jan feliks kallwejt

Amazing, absolutely love it!
I discovered Jan Felitz Kallwejt on notcot.com (where else??). He's a young graphic designer/illustrator, officially my favorite!!

much more on his website

just scan it!

Just spoted these scanlike photos in the last Urban Outfitters catalog.
I just wish (so bad) that this was my idea, it's so smart and so perfect for fashion accessories - would work great for small home accessory too...

homemade look

We all know the American Apparel ads. Forget the porn aspect for a second, just look at the "homemade" feel: like you could have shot it yourself with your point-and-shoot.
Well, I've been noticing more and more of this style of photography in magazines and billboard lately.

Spring break editorial in ELLE US May09Marc by Marc Jacobs and Vans adds

American Apparel images from their website

Some might think it's because of the economy: no elaborate lighting and expensive digital equipment, maybe just get an HOLGA (see my hello lomo! post) and the accountant can shoot it right here in the office!
Well, no offense to the accountant, but that's really not the best choice: there's a real difference between a "homemade look" which is controlled, tasteful (sometimes),consistent and plain homemade.
So yes, we still need professional photographers and mostly art directors (wink wink) by the way, check out my portfolio if you haven't in a while.

painting Veuve Clicquot

The iconic champagne brand gets painted by Florence Deygas for their new add campaign. The year's seasons and events illustrated with her stylish line drawings - uh I mean line paintings - to remind us that Veuve Clicquot is the best accessory for any occasion.

Florence Deygas was born in France in 1965, she studied film animation in the reknown Ecole des Gobelins in Paris. She's famous for the now iconic dog duo for Colette (Paris), and Winney the animated cow.
Florence Deygas had already collaborated with Veuve Clicquot earlier, she did a charity auction organised by the brand in Japan and a calligraphic installation for Veuve Clicquot's Starlight Yellow event in NYC.
Here are a few photos taken in her studio while she was working on the Veuve Clicquot project. See her work on her websites addadog.com and kuntzeldeygas.com.

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Illustration in advertising is definitely a new trend (which is also as old as advertising itself), probably because we're saturating with all these photos of "perfect" people telling us what to buy... it's so refreshing to go back to art.
Hermes made the same choice:

...and also (more modestly) I did it for the Cupcakes & Cartwheels catalogs.
It actually wasn't planned at all: I had received the items early and we had to shoot them right away, as I didn't have any props, I decided to draw them all. It went so well that it became the identity of the brand. The cheapest set I have ever created!

smart bus advertising

Great examples of bus advertising from toxel.com.











thank you toxel.com for these great finds!

did I inspire Vuitton?

I feel so privileged today: I think I inspired the last Valentine's concept for Louis Vuitton!!!
See for yourselves: above are a few images from the Two's valentine catalog I did -being wholesale, it was produced in March 2008- and below is the Louis Vuitton 2009 Valentine's campaign on their website now.
Just look beyond the product and the quality because that's just unfair...
They did limit the concept to card games only but that's OK too.

They say that being copied is the best compliment, but just try being copied by Vuitton!!
He he he...