I had a chat with a friend that I hadn't talked to since I came to Milan. I thought it was an insightful conversation, so I wanted to share it.
YJ
i just feel so much healthier and happier here... i think risd is poisoning in a way...
but at the same time, i miss risd a lot like A LOT
it's weired
JOO
well you do have alot of friends here!
YJ
what did you take second semester?
JOO
i did future design with peter yeadon
omg i cant believe we havent talked the whole semester
YJ
exactly...
i think it would be weired when i go back to risd
JOO
how so?
YJ
because...
i don't know, i just think i would look at it from a different perspective than before
i was just so into it that i didn't see the whole picture
but now i'm away from it that it looks different
things that felt so fresh and real don't seem like it anymore
i'm not making any sense, sorry haha
JOO
whole picture as in life at risd or your life in general?
YJ
both, but more risd in general?
or what risd means to me?
or even what risd did to me hahahaha
JOO
haha
do you value it more? or is it the other way around?
YJ
i just had time here to think things through in a distance
JOO
thatsgood
YJ
i value it more
there are so many people out there that want to be at risd and be able to speak english
but at the same time risd is not everything
one doesn't have to feel bad if he/she doesn't fit perfectly to risd, risd is just risd, it's not a standard that you should measure yourself to...
When I was at RISD, I devoted myself to RISD just like everyone else. When you go there, you get trapped in "RISD bubble" and don't really see the world outside. One would spend everyday and all day at school with other RISD people and would only be able to communicate everything that has something to do with RISD. I was so disappointed if I don't strive in it and get recognized. But now I'm away from it, I value it more in a different sense. I am so much more relaxed and less anxious and I'm learning how to keep myself from stressing out all the time. I remember what my mother has always told me: "Nothing's worth it if you don't enjoy it",
"A genius can't win one who tries his best, a person who tries his best can 't win one who enjoys what he does".
So, when I go back to RISD, I'm going to try to appreciate every moment and enjoy working hard.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
PR-ing up
Luckily, I got into the Pubblicity group for THE market day on June 23rd. Concept Design studio will be selling products that relate to "TRAVELING".
I'm excited! We will be dealing with the title of the event, design of the flyers, posters, and logos. Also we need to figure how to advertise this day so that more people would come to the event.
Last year's team did such an amazing job that it is a little intimidating, but hopefully this year's group can pull it off better. Hope for the best!
I'm excited! We will be dealing with the title of the event, design of the flyers, posters, and logos. Also we need to figure how to advertise this day so that more people would come to the event.
Last year's team did such an amazing job that it is a little intimidating, but hopefully this year's group can pull it off better. Hope for the best!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Trend by ALU
Today, ALU came to have a presentation on trend in product display and retail space.
About ALU: it is one of the world's leading manufacturers and distributors of first-class point-of-sale fixtures and merchandising systems. The standard range offers wide variety of readily available systems for communication, visual merchandising and display. ALU is an all-round solutions provider including logistics and installation.
ALU spots 11 trends in retail space and product display and installation.
1. "Green is new Grey"?
innstallation and interior design of retail space that emphasize green and eco-friendliness are growing infinitely.
i.e. Yahoo Green Taxi, Adidas grun (Germany), Google logo, Barneys' clothing
2. Poetic
Anthropologie changes the installation of the store every month to refresh the look of the store and also refresh the theme of the products. Everything that is displayed is on sale, and the display looks more like an art work in a gallery than conventional product display.
3. Luxurious
Luxurious brands including Calvin Klein displays their luxurious and pricy products in a cheap and almost comical way. For example, Calvin Klein's shoes and bags are displayed on top of a toilet. This visual contradiction evokes humor and can approach buyers in a more friendly way. This marketing is ironic because the price of a pair of shoes does not change where and how it is displayed (which means that even though they might seem more approachable and affordable, the price of a pair of CK shoes won't change).
i.e. Martin Margiela's jackets made out of gloves, Prada museum, softening by Aspesi, Mailn+Goetz's emotional and empty retail space
4. New School look
Le Labo, a fragrance brand is promotes a perfumer's laboratory look throughout its packaging and retail space. It achieves a luxurious imaging of the brand through old laboratory and old pharmacy-like look.
5. Humorous
MM6, LANVIN, Gucci's silly looking mannekins
6. Customize
i.e. Ernest in NYC's customized jeans
7. Size and Time Phobia
Vitra, Flos, Stark, GB house cutting hair in 10 minutes, and Jewelry design that changes proportions of rings and bracelets
8. Kill Walt Disney
WD's t shirt design, dress prints, and toys go against Walt Disney's fantasy and euphemism.
9. 80's is back!
i.e. Andy Warhol Levis, Andy at Barney's expensive tomato cans, Andy Marc Jacobs
10. Perfect imperfection
American Apparel's mannekins in the window looking "similar" to super heroes in Americal Apparel underwear. Americal Apparel spends very little money creating cheap and ugly design; however, the atmosphere of the retail space is attractive balanced between good and ugly.
11. Go darker
Abercrombie & Fitch creats hotel-like or even spa-like atmosphere with ambient light with pleasant smell and sound. Even though sometimes it is hard for customers to see the products clearly, some retail spaces are going darker and darker appealing customers to a calming shopping experience.
About ALU: it is one of the world's leading manufacturers and distributors of first-class point-of-sale fixtures and merchandising systems. The standard range offers wide variety of readily available systems for communication, visual merchandising and display. ALU is an all-round solutions provider including logistics and installation.
ALU spots 11 trends in retail space and product display and installation.
1. "Green is new Grey"?
innstallation and interior design of retail space that emphasize green and eco-friendliness are growing infinitely.
i.e. Yahoo Green Taxi, Adidas grun (Germany), Google logo, Barneys' clothing
2. Poetic
Anthropologie changes the installation of the store every month to refresh the look of the store and also refresh the theme of the products. Everything that is displayed is on sale, and the display looks more like an art work in a gallery than conventional product display.
3. Luxurious
Luxurious brands including Calvin Klein displays their luxurious and pricy products in a cheap and almost comical way. For example, Calvin Klein's shoes and bags are displayed on top of a toilet. This visual contradiction evokes humor and can approach buyers in a more friendly way. This marketing is ironic because the price of a pair of shoes does not change where and how it is displayed (which means that even though they might seem more approachable and affordable, the price of a pair of CK shoes won't change).
i.e. Martin Margiela's jackets made out of gloves, Prada museum, softening by Aspesi, Mailn+Goetz's emotional and empty retail space
4. New School look
Le Labo, a fragrance brand is promotes a perfumer's laboratory look throughout its packaging and retail space. It achieves a luxurious imaging of the brand through old laboratory and old pharmacy-like look.
5. Humorous
MM6, LANVIN, Gucci's silly looking mannekins
6. Customize
i.e. Ernest in NYC's customized jeans
7. Size and Time Phobia
Vitra, Flos, Stark, GB house cutting hair in 10 minutes, and Jewelry design that changes proportions of rings and bracelets
8. Kill Walt Disney
WD's t shirt design, dress prints, and toys go against Walt Disney's fantasy and euphemism.
9. 80's is back!
i.e. Andy Warhol Levis, Andy at Barney's expensive tomato cans, Andy Marc Jacobs
10. Perfect imperfection
American Apparel's mannekins in the window looking "similar" to super heroes in Americal Apparel underwear. Americal Apparel spends very little money creating cheap and ugly design; however, the atmosphere of the retail space is attractive balanced between good and ugly.
11. Go darker
Abercrombie & Fitch creats hotel-like or even spa-like atmosphere with ambient light with pleasant smell and sound. Even though sometimes it is hard for customers to see the products clearly, some retail spaces are going darker and darker appealing customers to a calming shopping experience.
Monday, May 4, 2009
LEARN FROM YOUR FAILURE
I just wrote a long essay of my life and loneliness I'm feeling in Italy in the darkness 3:30 in the morning. I was so proud of myself for writing it because it even sounded brilliant and humorous for me. I was even imagining myself working as a magazine editor, or even a writer! like Biya Han, my favorite writer.
When I clicked PUBLISH POST, the internet got disconnected (and internet had been disconnected because I was writing in the kitchen) and I lost the whole essay.
A lesson I learned from this f@#$ing and S#$*ty experience?
When I clicked PUBLISH POST, the internet got disconnected (and internet had been disconnected because I was writing in the kitchen) and I lost the whole essay.
A lesson I learned from this f@#$ing and S#$*ty experience?
SAVE EVERYTHING YOU WRITE
AND
LEARN FROM THE FAILURE
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Goals and To-do lists when I get back to RISD
Goals for my senior year at RISD
1. first of all, my goal is to graduate with good grades and a good portfolio (and possibly with a dope job haha).
2. I want to sell my design at the market day. I think the market day is the equivalent of a festival that other normal schools get. We don't get a festival, but we get a market day.
3. Curating a student show. Since I have been seeing and experiencing countless galleries and museums in Europe that I have this passion and ideas for curating a show myself. I've been working for RISD museum and galleries and I think it's the time to maybe try to curate a show instead of always monitoring one.
4. Winning a design award. I met this design intern in Munich and he inspired me so much about winning a design award. He won numerous design awards, Korean and also international awards, that he now is an intern in Munich. He told me that it is a very rare case for a Korean student to intern outside of Korea especially when one does not speak fluent English (for his case, also German). One of the reasons why he was noticed by his company was because he had a solid portfolio with good presentation skills and resume with award winning experiences. According to him, winning awards is not too difficult. He would commit 3 days of time for a project with a concept. I think it would be great not to only focus in school work but also look into what other projects there are that the design community is working on.
1. first of all, my goal is to graduate with good grades and a good portfolio (and possibly with a dope job haha).
2. I want to sell my design at the market day. I think the market day is the equivalent of a festival that other normal schools get. We don't get a festival, but we get a market day.
3. Curating a student show. Since I have been seeing and experiencing countless galleries and museums in Europe that I have this passion and ideas for curating a show myself. I've been working for RISD museum and galleries and I think it's the time to maybe try to curate a show instead of always monitoring one.
4. Winning a design award. I met this design intern in Munich and he inspired me so much about winning a design award. He won numerous design awards, Korean and also international awards, that he now is an intern in Munich. He told me that it is a very rare case for a Korean student to intern outside of Korea especially when one does not speak fluent English (for his case, also German). One of the reasons why he was noticed by his company was because he had a solid portfolio with good presentation skills and resume with award winning experiences. According to him, winning awards is not too difficult. He would commit 3 days of time for a project with a concept. I think it would be great not to only focus in school work but also look into what other projects there are that the design community is working on.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Trend spotting in 2009 Salone del Mobile
MATERIAL
1. Sustainable material
2. Unexpected material
3. Plastic, resin, and everything synthetic.
4. Ply wood, ply wood, ply wood!
DESIGN
1. humorous
2. representational
3. poetic
4. luxurious
SHAPE
1. geometric
2. organic
3. ergonomic
4. anthropomorphic
1. Sustainable material
2. Unexpected material
3. Plastic, resin, and everything synthetic.
4. Ply wood, ply wood, ply wood!
DESIGN
1. humorous
2. representational
3. poetic
4. luxurious
SHAPE
1. geometric
2. organic
3. ergonomic
4. anthropomorphic
Trend spotting in 2009 Salone del Mobile in Milan (Design week 09)
At the end of every April, Milan gets busy preparing for a design week (Salone del Mobile). During this week, countless events happen including trade shows, gallery and museum openings, concerts, and parties(!). The whole city turns into an excitement and there's something happening in every block. Also, around this time, people from all over the world concentrate in Milan hence the city is bursting with interesting people. I enjoyed watching people as much as watching designs this week.
The three districts I visited were
1. Zona Tortona
2. Triennale
3. Rho Fiera
The design week finally ended as of yesterday (Salone del Mobile lasted from April 22nd till 27th), and I want to report on trend in design in 2009.
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