited. The mix of print & pattern, colour & texture is creative and I must say that I love the vibrant palette of royal blue/burnt orange/plum/blush.

For this collection, Mother of Pearl has collaborated with New York-based artist Fred Tomaselli to produce a series of prints with mixed visual references. The real, the photographic & the painterly are all combined to create a collection rich in hyperdelic imagery.

click over to Mother of Pearl to see more from this unique collection.

3 by fryd

 

Did you notice that little badge on the right of my blog? It’s the BYW 2.0 e-course which I’m thrilled to be a part of again this year. Holly of Decor8 shares her massively inspirational e-course with a few amazing guest teachers, one of whom just happens to be a fabulous favourite of mine... Jeanette Lunde of By Fryd. Besides being a graphic designer in Norway, Jeanette is the editor-in-chief of her very own e-magazine called By Fryd. This is her 3rd issue & I’d love to share some of my favourite images from it...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

click on the link below to read the full issue of 3 By Fryd:

 

Open publication - Free publishing - More design

going dotty

My guest post for Freeworld Design Centre last week was avant-garde with a serious case of the measles…

Louis Vuitton, the powerhouse brand under the helm of Marc Jacobs, continues their collaborations with major artists. This time the creative partnership is with Yayoi Kusama, the 82-year old Japanese artist who’s known for putting brightly coloured dots on everything. The collection will be revealed on July 10 and is set to include silk pyjamas, dresses, trench coats, bags and shoes in an array of bright primary colours. This coincides with Kusama’s retrospective at the Whitney Museum in New York, a second exhibition following the retrospective of her work at London’s Tate Modern museum earlier this year funded by Louis Vuitton.

“Her energy is just endless,” Jacobs said. “For many people who don’t look at art or go to galleries, or maybe they’re not aware of Kusama’s work, there will be a new venue, a new place to see this work and to come to appreciate it through the eyes of Louis Vuitton.”

Kasama became famous for her dotty decoration during the pop art movement in the 1960’s with her colourful polka dotted nudes. Through her avant-garde sculptures, paintings and performance art, Kusama is now acknowledged as one of the most important living artists to come out of Japan. This eccentric visual artist is truly living the dotty life, given that from 1977 she has voluntarily stayed in a mental hospital in Japan where she has continued to make art in her nearby studio, as well as publish several novels, a poetry collection, and an autobiography.

images from NY magazine & fashionologie

pop art at heart

My guest post for Freeworld Design Centre last week was was a cheerful mix of yellow, leopard print and pop art…

Karla Spetic’s AW2012 Heart collection is full of colourful contrasts which are pretty and playful, modern and minimal. This Croatian-born Australian designer successfully mixes pastel, print, neon & leopard in the latest collection from her label which she launched in 2008. Karla remarks, “I do like clean things; I like simplicity. My pieces aren’t complicated.”

Bright acid yellow takes centre stage playing the bold leading lady, while a burst of cherry red creates a sassy supporting actress not to be left in the wings. The Pop Art Lichtenstein print adds graphic and eye-catching interest to the blouses and the silhouettes of the A-line skirts further reinforces a demure 1950’s theme. The diaphanous sheer pieces add that touch of seduction giving the collection a modern, contemporary look, albeit quite breezy. *wink*

pop art at heart

so my guest post this week for Freeworld Design Centre is all about the unfussy design aesthetic of Sydney fashion designer Karla Spetic’s AW2012 collection. Click over to see more from this talented lady’s pretty and playful collection of print, colour and pop art.

skinny laminx: flower dreams

The designs of Skinny laMinx are wild… but sweet. Heather Moore, designer & creator of the loveable label we’re so proud of in South Africa, launched her first proper collection yesterday, called Flower Dreams. I went along to the launch and was not disappointed. The centrepiece of the collection, Wild Flowers, is a bold 2-colour print which is a little bit Scandinavian, a touch Japanese & a whole load of fun. The simple large-scale print comes in 4 delicious colourways; Strawberry Humbug, Lemon Humbug, Strawberry Plum and Lemon Plum. Very sweet indeed!

Also part of the collection are the Solid Orla & Pincushion designs, which work so beautifully as coordinates in this versatile collection. All the prints are at home in a variety of settings and cross over to different ages, genders & styles with ease.

And if you haven’t seen Heather’s Flower Dreams animation yet… please click the pic below.

images from Skinny laMinx, except for Instagram photos, which are my own.

Nice work!

Heard of NICE Magazine? Produced by Nice Work up in Johannesburg, it’s a free online mag which spreads the word about local talent and international creatives and their work. Every issue has a specific theme to direct the curating and design process of the content. The latest amazing issue #7 is created around the Handmade theme and is packed with visual inspiration from across our globe.

A few articles caught my eye:

Varpunen is creation of Finnish couple Susanna Vento and Jussi, and named after their daughter which, when translated, means small bird. Their storage containers feature bright graphic patterns and are made from durable PVC-laminated polyester. Varpunen storage is perfect for busy and active families who need aesthetically pleasing containers in which toys, clothing & washing can be dumped:

Artifact is a range of American waxed canvas and leather bags by Chris Hughes from Omaha, Nebraska. Elegantly designed, the bags are carefully constructed using hand tools, vintage industrial equipment and age-old techniques. With a bespoke attention to detail, Chris has revived the techniques and processes of traditional craftspeople in the leather and textile industry:

Honest Chocolate from Cape Town will have you melting with their organic, handcrafted chocolate. This pure tasting dark treat is made from the finest raw, organic Ecuadorian cacao, giving the chocolate a distinct flavour. Adding to their unique approach, Honest Chocolate commissioned South African artists to illustrate their chocolate wrappers:

In Haus Press is a small letterpress studio in San Francisco specialising in custom and ready-made paper goods, all printed by hand. The name is aptly in line with their studio’s ethos: everything is lovingly designed, printed, photographed and packaged in-house. Quite amazing for a 2 person team!

Another local favourite, this time from Muizenberg, Cape Town, is Skermunkil. Husband & wife team, Rory and Marietjie, make striking, sophisticated and contemporary jewellery which has a signature, handcrafted aesthetic. Their latest collection takes inspiration from simple lines and strong geometric shapes & patterns:

The contributors of NICE Mag also created a collection of objects which explored the handmade theme of issue #7. These 2 collections caught my eye:

There’s loads more in this digimag which you shouldn’t miss, so download the latest issue here or view it online.

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website: nicework