Hometown pride. I love the city I work and live in. This is a great article from the Huffington Post.
WUYORK is an amazing Toronto & New York based client we’ve been working with since the company was launched in 2008. This interdisciplinary creative brand encompasses fashion, art and interior design. It’s co-founded and headed by York Wu, a phenomenal creative talent and visionary who is already generating significant industry and media buzz.
The company’s premiere creative endevour is Noeud Papillon, a line of couture bow-ties for men and woman that is garnering praise from fashion insiders.
studioM*A has been working with WUYORK writing their media release for the launch of Noeud Papillon, concept statements, copy for their website and associated Look-Books. It’s been great to work with York articulating his vision for the label and the brand.
Check out the media buzz here and here
Check out the WUYORK website here.
Issey Miyake is an incredible creative force and a phenomenal example of raw talent. This op-ed piece he wrote for the New York Times is so interesting. His survival of the bomb at Hiroshima as a child, and how he chose to focus on the ‘optimism of fashion’ as a response the terrible experience is a great reminder of the different life experiences that motivate people to make beautiful things.
“I have never chosen to share my memories or thoughts of that day. I have tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to put them behind me, preferring to think of things that can be created, not destroyed, and that bring beauty and joy. I gravitated toward the field of clothing design, partly because it is a creative format that is modern and optimistic.” - Issey Miyake
http://www.azuremagazine.com/magazine/features.php?id=1975
Yabu Pushelberg is arguably one of the best and most creative interior design firms in the world. They have been around for about 25 years and have one of the most substantial client lists and portfolio’s I’ve ever seen.
From my perspective, they were a ‘black box’ firm, meaning that from the outside, you never really knew who they were, how they worked or what they were about. I never read anything in the media that gave much insight into how they did business; they just seemed to get the best high-end international projects. I’m sure this was a calculated persona that reflected their exclusivity, and it appeared to work effectively.
That is why this article in Azure is so great. The partners really expose their story, mistakes and business structure. This is pure speculation on my part, but in this current climate where trust and transparency in businesses, banks and government has been called into question at all levels, why not go out of your way to expose the real story of your business? I think it shows confidence and leadership in a changing market and builds trust. It shows you’re a real business, have real structure and that it’s run by real people. This strategy is not for everyone, but every firm should ask themselves, “Are we transparent enough for a client with ‘trust issues’ to invest in our services?
(this entry was part of a client presentation)
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/05/luxury-vs-premium.html
This is an interesting way to explain the difference between Premium and Luxury. Godin uses products as an example in this entry, but I believe the same holds true for services. Creative firms that are working in this current market should understand that premium and luxury mean different things, especially after the economic downturn. Great architecture and design have always been premium services, meaning that you pay more and you get more, and if it’s done right, that final product will hold its invested value. Hiring a good architect or designer is not a luxury service; it’s a premium service. The outcome may be a luxury space if that is what the client requires, but it doesn’t have to be.
I don’t think Godin’s definition of luxury will last forever, and luxury is certainly not dead or a bad thing, but it’s meaning has been reduced and washed out in the last few years. I believe there is still confusion in the market, and potential clients who’ve made savvy financial decisions to survive the downturn may believe that hiring an architect/designer is a luxurious expense, rather than an investment that will see long-term returns.
They may view hiring a good architect or designer as a choice that their overspending, heavily financed counterparts would have made. Creative firms need to focus on communicating to potential clients that they have a premium service that maintains its value. Potential clients need to be reminded that you help people live well, not just luxuriously, and that your skills in design and ‘value engineering’ mean you understand how to add real financial value. Your marketing materials and media plan need to reflect this difference.
