Are we born knowing how to play? In fact, yes. Humans are hardwired to “play” in their given environments. This was the gist of my thesis in college (I was a cog sci/child dev person–go figure, I work in advertising now…) and I remember spending copious hours in the lab (well, the sandbox) playing with kids, observing and piecing together the “whys” and “hows” of this thing called play and what it meant to their development into *awesome* adults.

Fast forward a few years to life in behavioural science as it relates to marketing and the topic still fascinates. But now I’m looking at “grown ups”–and our innate INability to play. Need proof? IKEA commissioned the world’s largest play study, PlayReport International some disturbing facts began to emerge out of the poll of 11,000 parents and kids…26% of parents are too stressed to play with their kids, 50% of parents want play to be educational, while the overwhelming majority of kids just want to have fun (big surprise, but hang onto this thought). And many parents say they’ve simply forgotten how to play.

So hold on a second. If we’re hardwired to play then why do we forget how to play by the time we’re grown up? Transactional nature of our lives. Actions require a hard outcome (hence, adults wanting kids ‘play’ to be educational), however what we’re actually wired for is the human interactions garnered through play. That’s the “reward”–learning how to play in the sandbox with others. Understanding the nuances of interaction is massively important and often overlooked, but as a creative person, we must understand each other (who else are we creating for?)  This is also why some of our very “adult” problems surface-not being able to play in that proverbial sandbox, as we’re expecting our “gains” out of every time we play. The reality is, sometimes we just require play to be a time to interact and (gasp) have fun.

As creative professionals, we can never lose that ability to play for playing’s sake. Of course we need to produce. Of course we have deadlines. But we also have to take the time to just interact with our friends, colleagues and creative teams–PLAY and see what happens, no strings attached. Chances are it’ll be something quite amazing.

Image Via: Alex Beltechi

Now that we’ve been grounded in what this amazing period was about, it’s time to start connecting it to what’s going on right now. I believe the greater learning in studying the Bauhaus is rooted in the notion explored in 1923 by Walter Groupius: “Art and technology: A new unity“. This takes on a whole new meaning in the world we live in today, yet is just as profound and “new” a concept today as it was in 1923. This incredible convergence of these two massively impact filled worlds is yet again, changing the consumer world.

There is a growing desire to maximize this bond-fuse into something spectacular that yes, perhaps even is commercial. Commercial has the opportunity to find it’s way OUT of being a dirty word if it’s done RIGHT. Coming back to some planning language, this is contingent on what is core to being a MODERN BRAND. Modern brands will live at this intersection of art and technology and still have expansive commercial appeal. It IS possible. Great examples exist with brands like Method, Uniqlo and IKEA.

In a very simple and tangible example of Bauhaus influence is with IKEA. Mats Nilsson, IKEA’s design strategist, had mentioned in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, that the  company’s ideology is inspired by the Bauhaus, especially the idea that high-design objects could be affordable to the masses. According to Nilsson, “this was Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius’s ground-breaking idea, while the machine aesthetic he worked with in his days was a bit hard for many to like and accept.” The modern styling and mass creation is reflective of the Bauhaus clean, simple style and ethos is definitely defining to IKEA, but stopping to say that IKEA = Bauhaus would be an unfair assumption.

So many other influences of the Bauhaus exist to this day, many architecture and design as the Bauhaus faculty and graduates fled Nazi Germany, Groupius teaching at Harvard and spreading the ideals of Bauhaus to North America. Ideals of simple modern design are still prevalent in many of the most famous buildings in the world, as well as typographical impacts and the profound impact on the “fine art” world as well (still some of the most revered artists of our time came from the Bauhaus). The ideals of Bauhaus will live on forever, but the impacts should be taken in by ALL of us, not just our design counterparts. There is so much to learn and uncover for the future of great products and great thinking to come.

My knowledge of the Bauhaus prior to my recent visit to the MoMA was incredibly limited–I was vaguely familiar with it relative to some connections to IKEA and how they had “Bauhaus inspired” design/ethos (which I’ll discuss more in the next post), but further from that I was very much in the dark. My experience at the Bauhaus exhibit was incredible–I went twice, feeling like I must  have missed things the first round. Totally and completely awe-inspiring.  And I still feel like I’m only scratching the surface of truly understanding what this school/icon/movement meant to all of us, especially those of us in the advertising/design world. As a part one of a two part post, I’ll quickly overview the history of the Bauhaus and follow up with a perspective of what this can mean to us today and beyond.

The Bauhaus (1919-1933) was one of the very first colleges of design, coming out of the merger of the Weimar Academy of Arts and the Weimar School of Arts and Crafts. While the name lends itself to architecture (the term Bauhaus as an inversion of ‘Hausbau’ – house construction), founded by architect Walter Groupius, it was created on the premise of being able to create “total” work of art-art, architecture, graphic design, interior/industrial design, typography. At its heart, Bauhaus aimed to find the intersection of the aesthetics of great design and the mass commercial demands of the industrialized world.

Bauhaus is typically broken into three key stages, which are consistent with the three German cities it resided in. Weimar (1919-1925), Dessau (1925-30) and Berlin (1930-33). Weimar period saw the rise of the thought “Art and Technology: A new unity” (Groupius, director 1923) as the Dessau period forged forward, the notion of rebirth in knowledge “we are seeing the world through completely different eyes”. The final period was met with the avant garde movement in the Berlin arts scene, juxtaposed against the mounting feelings of nationalism as the Nazi regime ultimately closed the Bauhaus in 1933.

Now this was no run of the mill “art school”-quite the contrary. Fine artists such as masters like Johannes Itten, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee and Oskar Schlemmer were faculty (can you imagine a color theory class with Paul Klee and Kandinsky? Well, if you were at Bauhaus in 1923, they would have been teaching!) While they never outwardly rejected the ideals of Expressionism that had dominated the fine art scene-director Groupius  felt a new period of history had begun with the end of the war and he wanted to create a new architectural style to reflect this new era. His style in architecture and consumer goods was to be functional, cheap and consistent with mass production (is this starting to sound familiar?)

The next post will talk more about the impact of this astounding movement…

I encourage you to learn more and explore the fabulous site MoMA has put together for the exhibit if you can’t make it to NYC to see it in person.

http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2009/bauhaus/Main.html#

Images via: Moma.org,

Age old question. What is cool? Who is cool?What defines it? Is it worth defining?  And why the hell does it sound so incredibly cliche (and well, “un-cool) now that I’ve put it down on the page?

Cool is in the eye of the beholder. Like many things in our society, it’s not meant to mean the same thing to everyone. Perhaps cool to you is the latest gizmo or gadget. Or the latest kicks for the sneaker heads amongst us. Or the hottest new hipster band absolutely no one has heard of and as SOON as someone has heard of it, it instantly becomes uncool (you know who you are). Or maybe it’s knowing the right people to get you into the right places to be seen. Let’s call this “cool by association”(or “faux cool”)

Or if you’re like me, perhaps you think that the cool factor is merely a manifestation of attitude. Swagger if you will.  A carefree attitude in the respect that you are so secure in yourself and who you are that you just don’t care what others think of you. Fashion is huge, but it’s not about the latest purse or hottest label–it’s about your personal style. Finding out who you are stylistically and owning it. Confidence to be who you are and not care about the person sitting beside you thinks of your large stole (faux fur of course), giant pearls, red lipstick and inexplicably dark sunglasses for a dreary day in the middle of a suburban jungle as you pick up your morning latte.

Not surprising that blogs about this “kind” of cool are numerous. This is the new definition of fashion…it’s whatever the heck you want it to be! As I’ve talked about before, the democratization of fashion is here. It’s not being dictated by the fashion houses, it’s the downtown gals who are shaping the new cool.  My two favorites are the Sartorialist (an oldie, but still a goodie) and the impossible cool. Which is JUST that. The most impossible kind of cool you can imagine. So beyond anything I could possibly hope to be myself, but such a treat to look at. Catherine Denuve, Audrey Hepburn, Kurt Vonnegut…gorgeousness beyond WORDS. Enjoy both:

http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/

http://theimpossiblecool.tumblr.com

And finally some of my favorites du jour that make me feel like tossing my entire wardrobe, moving to Milan, purchasing a vespa, taking up smoking (sorry kids) and drinking a very dirty martini at noon. None of which will actually happen, but a girl can dream right? Ah to be the cool kids.

(Image via: www.newyorksocialdiary.com)

Jackie O may be considered the consummate first lady. Poised, articulate, and every sense of the word, a lady.  Her style is legendary and still imitated and emulated by women around the world. The perfect sunglasses, scarf and conservatively stylish dresses.  She had a quiet sense about her, loving to with her children and husband, compassionate with those around her. She was a role model in the face of adversity. She gave a nation hope when hope was all but nonexistent.

(Image: http://fashiontribes.typepad.com/fashion/2009/01/first-lady-of-f.html)

Enter 2009 and our newest first lady, Michelle Obama. For the first time, arguably since Jackie O, there is a true icon of strength, grace and style in our first lady. Her positivity is infectious. Her style is undeniable. In a time of economic unrest, she unabashedly wears the same thing twice; ditches the stogy St. John suits of her predecessors in lieu of simple J.Crew basics. She supports young American designers, making household names of designers like Jason Wu and Isabel Toledo.  The nation is riveted by her every fashion choice. Her H&M dress sold out in hours after her wearing it. Out of this fascination, the brilliant website http://mrs-o.org/ was created. Check it out. And then try to grab one of Mrs. O’s most fabulous dresses or flats.

(Image via: http://mrs-o.org/)

I’m puzzled and intrigued by the new “underground” phenomenon. Whether it’s speakeasy or private supper clubs, there is something in the cultural air that is encouraging us to go underground. Perhaps it’s the uneasiness of the economy–we’re stealing away to our little caves/bars, away from everyone else.  Or in the same vein, it’s a general feeling of rebellion against “the man” who has spent the past 8 years or so, keeping us down (sorry, interjecting political commentary). Or maybe it’s just the revival of the spirit of the early 60’s where doing everything wrong (smoking, drinking, adultery and more) was just so “right” in direct opposition to the “do-gooderness” of the past couple years?

Last one, I certainly hope not!

Whatever it is, underground everythings are popping up around the country. Invite only, passwords and secret handshakes (OK, maybe not the last one) are all the rage. I predict Secret Societies are next. For what? Can’t tell –it wouldn’t be a secret anymore…

Pecha Kucha (pronounced in three syllables like “pe-chak-cha”), -a Japanese term for chit chat-built in response to long winded designers who love to wax poetic when describing their art-was developed to breed brevity.  Started in 2003, designers a venue to meet, network, and show their work and to attract people to their experimental event space.  There are strict rules around the presentation: the presenter shows 20 images for 20 seconds apiece, for a total time of 6 minutes, 40 seconds.

Image via: http://theosophist.wordpress.com/2008/03/08/30/attachment/29/

TED talks are quite well known by now, just some of the best and brightest coming together in a dreamy intellectual cornucopia for three days. Cult-like followings, these forward thinkers challenge and intrigue in their given 20 minutes. With a list of presenters from Bill Clinton and Al Gore to Jane Goodall and Bill Gates. One rule. You got 20 minutes.

Image: TED.com

The luxury sector was down nearly 20% in Q1-2 2009, the Trading Up phenomenon has quickly been replaced by “trading down”. But not so fast. The luxury boom of the early 2000’s raised the bar for consumers across the board. Consumers now expect more from their shopping experiences and products. While the bling factor has dulled, people still recall the “good times” of shopping in a Nordstrom or Saks and being treated like a connoisseur rather than just another person in a cue. Consumers seek more in their shopping experiences–they want to be treated like people. And they don’t want to be reminded that they are living in a recession. How can we make things just a bit more rosy?

A great example of adapting to this in the light of our new economy is Target. Can’t afford those designers? Well, they have them for you in design collaborations. Lusting after a new Dror spin wall clock? It’s yours for only $25. Need some more designer duds? Recent collaborations with Richard Chai, Alexander McQueen and countless others are another reason to love this wallet friendly retail experience.  But it doesn’t stop at the merchandise itself.  Friendly sales people abound with straightforward answers, in a clean, brightly lit stores. This is the new luxury.

Replicating Target’s success is something many have tried. Few have succeeded in the same way. It’s an uncanny formula: reasonable prices + design + customer service + shopping experience = happy customers. While the numbers are lagging for Target behind the behemoth that is Wal Mart, its success is still loud and clear.

***WARNING: I’m going to indulge a bit into the fashion/luxury world for a minute. Forgive me if this bores you immensely, but I promise there’s more to it than Sex in the City-esque moment, where the ladies are oggling over “just another pair of shoes”***

Ladies, you know them. The sultry red soled shoes. Dorothy had NO idea what she was missing out with her sparkly red shoes-can you imagine if she had the Louboutin equivalent? Who knows WHERE she would’ve ended up. Not Kansas.

That red sole makes many a woman’s heart aflutter (this woman is included). The heels teeter high above ground and look nearly impossible to walk in, but yet, totally worth it. I was brought back into this world of whimsy as I gazed at a pair of these from afar in Barneys in Beverly Hills yesterday. It was a world where things were just a bit better: judging by how everyone shopped there, there was no recession. Only beautiful shoes. Ah, alternate reality.

Escape. With the red soles. How did a red sole come to mean so much? It’s become this fixed idea in our psyche that we just need them. They make you more beautiful. More desirable. More intelligent. You can think it, it will do it for you. Now before you think I’ve completely lost my mind (and sold my soul to the fashion devil), it’s all about making a person FEEL something. And ad can make you feel something. As can a song, a book or a pair of shoes with cultural meaning planted in the sole of the shoe in the most daring red known to (wo)man.

Indulge yourself if Mr. Louboutin’s most luxuriously, quirky world on their new website:

http://www.christianlouboutin.com/

PS. Anyone out there who wants to help sponsor some market research–I am in love with a pair of turquoise 5 inch pumps. I don’t know if I could walk in them…help me research people. In the name of cultural anthropology…

The underdog? The runt of the litter? Maybe all of us can relate to it or what it stands for in a bigger realm of understanding. Whether its Mr. Bean getting caught up in in his copious escapades down the streets of London in his yellow mini or me just going through my everyday life-MINI allows us to be quirky. And it’s not only socially accepted, but cool…

Let’s couple this quirkyness with the ultimate in quirky cool-the laid back surfer. And what do we get? Pure genius. Thanks to the Republic of Fritz Hansen- the mashup of MINI and Airstream…a little something I’ve heard called “Retrofuturism”. Two (truly!) iconic brands, (Airstream has been around since the 1930s and MINI’s roots to the 1960s) unite with an interior consisting of all the modern luxuries we’ve come to enjoy and revel in.

Amazing.

Source: Republic of Fritz Hansen,
Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/12/retrofuturism-mini-and-airstream-team-up-for-one-off/