Use black to your advantage

I got this swim suit as a gift and like how the beachy print is not so expected. There is that floral print that is overly done and gets boring. The black over lay is a different use of creating print. The blocky typography is simple and  allow you to make out the letters at a glance. The use of color is fresh and vibrant.

“Alice on Acid”

With the new season of Project Runway starting they just had the unconventional material challenge. For those not familiar with the show, every season one episode will challenge the designers to create a look from unconventional materials that are not fabric but look likea fabric. This season Hallmark Cards was featured as the material of choice for the designers looks. Swapnil Shinde’s look was amazing. His use of color and materials he used really created a fashion forward look. With his concept being   strong and complete from start to finish proved to place him in top looks. His idea of being Alice in Wonderland in the Hallmark  Store he created a look that was titled ” Alice on Acid”. His look was so polished, clean but had a lot going on it really a blast of color overload but paired with the black and white was amazing. The strong used of geometry for the top in black and white gave me a sense of structure and into the skirt there was the whimsical pop of fun and emotional color. The look was is new and fashion forward. Can’t wait until his next design.

Clean modern fun

Found this shirt and really like the clean linear design. The a symmetrical design makes it  modern with a fresh look. what really caught my eye is the painter. The black and white element is not the focal point but the secondary elements the eye notices. Looking to but this.

Simply Classic

This simple ad for National Martini Day is retro classic. Love the classy color choice! It not to dark with the use of black and red…. The silhouettes play with the eye and with the color blocking- both elements really balances out the design.  I find the color blocking for martini /thursday and then for day / june 19th  interesting. It really helps the association with day and the date with out being to bulky and taking away from the silhouettes .

Black is used as a Blank Canvas

I saw this commercial and really like how the black is used to help the viewer focus on the sink fixtures and utensils Glenn Kotche is playing. The  set is very simple  set  but  the set  up of the sink water fixtures and the culinary items are a little more complex which we notice and focus on. Having the different colors , a viewer can  imagine or relate to their household color plates helps with that small trigger of possibly adding the Delta faucetin their home .

Black is the Focal Point

I saw this on Dancing with the Stars last night and was blown away with Jaimie Goodwin & Derek Hough performance. The chorography and idea is amazing!!! Besides the dancing – the over use of the reds and pink are over kill for the simple set but having the dancers all in black with an sheik grunge feel helps make them the focal point. I am a fan of having one wall with a heavy print wall paper in a room, this really help bring in the eye and ground the room.  But over all there is a great sense of vintage and modern grunge to the whole thing, from the set design, costumes and to dancing.  Please watch the entire video!!!

Fresh and Clean

Prabal Gurung for Target

Prabal Gurung for Target

 

I was introduced  to Prabal Gurung and really like the overall concept of  the 2013 collection. There is great color, texture, silhouettes and structure of the out fits. I have posted pictures of some of my favorite looks but honestly ALL the looks are cohesive and have the same feel. I could go through each piece and give my thoughts but the pictures that I have posted help make my point and all I need to do is give a generalization. Each outfit can be dressed down up or down and the pop  of color adds a nice touch. There is  fun, flirty and sexy  with the sophistication of the black and white. Having black and white helps with structure and keeping it clean and polished but how color is applied in this collection and how the colors play with the eye really make new and fresh.

Black helps emphasize White and Red

 

Heard this song on the radio ( Hunter Hayes – “Wanted”) and was impressed with it. It is a nice love song with great instrumental highlights – so I decided to look up the music video. I like the focus of the guys experience with love perspective. The black and white old time movie feel really keeps it simple but the there is focus on the words, not just as he is singing but the set is designed with it. The white lettering on the glass panels and on the piano show how one can be consumed but the desire of loving someone and being loved. It really gives it a personal touch instead of having words appear through out the music video. Also the use of the red is very little, but effective for the emphasis and enhancement of the item of the color application: the lettering, roses and roadway markings…  The use of the red can refer to love, the heart, fire of love and so on and so on…  but is used enhance the desire to make some one feel wanted: flowers and kisses.

 

Dark without the use of all Black

ABC – Once Upon a Time

ABC had release cast photos for the Once Upon a Time and this photo of Regina / the Evil Queen presents her as dark and evil but she is not dressed in black nor is her character set in a dark night atmosphere. For this series I have notice that the writers and set designers included elements in the scene that relate to the characters significance in the series. Regina in the Evil Queen – she is on a desk portrayed as in power and strong. The wall paper in the office is of trees – the Evil Queen did drive Snow White in the forest. Dressing Regina in red – the only other color used in the black and white set helps direct your eye to her first. The heavy use of textures in contrast to her simple solid color outfit helps with the contrast that the eye catches the main difference of solid color and the color red. If they had dressed Regina in a dress that had a patter and red the focus would not be directed to her in the photo.

Country Home

Privet House Company

I noticed this display in Target and it not just classy, sheik, and modern. It really has a home, antique feel. It’s so simple the there is focus on the images / items that can be bought through this house ware line. The old chalkboard drawing feel with the simple illustrations really help present a laid back at home feel. The line drawings with the minimal details help present the form and special relation of the object but table that everything is on is implied by the perspective. I do like the type design with the serif font / display font (Privet) and sans serif (House), it helps contrast the text and not make the label too text heavy.