About apples and trees

Hey Audrey!

Your granddaughter has just become famous, and all because of you. Of course you never knew your son Sean's daughter, Emma Ferrer, she was born after you had already passed away. Harper's Bazaar put her on a special front cover, and featured her in a fashion shoot where she poses in similar outfits than some of your most famous photographs. The photographer was the grandson of Richard Avedon. See what they did there? Well, Emma has been invited to sit in the front seat of shows at Paris Fashion Week, and is looking very stylish and composed for a 20-year old. You'll be pleased to know that she wears your turtleneck jerseys.

Mad about Mad Men

Hey Audrey!

I just received a mail from a colleague that starts: "Sooo word on the street is that you have most of the Mad Men episodes." Yes, I do. Yes,  I'm a fan. And yes, I even use episode clips to teach my students about advertising. But I don't love Mad Men because it's about advertising. I love it because it's so beautiful. The art direction, the fashion, the set, the shots and especially the lighting. They must have a lighting genius working on that show. And it's well-written and intelligent. So here are some moments from one of my favourite episodes, Season 3 Episode 8: Don and Betty Draper in Rome. And you know how hot that can get.

PS. January Jones is great on Instagram.

Elegantissima

Hey Audrey!

What a treat! I'm referring to designer Louise Fili's book "Elegantissima" which features her beautifully crafted and often vintage-inspired identity and packaging designs over the years. My favourite pages so far are the ones showing the development of the Tiffany and Co logo, and the stunning chocolate box for the School of Visual Arts, containing their annual catalogue/brochure, disguised as a box of chocolates. I wish my design college sold me as a praline, but as far as I remember I was sold as a sharp pencil (that was the theme for our showcase the year I graduated). The foreword to the book is written by her husband Steven Heller. What a designer power couple! Somehow I think they wear paisley pajamas to bed, bought at Bloomingdales of course.

In the Limelight

Hey Audrey!

Didn't you just love the 1950's? I was delighted when I was asked to design this poster advertising a ballet performance in a 1950's style. I loved researching the exact colour schemes and typefaces. The typeface used for Limelight is a favourite of mine: 'Ed Script', a face designed by famous American type designer Ed Benguiat and House Industries. The photo used is by Warren Williams Photography.

Opposites attract

Hey Audrey!

I know a lovely couple, he is an accountant, and she is an art and music therapist. Actually they both used to be musicians, but that is not the point. I designed an identity for both of their businesses. His logo is about the precise business of ticking and turning, her flowing note logo was placed on four business card variations, and apparently even the process of picking one can be therapeutic! The only thing I insisted the two identities have in common was to be printed on environmentally sound paper. I also helped lovely Diane with her website, and used the site Weebly to do it, I was very impressed by how easy it was to use their templates (except that I couldn't control paragraph lengths) and with their good customer service. Well done over there in the USA! In the end I'm happy that they're happy.

My mom made more...

Hey Audrey!

As you know, my mother has a thing for sewing handbags, but only for people she really really likes. These three handbags she made for a a friends and her two daughters, she has never met them, but they feed me and my cat regularly, therefore she likes them. She tried a new pattern for the green and brown one, she says it was really difficult to make those three-dimensional side pockets. Personally I like the denim sling bag most because she used embroidered strips from my favourite skirt when I was small on it.

For friends

Hey Audrey!

It was so special to be able to design my friends Candy and Stan's wedding stationery. Lucky for me, the groom, (even though a doctor) has an artistic flair. His beautiful piece of calligraphy of their names became the focal point on both the 'save the date' and the printed invitation. He also hand illustrated the map to the venue, and it is his beautiful calligraphy on the outside of the envelopes. We used The Letterpress Company for printing, and Candy, her mom and myself spent a happy afternoon with them selecting paper, debossing stamps, and the exact right tissue lining for the inside of the envelopes. We were thrilled with the end result. The wedding day was absolute perfection, and I wish them both a long and happy life journey together.

Photographs courtesy of the happy couple.