Showers at N.Y. Fashion Week, spring in their steps

NEW YORK (AP) ― A flurry of assistants rushed to protect racks of clothes at New York Fashion Week from Saturday’s sudden downpours ― perhaps as potent a reminder as any during these spring previews that seasons can be temperamental.Maybe that’s why leather is as common in these previews for spring and summer 2013 as the pops of color and chiffon you might expect.“You can wear those leather jackets all year long,” said stylist June Ambrose. “They’re sleek enough to go under a parka or a vest and

Sept. 9, 2012

Designs with messages touch more hearts

Products with moving goals and stories become best-sellThe following is the seventh in a series of articles on design prepared in anticipation of the Herald Design Forum on Sept. 19-21. ― Ed.I ♥ NY, the beloved image created by U.S. graphic designer Milton Glaser in the 1970s, became more popular than ever in the Big Apple after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. T-shirts and souvenirs bearing the logo, and also Glaser’s revamped version reading “I Love NY More Than Ever,” were frequently spotted in

Sept. 6, 2012

Colors of Korea to go on show in New York

Concept Korea presents a mix of veteran and fresh designers to global audienceGaining a foothold in the global fashion market is a formidable task, the industry already saturated with great talents from the traditional fashion powerhouses of Europe and the U.S.Frustrated by years of trying to get the attention of international buyers and press through Seoul Fashion Week, the government a few years ago hit upon the idea of showcasing Korea’s fashion designers at the world’s major fashion capitals

Sept. 5, 2012

Voices and images at Venice’s Palazzo Grassi exhibition

VENICE, Italy (AFP) ― Venetian canals transformed through a camera obscura, intimate snapshots of a prisoner’s life and a hall of whispers are among the installations on show at a new exhibition at Venice’s Palazzo Grassi.Around 30 works by 27 international artists, borrowed from French billionaire Francois Pinault’s private collection, explore how the medium of video has been used to capture and challenge sensory expression and perception.The hypnotic “For Beginners” videotape by contemporary A

Aug. 30, 2012

Design guru penetrates soul of design

Schreyer says designers need to stay ahead of customers’ expectationsWhen Kia Motors released its ambitious K-series, represented by the premium sedan K9 earlier this year, auto enthusiasts were more than thrilled. The vehicles were nothing like the ones Kia had shown before. The cars’ faade resembles that of a tiger and the interior is sleek like a panther. “A true era of the Kia sedan has opened,” a commentator said at the time of release. Behind the rejuvenation of the car maker was Peter Sch

Aug. 30, 2012

Spanx squeezes into tony shopping malls

PHILADELPHIA -- They‘re a tummy tuck and butt-lift in a bag. The new-millennium version of Grandma’s girdle, minus the bruising engineering. And each garment has a name so tart, so clever, that even hippy women feel hip when they squirm into a sheet of Spandex the size of a body condom.They are, of course, Spanx, the figure-slimming shapewear that has revolutionized how women dress by convincing ladies to shun comfort over compression. The brand has disinterred the dead-and-gone girdle by elimin

Aug. 29, 2012

Art peps up product designs

Collaborations between acclaimed artists and top-notch brands bring synergy effectsThe following is the sixth in a series of articles on design prepared in anticipation of the Herald Design Forum on Sept. 19-21. ― Ed.The classy, monogrammed leather of Louis Vuitton bags is simply turned into a backdrop for much wilder patterns: artist Yayoi Kusama’s vivid red polka dots, for example. The French luxury brand’s 2012 line features a collaboration series with the established Japanese avant-garde art

Aug. 23, 2012

Richie eyes sustained success through Impulse

NEW YORK (AP) ― You know her by the sunglasses she always has with her. You know her from TV, and you might know her from the tabloids, too, but Nicole Richie isn’t convinced any of it works for or against her when it comes to building her design career.She guided aspiring designers on the fashion competition show “Fashion Star,’’ and says she sees success in the fashion business as either potentially intense and fleeting, or broad-based and sustained. It’s up to the work you do ― and doing it c

Aug. 22, 2012

Chinese avant-garde painter goes black-and-white

The “Chinese cultural invasion” has become a global phenomenon. Record-breaking sums are being splashed on Chinese art pieces at international auctions and exhibitions of works by Chinese “enfants terribles” are held at galleries around the world. In Korea some of the trendiest Chinese artists have become the new darlings of collectors, replacing Andy Warhol or Lee U-fan.At the center of the frenzy for Chinese contemporary art is Zhang Xiaogang. Zhang is now considered among the most sensational

Aug. 20, 2012

David Beckham back in new H&M underwear ads

NEW YORK (AP) ― David Beckham says he’s in the underwear game for the long haul, with the second set of abs ― sorry, ads ― for his branded collection with H&M launching Thursday.The English football star’s ads will coincide with a “statue stunt’’ planned by the retailer, with larger-than-life Beckhams going up in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. New products will be added to the collection later this year.Beckham, 37, said he’s pleased with consumer reaction.“I’m very happy that so far p

Aug. 15, 2012

Beauty boxes bring cosmetics bounty

Monthly subscription boxes a way to sample wide variety of cosmeticsIt’s like receiving a Christmas gift anytime of the year. A cheerful-looking black box with white polka dots tied up in a hot pink ribbon arrives at the office. You begin unwrapping the box with anticipation. You are a little girl once again as you rush to explore the goodies that lie within. The monthly delivery from Memebox, one of the largest beauty subscription services in the country, is jam-packed with cosmetic products ra

Aug. 15, 2012

[Herald Interview] Chris Bangle, front-runner in innovative design

Bangle to share design vision at second Herald Design Forum Sept. 19-21The following is the first in a series of email interviews with leading designers participating at the Herald Design Forum on Sept. 19-21. ― Ed.As companies try to create competitive advantage with innovative design, new design concepts are fast emerging, according to Chris Bangle, head of the eponymous design brand Chris Bangle Associates, in a recent e-mail interview with The Korea Herald. Just as Bangle said in the intervi

Aug. 14, 2012

Designer adds new touch to Herald corporate identity

Founder of Big Ant International explains the ideas behind his design for new company logoA photograph of a soldier pointing a machine gun on a street poster on a lamppost might be nothing new. However, if you could walk around the post you would see that the end of the gun points right back at the soldier. And a sharp moment of epiphany strikes. The groundbreaking anti-war campaign “What goes around comes around” put 33-year-old Park Seo-won and his firm Big Ant International on the industry ma

Aug. 13, 2012

Forum highlights how design changes world

Top designers at the Sept. 19-21 forum to inspire audience in design, lifeA design forum organized by Herald Corp. is once again set to start a discussion on the role and impact of design next month, hosting leading designers, architects and artists. Launched last year, the Herald Design Forum has positioned itself as a major design forum in Korea, inviting acclaimed figures in the field and attracting local audiences looking for inspiration. The forum, titled “Re-imagine! Herald Design Forum,”

Aug. 13, 2012

Design matters: Eyes on stylish cars

Top car designers Peter Schreyer and Chris Bangle bring big changesThe following is the fifth in a series of articles on design prepared in anticipation of the Herald Design Forum on Sept. 19-21. ― Ed.The monotone roads of Seoul have been getting some touches of color in the past few years. Yes, black, gray and silver still make up the majority of car colors, but vivid shades and stripes of colors such as mint blue, baby yellow and red are being spotted more often than before. Sales of the BMW m

Aug. 9, 2012