3D In Living Color

"From catwalk to the crayon box, the lure of the 3D image has capture designer's imaginations. But rather than an influx of expensive production techniques an hi-tech, time consuming processes, the creative world has returned to the art of the red-green 3D image." Source Stylus

What is a anaglyph, you ask. An anaglyph is a red-green or red-cyan 3D image that has the ability of the human brain to create a sense of depth within a 2D image. It forces each eye to simultaneously look at a slightly different version of the same object. It's all about tricking the mind into precieveing depth. Here how the process works:

Using anaglyphs is nothing new. The process of creating depth with color was first demonstrated in the mid 19th century by Wilhelm Rollmann. Rollmann exploed the effect of a red-blue anaglyph line drawing viewed through red and blue lined glasses. A few years later Joseph D'Almeida began showing red-green magic lantern slideshows to audiences with red-green glasses.

The process boomed in the 1920s, however the term 3D was not coined until the 1950s. Anaglyph imagery began appearing in popular publications and movies such as The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Dispoable 3D glasses with the colored acetate became a popular giveaway with comics.

Now let's fast forward to present day. Anaglyph images have recently began to resurface in today's society. History always seemes to repeat itself. These images have been have been seen in fashion and publishing, packaging, technology, and even children's toys. The technique gives a retro 3D effect and feel without the high budget and lengthy post-production treatments used in films such as Avatar.

Anaglyphs were first seen in Alexander McQueen's Autumn/Winter 2006-2007 show, Baillie Walsh's 3D approach to fashion in motion was revisited in September 2010 in KM3D-1, an anaglyphic film starring Kate Moss.

Sephora Goes Mobile

New York is known for being the city that never sleeps. So there is no doubt that it's a busy city. There are always meetings to go to, people to see and places to go in Manhattan. Now you can have your must have mascara, skincare product or favorite lip gloss in a New York minute. Sephora wanted to launch a same-day delivery service for online cosmetics sales in New York. 


ACCESS agency designed a series of six different head-turning MINI Cooper wraps for their fleet of six vehicles. Bold was the name of the game. These designs will stand out in the busy New York street scene, among the taxis and delivery vehicles. They were gunning for big impact and quick recognition, immediate attention, a bold and cool vibe, something that would generate on-street buzz, even with only six vehicles.

Re-Thinking Retail: Anti-Malls

"People today want to have more of a relationship with their purchase. Creating an environment for communication and interaction will allow retail to act as an agent for social change with the SoCal community, beyond weekend farmer's markets and evenings out in the surrounding affluent neighborhoods," says Shaheen Sadeghi. Sadeghi spent almost 20 years building a successful career in the sportswear retail industry. He was the president of the world renowned  brand Quicksilver, executive LABve vice president at Gotcha Sportswear, and merchandise manage at Jantzen/VF Corporation. Sadeghi successfully created "community-oriented" retail shopping centers in Southern California; the LAB and the CAMP.

"When I started my career in retail, I saw a lack of community. There were only large air-conditioned boxes sprawling around Orange County," says Sadeghi. "I was 20 years old with a surfing industry background, frustrated with the limited retail spaces I had available." The traditional mall has become of a large box with many stores inside. In today's society, people are interested in having an unique shopping experience. This need for and unique and individual experience has people flocking to anti-malls.

The LAB Anti-Mall

It all began in 1992 when Sadeghi built the LAB (Little American Businesses) Anti-Mall. The LAB is an Orange County, California retail destination with the urban youth in mind. Orange County was on the brink of bankruptcy, Shadeghi transformed his first Bristol Street venue into a lively, arts-focused indoor-outdoor retail and restaurant mecca. "I'm selling culture, not fashion. We're moving away from being a 'mass nation' to a 'niche nation,' declares Shadeghi--who believes we're currently experiencing a paradigm shift where consumerism is based on smaller, niche interest groups rather than everyone chasing the same ideal.

The CAMP

In 2002, Lab Holding opened the CAMP retail complex. The CAMP caters to eco-conscious Orange County families, environmentalists and outdoor-sports enthusiasts. There a great environmental conscious features like a grass roof, on site watering system of the grounds, use of California redwood trees and indigenous landscaping. The award winning venue showcases like-minded, one-store retailers and restaurants, which target healthy living in an unique, green-oriented environment. "Sadeghi labels his ventures as “retail activism” but is keen to emphasis the link to “real things beyond just a philosophy” as part of his long­term vision. He reiterates his belief in the capacity of innovative retail areas to affect both social change and provide positive business results for retailers such as The SEED People’s Market – a shop dedicated to handmade, sustainable and local products plus a full­stock of leading brand Patagonia (of which it is consistently the largest seller of the major brand’s products outside of the Patagonia home stores). It also hosts classes, such as jewellery making in an upstairs workshop setting, and a monthly Handmade Fair. Since initiating these kinds of activities, the store has also seen an overall 45% increase in sales."

It's All In the Packaging

Warning! This post may have you look at the contents of your packaging differently. Care to try grasshopper chips or cricket croquettes? Not your cup of tea? Try some mealworm sushi. If you were raised in the West, you're probably a little more than hesitant to try any kind of insect. Insects are actually healthier and gentler on the environment that commercially raised livestock.

"Ento is a project by Aran Dasan, Jacky Chung, Jonathan Fraser and Julene Aguirre-Bielschowsky, who are working together on the Innovation Design Engineering joint Masters course at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. This project is the outcome of the team's motivation to tackle the growing issue of food security in an increasing hungry world. Discovering the environmental and nutritional benefits of insects. It's not [solely] about introducing a new food, but about understanding human perceptions and psychology. Then using the design of  innovative experiences and strategic thinking to drive a cultural change." Check out their video here.

To read more about Ento click here.

Graduating This Year?

It's about that time when your career as a student is coming to an end. You may be wondering what is going to happen next. It's time for you to enter into the real real. There are a few things you need to assess before venturing out.

Know what you what. Figure out what you want to do first. Narrow your options, if you don't you will be wasting a lot of your time. Time is the one precious commodity you can never get back.

Talk, talk, talk. Ask around. Everyone has been in the same position as you after graduation. Most people are willing to help or know of someone that can. Don't be shy, get out there and ask!

Always remember the rule of 3.  When talking to anyone in the industry you are looking to enter, remember to ask for 3 other contacts that you could talk to.

Informational interview. Informational interviews are a great way to learn more about a company you are interested in. It allows you to meet and reach out to employees in the company. If they are impressed with you, when I position opens up you may receive a phone call to come in for an interview for the position!

Revamping an Iconic Brand

The doors to the newly revamped PUMA on Carnaby Street opened on Friday, March 23rd. The PUMA brand embodies an active and healthy lifestyle. With a new active, innovative, and sustainable design to the retail environment. The store offers PUMA's performance lifestyle collections with cutting-edge technology to their customers. PUMA's strategy to revamp their stores to appeal to their customers in key markets (including Amsterdam, Munich, Barcelona and New York). Londoners will find some iconic London emblems given a PUMA twist.

The store is about 2,500 sq ft of open retail space showcasing the broad range of PUMA footwear displayed on their "catwalk" of shoes, from the iconic PUMA Suede to the PUMA Speed Cat.

Shopping is meant to be a fun experience. No one wants to have a boring shopping experience. The store has their own unique interactive features. The new PUMA Joypad is 32 synchronized digital touch screens, which allows customers to test their memory and reaction time on regularly updated games. Customers can challenge their friends to get the top score.

The changing rooms have a feature called the PUMA Peepshow. It is a red box that opens with a surprise video inside. "You never know who may be checking you out while you try on some new PUMA gear." Is that a phone ringing? Maybe you should answer it. Who's there? It's the PUMA "UnSmart Phone" and see who is on the other line. They could be calling to speak with you.

The ceiling tends to be the forgotten fifth wall. Not at the PUMA store. Look up and see the various floating images in their digital skylight. You could find yourself relaxing in the clouds or in the midst of a group of hungry sharks!

PUMA is making the shopping experience easier. There are iPads in the store to let their customers purchase products directly from PUMA's European e-commerce website. Now customers do not have to worry about not getting the color or size they want. Shopping directly through the website also lightens the customer's load. They will not be weighed down buy shopping bags. 

The Carnaby Street is a reflection of its surrounding location. From the "Mind the Gap" text on the front of the entrance ramps to the iconic red telephone boxes in the storefront facade. Customers will enjoy being in the midst of all that London has to offer.

"In line with PUMA's mission to become the most desirable and sustainable Sportlifestyle company, the new store, which was first opened in 2002, incorporates several sustainable features. Sustainable innovations include an efficient lighting concept mix resulting in reduced energy consumption, FSC certified wood and certified floor finishes guaranteeing the forest products used are from responsibly harvested and verified sources, and low-emission paint and adhesives. The structure of the existing walls [have] been left [untouched], reducing the amount of building material [waste]. These measures support PUMA's sustainability targets for 2015 and help protect our planet."

Digital Age: A New Type of Presentation

Portfolios are constantly evolving. The Morpholio Project was founded in 2011, by a group of architects and academics.They came together to research ways in which the proliferation of the device culture, the  development of the cloud, and the ubiquity of social networking, which shape the creative process.

Morpholio now seeks to create a new platform for presentation, dialogue, and collaboration relevant to all designers, artists and members of any image driven culture. Our interest is in advancing the ways that we discuss, debate, and critique our work with a global community. The mission is to explore ways of harnessing thoughtful feedback about a set of ideas, and to enable members to easily convene meaningful discussion around their work in new kinds of public and private forums. 

The project has an Advisory Council of 200 design professionals and artists from various disciplines. It draws representation from a wide range of studios, and universities worldwide including both students and professors from Columbia, Harvard, London’s Architectural Association, MIT, Princeton, and the School of Visual Arts. 

Check out their website here and these videos:

Technology Ever Changing

In today's times technology is ever changing. Have you ever thought about a better way to grocery shop? If your really think about it, isn't inefficient for grocery stores to store their products in several different locations? The stores would be able to save money, energy, and space by housing everything in a central location. If this was made into a reality, the question still remains of how to make the product accessible to the consumer.

The world's first ever virtual grocery store opened in Korea last summer. The consumer can see the items on the shelves as if they were in the grocery store. If an item where to catch the consumer's eye they would not grab the item off the shelf. If they wanted to purchase it, they would simply scan the barcode with their smartphone. After the item has been scanned it is placed into the virtual shopping cart (online shopping cart). Done shopping? Pay for your items and they are shipped promptly to your door. Not planning on going straight home? The consumer is able to schedule  when they would like their items delivered. If the consumer has previously purchased an item they simply order it again without have to physical be in the virtual store.

Let's hope that the virtual grocery stores come to the states. Just think you would not have to worry about standing in lines, no more price checks, no more pushing a cart with a squeaky wheel, loading and unloading the car, and no more worrying about shopping carts denting your vehicle. New York would be a great place to test the success of the stores.