New York magazine recently ran a story for its Spring Fashion 2008 series called “One Is the Loveliest Color.” It features interviews with five different New York residents, each of whom wears only one signature color… all the time.

There’s a shoe designer in blue, musician Stephin Merritt in brown, and my personal favorite, “The Green Lady.”

New York magazine’s interviewees in “One Is the Loveliest Color” might inspire you to find your signature hue.

I always referred to Elizabeth Sweetheart as The Green Lady when I lived in the city. I’d see her often in my Brooklyn neighborhood and on the train. I was always amused and impressed by all of the ways she folded green into her wardrobe. I recall the green barrettes in her green hair, atop a face with green tinted glasses. The green shoes, green socks, and of course, green overalls.

I never had the nerve to ask her about her unique look, so until I stumbled upon this article, I didn’t really “get” it. Reading the other interviews, this idea of a signature color, and how it evolved for these creative people, it suddenly made sense.

First, the color seems to find you, not the other way around. It trickles in initially, but quickly takes over. And it does so because it reflects the wearer’s personality. It immediately feels tied to the wearer, and vice versa. It’s like a brand. Tiffany & Co wouldn’t be the same without its “Tiffany blue” boxes, just as Elizabeth Sweetheart wouldn’t be the same without her green. She can’t sleep if she’s not wearing her green.

Sure, it’s unlikely that this notion of dressing monochromatically in a signature shade every day (more…)

If your sweetheart is a graphic designer, it’s quite possible that he or she loves not only you but also Helvetica. Developed in 1957, Helvetica is the ubiquitous, sans-serif typeface that captured designers’ hearts almost immediately upon its release with its perfect, neutral letterforms.

There’s no sense in being jealous of your sweetie’s love for Helvetica. It’s everywhere, from the iPhone to Target to the NYC subway. Helvetica will always been in the picture. Instead, accept Helvetica’s place in your relationship. That should earn you at least a few points this Valentine’s Day.

Begin your journey to acceptance with Helvetica: The Movie. Not exactly romantic, Helvetica is a documentary about the much-loved typeface. The film was originally released in 2007, and it’s still playing in only a few locations around the world. (Visit this site and scroll to the 2008 dates for show times.) Alternatively, you can order up the movie online or just add it to your Netflix queue. A two hour film about a typeface may not sound all that interesting, but it will definitely help you understand Helvetica’s influential role in modern culture. And the movie is surprisingly funny and entertaining throughout, due in large part to the graphic and type designers who appear in the film.

If the movie doesn’t convince you that your sweetheart isn’t the only one out there nursing a bizarre love for Helvetica, (more…)

I admit it. I almost forgot it was time for Macworld. The weeks leading up to the event were relatively quiet, almost devoid of the speculation we typically see.

Even when Apple’s news at Macworld isn’t big, the conference is huge and full of new hardware and software temptations for Mac enthusiasts.

Before the annual Macworld Expo http://www.macworldexpo.com, “rumors” sites are usually buzzing with ideas about what Steve Jobs might announce. The speculations range from the fairly obvious to the incredibly bizarre. Last year, forecasters were right on the money when they predicted the iPhone, but this year there just wasn’t the same sort of pre-expo excitement.

The day before Macworld 2008, Apple hinted at its announcements with a banner that read, “2008. There’s something in the air.” This prompted some silliness; A few people wondered if Phil Collins or Air Supply might play the event. (I, for one, can assure you, this is the first and last time I will ever mention Phil Collins or Air Supply in a post). Others wondered about a new AirPort device or iPhone wireless sync. A few people even correctly predicted the new iTunes movie rentals, but all-in-all, nothing major was expected.

In fact, Steve Jobs made pretty big announcements in his keynote, a couple of which may be important to design professionals.

MacBook Air. It’s the thinnest laptop ever. (And yes, I know they want me to call it a “notebook,” but I just can’t do it). Once I got over the whole “thin enough to fit in an envelope” thing, I started to think about how this new model would work for a designer. (more…)

The Internet has made it okay (even cool) to be a nerd, and web designers should be thanked for making it happen. Don’t get your web designer friends the latest Dreamweaver guide or a new mouse; there are much better gifts out there that speak directly to the nerdy sensibilities of most web designers.

Start with your friends who work in-house. It’s no fun wearing a tie every day, but perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if they had an 8-bit tie from ThinkGeek. The design is jagged and totally GIF-like, and best of all, it’s a polyester clip-on. (Also suitable for the video gaming geeks on your list.)

Nothing says corporate web designer like the ThinkGeek 8-bit tie.

If your web designer friends are of a more stylish variety, perhaps a swankier gift is in order. Laptop bags have gotten a whole heck of a lot better looking over the past few years, and quirky fabric choices let designers make a personal statement. (more…)

If you’re shopping for your favorite designer this holiday season (or for a treat for yourself), there are some great gifts out there that you should know about. Tees, books, and accessories that reference the design world let designers show off a bit, and they’re always fun.

The Pantone Matching System is a well-known and much-loved design tool, especially among graphic designers. A number of small bags, backpacks, notebooks, business card holders, and other things are currently being produced in a range of Pantone colors. Anyone carrying one of these items would quickly be recognized as a member of print design community.

This Pantone backpack comes in several popular PMS shades.

There are also tons of t-shirts that signify a certain design sense. If your in the market for one, check out chopshopstore.com, a division of favorite design firm, The Chopping Block. The “Sir Freelancealot,” (more…)

As much as we may be afraid to admit it, it’s that time of year again: holiday shopping time. In some posts later this season, I’ll share some fun gift ideas for the design-savvy people in your life, but let’s first focus on a different gifting dilemma. What (if anything) do you give your clients for the holidays, and how do you go about doing it?

A gift can be a warm expression of thanks and a pleasant reminder of your availability, or it can seem a blatant attempt at sucking up.

First off, send a note to anyone who paid you this year - nothing fancy, just a simple card with a friendly thank you. A generic “Happy Holidays” message is usually best. Try to steer clear of religious themes. Address the card to the person you dealt with most or the entire team, and always sign the card yourself. (Printed envelope labels are fine though.) Be sure to send the card to the office; having it delivered to a client’s home is usually not appropriate.

If you have a lot of clients, you might consider designing your own holiday cards. You can use a small printing service like moo.com or psprint.com to print them. The extra bit of design will be appreciated and will remind your clients of your skills.

Consider sending a gift only to your top clients, the ones you’d like to work with more. Sure, you’re sucking up a bit, but you’re also letting them know that you appreciate all the good work that they’ve sent your way. The gift should be simple, (more…)

Something funny for you on a Monday: This video by the New York-based sketch comedy group Free Love Forum is a much-needed parody of the smug, wonder-filled Apple product launch videos. Listen as they extol the virtues of the year’s hottest design application: Microsoft Paint!

Last weekend at the Orange County Museum of Art, a friendly and well-meaning volunteer docent inquired whether I was writing a school report, and proceeded to introduce some of the pieces on display in the current ‘Imaging + Imagining California’ exhibit. Alighting on a piece by John McCracken called Dream (Chartreuse Green), 1988-92—a leaning, gleaming, fiberglass plank—she gamely explained that even though it might not look like it, it was, in fact, art.

What struck me about the exchange, other than the delightful thought that I might look like an undergrad, was her perceived necessity to prove the importance of a Minimalist art object to someone she thought was a student of art. She wasn’t far off base: her concern echoed the theme of many discussions I had with my Illustration students in the Media, Art and Design program at the University of Westminster in London. Even after nearly half a century’s worth of art movements and theory that have proven the staying power of conceptual work, these budding designers were skeptical about the value of work that needed to be seen in the context of history to be fully understood. This skepticism was part of an overall reluctance (only at first, of course; they were smart kids) to see history and theory as an important component of their work as designers.

But what’s the possibility of producing meaningful design work without understanding art and design history? Pretty much none. (more…)

There will come a time when a client hires you and they request a design that is less than “aesthetically pleasing.” Part of the business of web design is doing something you wouldn’t normally do. I have sites that I could include in my portfolio but choose not to because they’re poorly designed by request of the client and it’s my option to not show the site. Unfortunately, we can only guide a client so far but ultimately it comes down to doing what it is they want. Of course you have options—you could give the client their deposit back and say no thanks or you can suck it up and do what they want. (more…)

Via Core 77, via the Onion, of course.

Fashion house and perfumer Chanel, famed for its iconic, $300-an-ounce No. 5 scent, announced that it has created a cost-efficient fragrance for the Third World, one specifically designed for the rigors of dry, dusty, less glamorous environments in the Southern Hemisphere.