Saturday, June 27, 2009

Favors and Tees...Favors and Tees!

Hey there!

I know I've been lagging in the update department, so I felt like it was time to let you in to what was recently... major toy projects aside, I've been working on some awesome packaging/product with Fashioncraft... most of which has been sent to the photographer to be put up on their website. 

Here's one of the lines I worked on (with the help of Debbie, the graphic artist which started Fashioncraft's art department.) The pieces I worked on exclusively are soon to come. 
Fashioncraft Luggage Tag (Castle)Fashioncraft Luggage Tag (Butterfly)Fashioncraft Luggage Tag (Cross)Fashioncraft Luggage Tag (Heart)
These are Luggage Tags...perfect for a destination wedding :)



Another really cool opportunity which I feel very grateful to be apart of--
The Always New Depths Forum's Official Merch!

Here's some backstory:
As I've mentioned in a couple of previous entries, I'm a huge fan of Bloc Party's music. I "discovered" their work a few years back while searching for information on the band Pretty Girls Make Graves (one of PGMG's members remixed Bloc's song "Positive Tension") and I've been hooked ever since. Growing up in the shadow of one of the biggest cities of the world, and having the opportunity to work and study in Manhattan, I could relate to their need to make sense of a modern world. They also put on one hell of a live show.

Anyways, being of the digital generation, the boys of Bloc understand the need for a fan-base to connect with each other, and through their "Marshalls" site (similar to a Myspace for Bloc fans) and the "Always New Depths" forums I've met some of the coolest people. At one of their many concerts I attended, I realized that other forum members were there...but I wasn't about to ask around "Hey... are you so and so?"
That's when I got the idea... we should have official AND merchandise! Tee shirts that other members can spot. It makes conversations a lot less awkward. 

After a few months of planning, we got the go ahead from someone in Bloc Party's camp to use their band name and lyrics on shirts! As a product designer I completely understand the legality involved with use of someone else's intellectual property. One of their inside people, who goes by the name "littletrouble" on the forum was cool enough to clear everything with the licensing people. Originally, before littletrouble got back to us, we did a contest with just the letters A-N-D and we started the web store. Check it out here

To keep the other members involved, we're having a contest... having people submit a tee shirt design each and we're going to have a vote. I'll keep you updated on the winners. 
In the meantime, here's the original design I posted to the site all those months back. We can't print on the sleeve, but I still love the concept. 
Original Design for the AND merch

Check out BlocParty.net if you want to try your hand at the merch contest too! :D

Well, enjoy the sunshine (for now!)
See you on the flipside,
Laura