I work in advertising, but try not to make it my life. I love writing, art and design - and focus my time on these when I'm not working or hanging out with my family.
I like what Dolce & Gabaana have done with their online magazine, Swide. It wasn't long ago that luxury fashion brands were being called out by many that work in the media landscape for being too far out of the interactive + social media worlds.
But I think that's changing - and quickly. Companies like Varvatos have embraced the mediums in force, along with many other brands of a "higher" spending caliber.
I'm not going to rush out and buy D&G clothes (not my taste, but respect!) but what I do like is this tide of accessibility that has shifted, at least in terms of always finding a way to get many people to be a part of luxury brands.
In America, the new normal - spending habits are (supposedly) focusing on a thrifty consumer. Financial analyst are telling the makers of higher end brands to focus on their wealthy consumer base. I say - screw that. Keep your brands accessible by utilizing as many channels as possible. People are impulsive. You never know when they'll get the need to get their hands on, let's say, a $300 D&G shirt .
Entertain, inform and reward!
RCRD LBL has a free download of Too $hort's latest track. Nothing ground breaking here, but fans of Short Dog will be into it.
GQ posted advice for denim heads in terms of care and maintaining when they bleed on your kicks, get dirty, etc. Tasty words of wisdom (I'm sporting a pair of raw Naked & Famous as I write).
While the article delivers, the posts from readers takes the topic in a whole interestingly new direction, calling out the misstep in what type of denim is actually shown, as well as getting hyped over the sneakers that were used in the pic.
Adidas - GQ moved a few units for you on this one.
Being a fan of Disney movies is sort of like being a fan of Elvis. You know all the songs, but when you look around at the fan-base as a collective, you're not always sure you want to admit to liking any of it.
There was a time when Disney flicks were (ahem) stink-o. This movie chronicles the 10 year comeback of the house that Walt built.
Art communities online are a dime a dozen. But - I do like this one because of the ease of usage (Tumblr, duh) and the work is fairly solid.
The downside? Envy, if you're an artist that has time to do everything but work on your personal projects.
Hello Me! Wah-wah-wah ...
We are pleased to announce the 13th Annual SXSW Web Awards Winners below -- all sites that have launched or been completely redesigned in 2009. The winners in each category were revealed at the SXSW Web Awards Ceremony Presented by Adobe on Sunday evening, March 14.
Activism
Green and Non-profit websites that are striving to make the world a better place.
Amusement
Humor, memes and all the stuff that is weird for the sake of weird.
Art
From traditional photography to untraditional performances, this category focuses on web-based collections of life, society and culture.
Blog
Sites that revolutionize the power of publishing by providing regularly updated content of a personal or professional nature.
Business
Sites devoted to the promotional needs, functions and services of for-profit businesses.
CSS
This category showcases sites that push the boundaries of CSS coding technology, bringing together top-notch design and content with standards compliant and accessible code.
Classic
While the SXSW Web Awards focus on the best new internet destinations, this category is devoted to sites that launched before January 1, 2009.
Community
Social networks and wikis that have quickly developed an extraordinarily active multi-user community and an exceptional following of users who assist with content development.
Educational Resource
From elementary school learning to advanced technology-related tips, these are sites that help you learn.
Experimental
These are cutting-edge and trend-setting destinations that are pushing the envelope and challenging our perceptions of the web.
Film / TV
Sites related to actors, television, films and the film industry, as well as destinations that offer streaming video content.
Games
The online destinations that help make your life a lot more fun.
Mobile
Sites optimized for handheld and portable devices.
Motion Graphics
Animations, cartoons, and other intriguing content built using applications such as Adobe / Macromedia Flash.
Music
Sites related to musicians, bands, and the music industry, as well online radio and other destinations that offer streaming audio content.
Personal Portfolio
The portfolios, pet projects and personal collections of individuals who are displaying their work and passions online.
Student
This category is devoted exclusively to the student web designers who are refreshing this industry with new talent and new ideas.
D.I.E. - Der Interuniversale Erdball, Inc.
Technical Achievement
These are the sites that are re-inventing and re-defining the technical parameters of our online experience.
People's Choice Award
The online public's favorite finalist site from the competition. Over 12,000 signed up to vote for this year's People's Choice Award.
Best of Show Award
The judges' favorite finalist website from the competition.
Some great work this past year!
I missed this party at SXSW, but thought the concept of the actual conference (in Portugal, no less) is pretty solid. If you can get yourself there in October, the 13th to the 17th - it looks like you'll be immersed in some pretty interesting topics around digital technologies.
Captured fashion moments in time make me laugh (sometimes).
Took a quick visit around Marc Jacobs website and was pretty impressed with the overall look and feel (http://www.marcjacobs.com/).
createthe group, who designed the site, has done a good job of showing off their capabilities on their own site. They concentrate only on fashion retail online, with an emphasis on luxury brands.
Surprisingly the fashion industry has been historically behind when it comes to an online presence. Let's hope agencies such as this one put an end to that.
I'm a sucker for dogs and design. One site with both is a must.