The Symbolism of the X
What lies beneath: the nature of the x, the cross road, the crossing guard, the mark of the x and the magic of the nexus. Girvin imagery | screen or site shot from handheld The symbolic allegory of the x mark. When I was in Bali, I was surprised by the villager's...
Nicole Miller + Blackbird | Ballard (Seattle)
Exploring the concept of clustered retail -- microshop villages Brand, story, the hunt and connection -- a nexus of inspiration and ideation In my circulation in Seattle and NYC -- two places where Girvin offices are -- I find the wandering way to be one of the best...
Search visualizations: search and recognition
Search and Data visualizations: hunt, gather, search and recognition. WikiLeaks and the storm of misuse of content -- and how they look. The visualization of search, the quest for answers and gathered content -- are you happy now? WBPaley.com The Map of Science (see...
Logo recognition | Mind the gap
There's a point to referencing the concept of the one week old logo -- one might be, "really, who cares?" There is a challenge in web culture that prevails -- cynicism. If there's a point of pot-shot taking, why not make it cynical -- it's so hard to be brutally...
WINE DESIGN | Rethinking the Label, Architecture and Experience Design
Image: Matthew Donaldson | Nowness collection The combination of strategy, designed experience, architecture, the holistic label of loving the story of wine. Over time, it's been possible for Girvin to work on dozens of wine brands, as consultants in story, strategy,...
Pungency | the notations of scent and fragrant puncturing
Experience design, recollection, fragrance and holistic presentation "When Cleopatra first travelled to meet Mark Antony, her arrival was announced by the pungent perfumes before her barge was in sight." The History of Perfumes What counts in the mind and memory,...
THE MIX OF SCENT IN PLACEMAKING AND HOSPITALITY DESIGN
Aman | Bali, Indonesia (Girvin) THE HEART OF FRAGRANCE IN HOTELS AND RESORTS Is it a designed scent, the perfume that is gathered into a perfume fusion that signals the messaging of the opening experience in entering a space? Or is it more holistic, the bigger...
ALL SAINTS SPITALFIELDS | SEATTLE
All Saints Spitalfields | Soho (video from allsaints.com) Brand legacy, place, story, music Ever since All Saints Spitalfields launched in New York City, I was curious about the strategy of design. What's the story? There is one, a part, here: It starts here, All...
The Glass Circle: Circular Glasses Design, Harry Potter and Brand Heritage
Harry Potter 7 (Warner Brothers) Round glasses, hipness and the legacy of a design theory from the Middle Ages. Image from New York Carver Today's the day that the ending begins for Harry Potter. And if you're one that's studied this phenomenon from the beginning --...
The Brand: Sweden
Flag image: Wesleytb Number one in the world It's interesting to examine the idea of Sweden being exceptional. Having worked there, I can tell you that it's truly unique. The people. The brands, the efforts of their enterprises and the quality of their humanity. First...