Madonna and daughter Lourdes launched their Material Girl line just a couple weeks ago. With Gossip Girl Taylor Momsen fronting the collection the way she fronts The Pretty Reckless.
Considering the provocative personalities, it seems like a good fit. More of a ‘pass the torch’ moment than that Britney kiss those many years ago.
Website here.
Madonna: Like a Prayer
The Pretty Reckless: Goin Down
Video for The Cars’ You Might Think. From 1984.
Early award-winning animation by ‘computer graphics’ pioneer Charlex. Video details here.
Before and after
Another company’s gone and done it.
Desperate times call for . . . logo changes. If a company’s not doing well, they have to do something. Forget the pressure of product marketing, pricing, supply and demand – all too tough to deal with. Instead: Let’s change the logo.
K-Mart has done it a few times.
Not quite getting to the root of things. But changing a logo to solve a major problem is like saying, I have cancer, so – I’m going to go get my hair done.
When exactly did this become the rule of the day? Is a logo change what it takes to shore up a failing brand? Gap seems to think so and if that’s how they’re managing things right now, they probably should fail. [Read more →]
In 2008, punk rocker turned fashion designer Keenan Duffty did his own interpretation of David Bowie – for Target – leading to an incredible, understated, sophisticated line.
Starting with Bowie’s Thin White Duke persona, Duffty’s collection featured tuxedo jackets, thin ties, skinny jeans, shirts with lyrics and lightening bolts, pea coats and more. Peppered throughout were tiny details, hidden buttons and subtle edging that amped things up a bit (see video below). It all were complemented with some alpaca clothing accessories, which by the way you can get for you at that link.
Target’s rollout was a bit spotty – not all stores carried the complete line. Tho this did give things an exclusive edge. And unfortunately, final construction wasn’t always great (it appeared to be the same tailors as Target’s Merona line) – but for 25 bucks for a well designed shirt, one should be willing to sew a few buttons back on.
An interesting follow up happened the next year, as Duffty came up with additional looks as part of his already established Target England’s Dreaming brand. It was cool to watch Duffty go from worn punk to a whole other level in a short amount of time.
I still have (and wear) clothes from the collection (I also love blacks and grays). David Bowie was always about good fashion just outside the mainstream – with Duffty the musician/designer – it was a great mix.
David Bowie: TVC 15
Street photo via Harley Sears
‘The Illustrated Biography by Miles and Chris Charlesworth’
Designed by Pearce Marchbank, published 1980.
David Bowie: All The Young Dudes
Found via Gábor Kóthay, Counter-Print
‘How does art survive in a time of oppression? During the Soviet rule artists who stay true to their vision are executed, sent to mental hospitals or Gulags. Igor Savitsky . . . pretends to buy state-approved art but instead daringly rescues 40,000 forbidden fellow artist’s works and creates a museum in the desert of Uzbekistan, far from the watchful eyes of the KGB.’
Trailer for The Desert of Forbidden Art (above). More info about the film here.
my take
In my design history class, it’s always a shock when I show how strongly the Nazis reacted to modern art. Just the concept that ‘art can be dangerous’ – so dangerous that the artists must be killed – seems so distant. Yet in the news today, book burnings have become a common topic. Just like the Nazis. Again.
Art and ideas are often dangerous to individuals who have the intense need to control other people. What they say and do. Who they associate with, what they read, how they think, or love.
As someone who champions free speech – I find the concept of book (or art) banning (or burning) thoroughly disgusting.
Not looking forward to election day this year.
Trailer found via Ai Buenafe
‘Donald nos enseña la magia que se esconde en los números y la naturaleza’
‘The Golden Rectangle’ explained in Spanish. Challenged by Donald Duck in Spanish.
(Here’s an English version – though I prefer it in Spanish)
Found via Menosunocerouno
Vintage architectural renderings of storefronts by an anonymous artist. These were found in a photo album.
It’s amazing how many of these appear to be prototypes for stores that did exist. Wonder what the story is behind them (one agency created facades for many major chains)??
More here.
Sir Julian Gould: Movin At Midnight
Found via Justin Panson
‘the ‘Marina’ type, named after San Francisco’s Marina Boulevard store . . . The mosaic murals were created by John Garth. They depict food being transported from the four corners of the globe.’
Though abandoned by the company, this ‘googie-style’ seabird facade (above and below) was THE brand for the Safeway supermarket chain.
The Marina market even made an appearance in one of my favorite films, Bullitt (1968). It was part of the famous car chase thru San Francisco (clip below).
More on the ‘Marina’ style here.
Marina-style Safeway in Millbrae, 1963; click for larger image/jump
Millbrae Safeway interior, 1963
The chase from Bullitt; Safeway at 5:02 and (closeup) 4:45
Images found via Pleasant Family Shopping, Romleys, Grocetria
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