Treat

Michelle Obama advocates for the Arts

My Design Youth Forum Update

Just wanted to let you know that the Design Youth Forum that took place on Friday, March 27th at UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago) was a success. The students took a class in Graphic Design, Fashion, Industrial, Multi-Media, Interior Design, or Architecture with the theme being Sustainability. The students had so much fun, and I did too. It's amazing to hear the thoughts of young kids. They see ideas that older adults take for granted. So, it was refreshing to hear they're thoughts and see their brightened eyes and smiles when we exchanged ideas. So, if you ever have the time, it would be great to meet some of my Treat readers at one of the Project Osmosis events. I'll be continuing to post events in the future, so be on the look out!

Chicago students design Kobe Bryant's basketball shoe

If you saw the Bulls/Lakers game this past Saturday, then you probably saw Kobe Bryant's new sneaks which were designed by eighth graders at Claremont Academy and Parkside Elementary Community Academy in Chicago. Four teams of six students were part of Nike's After-School All-Stars program, where they selected materials, colors, and design using Nike's interactive site, NikeiD. Oh, and don't think these students didn't design without a concept. The winning design included snakeskin at the tip and heel because of Bryant's nickname, ''The Black Mamba.''

Read more about this story by clicking here.

photo credit: Jean Lachat/Sun-Times

The world's first Graphic Design museum

If you've ever wondered about the importance of Graphic Design, then here's a reason to look at it in a different light. On July 11 this year, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands opened the world's first museum dedicated to just Graphic Design—the Graphic Design Museum, Beyerd Breda. How 'bout that! There have been museums in the US that include a segment about Graphic Design, but there hasn't been a museum that focuses solely on Graphic Design. The museum will also act as an institute for learning, teaching, as well as a place to learn about established and emerging Graphic Designers.

No museum is complete without a souvenir to remind visitors of their discoveries. The museum also has a Graphic Design shop, but it doesn't stop there. The museum really knows how to think about design—get a taste of some culinary delights in the Graphic Design Café.

Fashionology LA

I don't usually write about teens, but this is an important target audience in marketing, advertising, and design, so I thought I'd pass this along.

As a teen, I was lucky that my mom knew how to sew. We would go to Hancock Fabrics, and other fabric stores, to find patterns for shirts, pants, and dresses. I would search diligently to find something unique and I would change it up even more by coordinating the pattern with funky and colorful fabrics that I thought were so cool because they couldn't be found anywhere else. I guess things have changed since then. Gone are the days when you would take a pen to your jeans and doodle like crazy, or go to the sewing store to buy studs and patches or iron-ons for your t-shirts and jeans (I had so many patches!). There's now a hip new teen spot, in Beverly Hills—Fashionology LA. This hot spot gives teen fashionistas the freedom to design their own clothing, individually, or with friends.

Once you enter the store, the first thing you do is find a computer station, which is where you select the type of garment that you like. Then, you select "a mood" which includes Juku, Pop, Rock, Malibu, and Peace. When the design is completed, you take your design to the U-bar where a fashionologist will heat press the design on the shirt. Then you take the design to a table where you add your bling. Once the shirt design is completed to the teen's satisfaction, she has a picture taken in her new design. The design is then flashed on a large screen TV in the store, giving others a chance to peep out the teens design skills. This photo is then sent to the teen to share with her friends. It sounds kind of similar to the Build-A-Bear Workshop, but fashion focused. What do you think?

Sneaky Sunday

Here's the inside scoop on a hot new site to check out for a night, or day, on the town. 

Summer's officially here, and that often means people are taking time off for vacation. There are some of us who globetrot and don't mind looking like a tourist, then there are others who would rather fit into the character of the city while oohing and ahhing in private. If you'd rather not look like a tourist while visiting a new city, then you should check out this new website by a fellow Portfolio Center alum, Sneaky Sunday. This website is like a cross between a Zagat guide and Time Out magazine, but more "boutiquish" and upscale. You'll find sneaky hot spots around town that only natives know about. The services are free, and no one pays to be ranked on the site. Check out an example of some of the videos you will find on the site to inform you of places to check out. The video below is about Tangerine, a Chicago women's clothing boutique.

How are the venues ranked? Sneaky Sunday has over 120 “Sneaky Reps” across the country who choose which venues should be listed, and how they should be ranked. In each city, there is at least one expert who maintains the site for that particular city.  “Sneaky Reps” fit the demographics of the venues which are 24-38 year old business travelers and young professionals who know their city well. 

Have a fab Thursday and a great weekend!

Free People Design-A-Bag Contest!

I don't usually post on Saturdays, but I wanted to wait until Monday when I could give you a headstart—on a weekend —for this fabulous opportunity!

Designers, I recently got word from Free People that they are having a Design-A-Bag contest! Yeah! So, take out your sketch books, pens, and get your creative juices flowing! The winning design will be created into a Free People bag, plus receive a $200 gift card that may be used at any Free People store or online, plus 10 cloth bags with your winning design on it for you and your friends! Read the guidelines here.

All e-mail entries of your design must be received by Friday June 27th, 2008 and all regular mail entries must be postmarked by Friday June 27th, 2008 and received by Friday July 5th, 2008. Make sure to read the guidelines carefully, and good luck! =)

3G iPhone coming soon?

There's talk of another iPhone coming out in June. Read more about it by clicking here. Also read here.

New President of RISD

If you haven't heard, Rhode Island School of Design announced in December that John Maeda will become the 16th president of the school. Maeda was been the associate director of research at MIT. You may remember him from the post I wrote about him a couple of months ago about a new Reebok sneaker that he designed based on his Laws of Simplicity. Check out this interesting interview with Maeda on AIGA's website at www.aiga.org.

Express Yourself High School Design Competition

The Osmosis Education and Mentoring Initiative Presents expressyourself High School Design Competition.

High School students, design a piece that best represents YOU using one of six design disciplines: Graphic Design, Architecture, Fashion, Interior Design and Multi-Media. Click the following link to get guidelines for submission and an entry form: Download express_yourself_guidelines.pdf.

Awards include 1st prize, an Apple computer, runner up cash prize, $500, and 3 Honorable Mentions receive $50! Deadline is December 8, 2007!

Click here to learn more about Project Osmosis and how you can get involved.

Project Osmosis Mission: Osmosis Education and Mentoring Initiative was established as a not-for-profit organization to further “design education for underserved minority youth.” Today, Osmosis Education and Mentoring Initiative is devoted to preserving and promoting the enduring achievements of both professional designers and mentoring the talents of our youth. The Osmosis philosophical principles are expressed in three words: Dreams, self-expression and community. Osmosis believes that dreams come true, self-expression matters and our communities will benefit from our youth’s creativity. Osmosis Education and Mentoring Initiative provides a unique understanding and appreciation of visual arts. Areas of focus include: graphic design, architecture, fashion, interior design and multi-media.

New 2016 Chicago Olympic logo

I'm a little late finding out about this, but Chicago has unveiled the new 2016 Chicago Olympic logo! Originally, I wrote a post about the first Chicago Olympic logo . The new one works so much better, and it follows the IOC standards. VSA Partners was smart to use many of the same elements from the previous logo. By maintaining the color and image of the city, it retains its initial brand recognition, although there were slight, yet meaningful changes. To learn more about the symbolism of the logo, check out the YouTube video below. Haven't been to Chicago? Check out these photos about the city on the Chicago 2016 site.

Here's how the logo looks downtown. It sure looks good!

Maeda's Reebok Timetanium Ventilator

Looking for new sneakers? Then you may want to check this out. Reebok recently called on the assistance of John Maeda, a world-renowned graphic designer, artist, and computer scientist at the MIT lab, to create a limited edition sneaker called the Reebok Timetanium Ventilator. The shoe is based on Maeda's "Laws of Simplicity,"which are ten mantras for simplifying things, thus merging math, technology, and nature into a dynamite sneaker that is visually conceptual and colorful enough to wear with practically anything. One of the most important laws he explores is time, which is the inspiration behind the Reebok Timetanium Ventilator. This special sneaker will be available exclusively on Reebok's limited edition customization website for $150, beginning Tuesday, November 13. To get your hands on a pair of these, you'll have to hurry, only 100 pairs are being produced!

I love how Maeda's code becomes a typographical, textural element in the shoe.

High School seniors, interested in Design?

Project Osmosis is a wonderful not-for-profit organization that teaches underserved minority youth about careers in architecture, interior, graphic, and digital design. If you're a designer in the Chicago area and you are interested in getting involved, e-mail mentoring@projectosmosis.org. If you're not in the area, but are interested in monetary contributions, click here. High school seniors and parents, Design Youth Forum (DYF) is an opportunity through Project Osmosis, where you can learn more about careers in design.

Win a chance for a $200 shopping spree!

Delight.com is celebrating its 6 month anniversary by giving you a chance to win a $200 shopping spree! It's easy to enter, but you'll have to hurry. The the sweepstakes runs through November 4th. Click here to check out the site and sign up for the shopping spree. Good luck!

Design thinking and Stanford's D-School

Designers are essentially problem solvers and communicators, but to explain that to most people would incur twisted facial expressions or an "understanding" with a nod of agreement, yet with confused thoughts. That's because many people really don't know what designers do. Sometimes a term so loaded with confusion can deter true knowledge of its purpose, but if its in demand, it may be reinvented.

For many people, design is synonymous with only making beautiful things and has been defined by its end product—logos, books, posters, and packages, for example. However, the process to creating such an incredible product that is recognizable by thousands to even millions of people each day, is rarely, if ever explored. How does a product evolve from a single sheet of paper, plastic, or wood to become one of the most important drivers of a company's bottom line? Why? Stanford's D-school is one of a group of new design schools—called D-Schools—that are redefining design. The school explores a multi-disciplinary approach to solving problems by combining human values, business, and technology which can transform a thought, a product, a business, and ultimately, the economy.