What has a waiting list longer than the latest Hermes bag and is only slightly less exciting than the shows at Bryant Park during fashion week? You won’t get the answer on your own, so just let me tell you: the annual student fashion show at The Maryland Institute College of Art. This year’s show titled Vogue: A Celebration in Fashion took place this past weekend. Two nights in a row, lively models of all shapes and sizes paraded on the makeshift catwalk sporting the work of 18 young designers in front of a packed house. Proceed to the full post where I’ve provided snapshots of some garments for your viewing pleasure.  Continue ...

It’s common for advertising, packaging and posters from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s to be copied, quoted and commented on in contemporary design work. Stores like Old Navy just love to go retro with their fashions and promotions.

The always luxurious, elegantly geometric and often gaudy work of the 1920’s has, in my opinion, been overlooked as a source of direct inspiration. The recent surge of intense and layered ornamentation in illustration does share elements with the work of artists like Erte; however, it is not a tribute or throwback time of the flapper. Here’s a smokin’ new product line from Blue Q (masters of freakishly fun packaging) that looks like it was pulled straight from the era of the bob.  Continue ...

Some store bought beverages are comfortable to drink out of the container and some aren’t. It depends on the diameter of the opening and the size of the drinker’s mouth and nose. It seems unsanitary that our nostrils often end up hovering above our soda, juice or water. The other day I encountered drinking perfection with Fruit Water. The new bottle for this particular beverage has an angled mouth making it a pleasure to drink from. We’ll have to wait and see if other companies follow suit. Continue ...