Introducing the designs of Maria Dahlgren

Today I wanted to introduce you the work of the amazing Scandinavian designer Maria Dahlgren! I first came across Maria’s work during a trip to IKEA when I picked up one of their KORT Art packs featuring 5 small prints of her work. I loved the playful colors, patterns and typography. I looooove the way Maria approaches type, playing with positive/negative space and color to create her the city prints, for which she is known. Now that I’ve been to several of these cities (Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm) it’s fun to recognize some of the landmarks she depicts in her work.

The career of Swedish Designer, Maria Holmer Dahlgren, began at the internationally-renowned Swedish stationary company, Ordning & Reda. Maria co-founded Ordning & Reda and designed for them for 18 years. Other achievements include being commissioned to design the interior graphics for Stockholm’s stylish boutique hotel “Rival,” owned by ABBA’s Benny Andersson.

Maria now has her own thriving design company, Metagram. She designs a variety of contemporary trays and other pieces aimed at the high-end tourist market, and currently sells them in places such as Stockholm’s “Moderna Museet” gallery.

Of her work, Maria says…

“…There’s beautiful art all around us, if we just open our eyes to it.”

-Huset Shop.com

IKEA Kort – pictured above. At $5 this is a STEAL for her work

Stockholm Tea Towel

Helsinki Tray (above).
Trays are HUGE in Scandinavian interior design stores, not sure why they’re so popular, but every print comes on a tray … and they’re expensive too. Most are made from Scandinavian birch trees which are everywhere in Sweden and have the most beautiful white and black bark.

Breakfast Tray

From Futura Trays – love this series!

Stockholm Tray

Happy Thoughts Tray

Tate Tray designed exclusively for the Tate Modern. See the entire collection here.

TuttiFrutti Tray – one of my favorites!

Look at this alphabet!

Helsinki Capital Cities Print -went to a bunch of these places while in Finland – you can see the birch tree bark where is says Design Museo – makes a great pattern right.

 

Hope you enjoyed the work of Maria Dahlgen as much as I do!

 

Spring into color with Aldo by Terri Richardson and the Gap

I’ve been meaning to share this ad campaign since they first started popping up in NYC months ago. Perhaps by now you’ve seen them in a town near you. Above is an image from Aldo‘s Spring/Summer 2012 ad campaign featuring some of the best and most-playful applications of color I’ve seen in quite a while. Each image is a welcome relief from the dullness of winter for sure. Shot by Terry Richardson, featuring Anais Pouliot and Mat Gordon – these ads are great examples of color done right, but not taken too far. This is also one of the first times I’ve seen Terry Richardson do something with COLOR and not on a white background, but I’m all for it.

  Terry Richardson & Lady Gaga, follow Terry on tumblr here.

Typical Terry + Obama!

New Harper’s Bazaar redesign featuring the cover shot by Terry Richardson.

Banana anyone?

Don’t these look great as billboards with the huge Aldo logo?
There’s a huge billboard in Soho, NYC of the first image in this post that always makes me smile when I pass by.

These series reminds me a lot of Gap’s “Be Bright” Spring/Summer 2012 campaign photographed by Chris Craymer, which I’m also in love with.

This is the first time I’ve paid attention to Gap ads in years, I miss the Golden Age of Gap with those great commercials.

Be you.

And kudos to Gap for supporting gay equality with this billboard featuring two men sharing a shirt. Love it.

Revisiting French Vogue Nov 2009 + David Sims + Keith Haring

Recently I was scrolling through old blog posts and I came this post featuring the photography of David Sims in the November 2009 issue of French Vogue. At the time I didn’t pay attention to the photographer, so I wanted to fully credit him. I also wanted to take another opportunity share these great images with you! I looooooove the hand written typography on the cover and throughout the issue. The picture above doesn’t quite do the cover justice as the text is gold foiled and shines beautifully in person.

Check out the hand drawn typography (above) for this Keith Haring inspired editorial. Influences of Haring’s work can be seen in countless places today. Currently the Brooklyn Museum has a retrospective of Haring’s work on display until July 8th – so if you’re in NYC this summer, definitely check it out.

Keith Haring: 1978–1982 is the first large-scale exhibition to explore the early career of one of the best-known American artists of the twentieth century. Tracing the development of Haring’s extraordinary visual vocabulary, the exhibition includes 155 works on paper, numerous experimental videos, and over 150 archival objects, including rarely seen sketchbooks, journals, exhibition flyers, posters, subway drawings, and documentary photographs.

The exhibition chronicles the period in Haring’s career from his arrival in New York City through the years when he started his studio practice and began making public and political art on the city streets. Immersing himself in New York’s downtown culture, he quickly became a fixture on the artistic scene, befriending other artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kenny Scharf, as well as many of the most innovative cultural figures of the period. -BAM

Keith Haring by Annie Leibovitz -1986

One of my favorite examples of a contemporary Haring reference is Rihanna’s Rude Boy video.

Notice the influence between the French Vogue editorial and Haring?

Hope you enjoyed this post, half throw back, half something new. It’s important people realize where work in this style comes from and not to forget the themes Keith Haring depicted in his work, such as street culture of NYC in the 80′s and the flight of HIV/AIDs. All props go to Keith and go to BAM this summer to see his work in person.

Meet painter James Nares

Last week I visited to the Coach Men’s store here in NYC and I was introduced to something new … the work of painter James Nares. Not what you were expecting? Recently Coach teamed up with the painter on a limited edition series of bags painted by the artist available in 5 colors. They can be yours for the small price of $798 .. I kid – that’s an insane amount of money. But it’s almost like you’re buying a piece of art. So get into the work of James Nares and for about $800, one of these amazing bags can be yours … compare it to the price of an original painting and it’s a steal.

The bags on display in James’ studio .. see the connection to his work in the background?

beautiful in blue.

Orange.

 

Love the green too.

Nares paints his canvases suspended from above to get his signature brush strokes.

A peak into the studio.

A collection of huge brushes Nares uses to create his distinct paintings.

To check out an interview with Nares – read here.

I love the graphic black and white versions too.

 

The photography of Willy Vanderperre

Willy Vanderperre for Jill Sander Spring/Summer 2011

Today I’m sharing the work of one of my favorite photographers, Willy Vanderperre. I noticed Vanderperre’s Jill Sander ads in all the fashion magazines this season while freelancing recently as an Art Director in fashion advertising. I love with how Vanderperre plays color and backgrounds, especially white backgrounds. It’s clear to see Vanderperre + Jill Sander make a great team as all their campaigns are equally striking. I’m just so in love with the Spring/Summer ads (above, below) … the huge type + graphic images – looks very graphic-designy. Vanderperre does a lot of great men’s fashion photography which is also great to see.

According to models.com, Willy Vanderperre knows the secret of using light to exquisite effect and has an innate sense of style, as his work for magazines such as Another Man, Pop and a recent cover of British Vogue featuring Kate Moss, proves beyond all doubt. This native of Antwerp, known for his tall, adolescent figure and legendary discretion, is close friends with designer Raf Simons, for whom he has directed several ad campaigns, as well as working for Jil Sander and Givenchy.” -Vogue Hommes International A/W 10

Willy Vanderperre is represented by Management + Artists, where you can see more of his great work, or follow him on tumblr!

Willy Wanderperre

Jill Sander Spring/Summer 2012

I love how different each campaign is .. so futuristic and minimal.

Love the red coat and hat! Looks like a movie still.

Notice the Prada retro flame shoes! from An Other magazine.

Throwing this last one in b/c was shot in Soho, NYC. I pass by the Corner all the time. Love the neon sign.

Promo shots for Kanye West’s 808′s and Heartbreaks

V Magazine #69 shot by Vanderperre

Vogue China March 2011

Need someone to shoot me like this!

Hope you enjoyed! Follow Vanderperre on tumblr!

 

 

The Photography of Mert & Marcus

Razz Matazz – Love #5 by Mert & Marcus, Spring/Summer 2011

Continuing with my series of new found photographers, today I bring you the work of Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, better known as Mert & Marcus. According to wikipedia,

“Their work and style is heavily influenced and shaped by the photography of Guy Bourdin and also the use of digital manipulation of which they have pioneered the use. They have defined the look of the past decade and as a duo are one of the most respected and acclaimed photographers working today. Strongly known for their portraits of sophisticated, powerful women, Alas and Piggott’s photos lend an air of grace and unmistakable perfection to advertising. “The difference between us and other photographers is that we care a lot about appearance,” says Alas. “We spend most of the time in the make-up and hairstyling rooms”. The team works today for magazines such as Vogue USA, Vogue Italia, W Magazine, Pop Magazine, Numero and Arena Homme Plus.“

Most recently you guys will recognize their work for Madonna’s MDNA album art and art direction of her latest video, “Girl Gone Wild.” I loved the MDNA album art from the beginning so it was no surprise that Mert & Marcus were behind the project. I love their pioneering use of color and the sensational stories they depict in their photographs. Next time you flip through Vogue, Love or W and find yourself loving the work, don’t be surprised if it’s by Mert & Marus.

Here are some of my favorites:

Razz Matazz – Love #5 by Mert & Marcus, Spring/Summer 2011

 

Vogue France: 90 ans d’Excès

Interview Magazine – August 2011

Kenneth Willardt

 

Its been over a month since my last post and a lot of new (and exiting) things have happened. First up, I finally received my diploma for my MFA in design degree from Pratt Institute. Talk about delayed gratification! Later in March, I left my design job of 8 months, turned 26 and entered the world of fashion advertising as a Jr. Art Director. It’s been a HUGE change adjusting to a new schedule, pace and skill set needed for art direction in beauty/fashion. But it has also been rewarding. Everyday I get to look at work by amazing photographers so I want to spend the next couple posts sharing some of my favorites. When I was in Copenhagen I learned so much by researching and writing about the textile designers I saw, so I want to do the same thing with fashion photography. Today I present the work of Kenneth Willardt. I blogged about Kenneth’s work a long time ago when I saw the Maybelline ads in the subway for New York Fashion Week. For the longest time I had no idea who photographed them, but while looking for ideas for a photo shoot, I stumbled across his work!

I’m obsessed with this series … the black and white + pops of color. If you think about it, it’s the perfect concept to advertise make up. Simple concept that makes a colorfully bold statement that is ever so eye catching. While I enjoy seeing the ads take over the NYC subways and buses for Fashion Week each year, I love that now I’m learning about the artists behind the work. It also feels great to return to photography after years of design, and learn how these fashion stories are created. Ideally one day I’d love to work in-house for a brand and creative direct photography and graphic design, but for now, it’s fashion design boot map. You can check out some behind the scenes action from the 2011 Maybelline New York Calendar.

And here’s a bit more of his work. The Maybelline stuff is hands down my favorite but its worth checking out his site for some cool ideas.

 

Really love this last series, from Vogue China – love the colors and all the mixed patterns!