Spring / Summer 2016 Inspiration Good design is always a reflection of how a designer interacts with the world around her. Just like any other artist, a designer’s work should give you insight into her frame of mind at a particular moment; what was important to her, and what was rocking her world (and her worldview) at the time. A personal project consumed much of my free time during the fall and winter, and hugely influenced our Spring / Summer 2016…
Cue the Music: Enamorado Anyone who really knows me will tell you that I have a song, or lyric, for every situation, occasion, or event. The fervor is so intense that I actually wrote my wedding vows around a song (and name-checked the composer). Music is very important to me. Calling it a “passion” isn’t quite strong enough to convey how necessary it is for my existence. Music is a refuge and a revelation. A love. To quote Nietzsche, “Without…
Cue the Music: Making Spirits Bright I don’t like to stray too far from home without a well-considered playlist. Music might be the the most important in the Holy Trinity of ambiance creators, along with scent and lighting. Since ’tis the season for parties and festive gatherings, keep ambiance in mind as you plan your soiree, whether you’re hosting fifty people, or two. Mix something special for your guests that has a wintery feel; a favorite of mine, for this, is Laird’s Applejack…
Cue the Music: Reimagined A very fun (and slightly stressful) by-product of my job as Creative Director of EM is keeping abreast of what’s shown on the ready-to-wear runways of New York, London, Milan, and Paris, twice a year. Fun because I get to watch elaborately staged fashion presentations for two months out of the year; stressful because there can be up to two dozen shows per day. When I watch a fashion show, I want to understand three things:…
Cue the Music: Grey Noise I love grey. It commands authority, and conveys a controlled and classic point of view. But the human eye can distinguish about 500 shades of grey, which means that there’s also a lot of unsettling intrigue buried therein. Grey is captivating, too, because it occupies the space between two extremes: black and white. It’s no secret that life’s most interesting nuances exist in the “grey area.” When it came time to create EM branding, grey was a no-brainer. Grey Noise maintains a a steady bassline,…
Cue the Music: An Evening In There are very few genres of music that I come back to as often as I do to jazz. Unless I’m looking to rage, or act very bossy, jazz has a way of enhancing every of my moods. If I want to bring the brood while sipping some bourbon? Lush Life by Coltrane. Escape off in a daydream? Moon River by Vince Guaraldi. Put a mischievous swagger in my step? Summertime, Oscar Peterson’s live version from his “Oscar Peterson in Russia” record. Besides my weakness…