The essence of what Ilse Crawford and her Studioilse does is identity. They create the the big idea behind a brand its emotional values, and then make them visible and tangible through design.

The Olde Bell Inn encompasses a 16th century Tudor barn for big parties, a Malt House for medium gathering and dining rooms for a dozen or more, with parts of the building dating back to 1135.

Now The Olde Bell Inn has been gently transformed and is the first in a family of modern coaching Inns. Using locally sourced food cooked simply; eating drinking and lodgings. Ilse’s line is ‘Local chairs, local cheese’. 25 minutes drive from Heathrow and within hour of central London. You can say that Ilse is re-inventing the traditional English Inn.

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Andra bloggar om: hotell, ilse crawford, design, inredning, möbler, england

Here’s an interesting interview with fashion designer and artist Hussein Chalayan about the Level Vodka tunnel that he has designed.

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Andra bloggar om: reklam, marknadsföring, vodka, hussein chalayan, varumärke

Contemporary design drives the Shaw + Smith wine tasting experience.

This is post by David Report contributor Kristina Dryza.

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Andra bloggar om: vin, vingård, arkitektur, design, provsmakning

Level Vodka invited star fashion designer and artist Hussein Chalayan to create a pioneering work of art with a focus on taste. He was given completely free rein. The result is The Level Tunnel – a 15 meters long and 5 meters high travelling installation that captures the essence of Level Vodka. But the road leading there was anything but straight. Follow The Level Tunnel Team’s blog on the daily twists and turns of this spectacular project (the blog will only be updated during the tunnel events).

After the premiere in Mexico, The Level Tunnel will continue to Athens and Paris. It will visit each city for 1-2 weeks and is partly open to the general public. The visitors will experience the taste of Level Vodka with all their senses but one - sight. They wander blindfolded through the tunnel as they hear music from flutes made out of Level bottles, inhale scents of the super premium vodka, and are enclosed by the soft leather of the railing. And when they climb out, it all ends with a tasting event.

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Andra bloggar om: level vodka, hussein chalayan, reklam, marknadsföring, kreativitet

Studioilse’s design of the Aesop shop translates the company values through a loving restoration of the historic fabric, paired with modern and clean interventions. As in all her work Ilse Crawford with her Studioilse has added a lot of emotions to the interior. Simple and modern design.

A central ceramic sink to emphasise the ritual of cleansing.

Brass - the material of Mount st.

Fit for Mount st: a gentleman’s armchair tailored in tweed.

Original pitch pine floor - “poor man’s parquet”.

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Andra bloggar om: design, arkitektur, ilse crawford, inredning, skönhet

Jurlique rebrands to focus on its biodynamic farming principles.

This is post by David Report contributor Kristina Dryza.

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Andra bloggar om: ekologisk, ekologiskt, mat, livsmedel, design, varumärken, varumärke, förpackningar

I’m proud to announce that my knowledge company Designboost has released its first annual book named “Designboost 07″. It’s the first in a series of books that in words, pictures and moving media describes the work of Designboost. Designboost is a knowledge company that helps companies and organisations to learn more about design in general and sustainable design in particular and how to use it as a competitive weapon and turn it into a business advantage.

The book “Designboost 07″ is built on the vision “sharing design knowledge” with different texts about sustainable design from Designboost “boosters” and friends. Among the contributors you will find acclaimed personalities like Mathilda Tham - professor at Beckmans College of design, Sean Pillot de Chenecey - consumer insight and brand development, Kristina Börjesson - PhD research associate/Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, Tim Power - architect and Jennifer Leonard - designer researcher and writer/IDEO (among others).

‘Designboost 2007′ also brings forward all the one-liner quotes about sustainable design written by the participants at the main event that took place in Malmö October 17–19, 2007. On top of this different conceptualizations of sustainable design by a range of international design driven companies are presented.

At the end of the book a DVD is inserted with some different films about Designboost and its activities. There is also filmed interviews with all the participants at the 2007 main event.

The book is published by Arena publishing house. If you are interested to get a copy it is available through the internet book store Bokus.

Production: Designboost.
Text editor: David Carlson
Graphic design: Peer Ericsson
Illustrations: Helen Wachtmeister.
Movies produced by Scandvision.
Paper: 150g Artic volume Ivory, Jacket: 300g Artic Glacier
Size: 230×200mm
Printing: Fälth&Hässler
ISBN: 978-91-7843-283-7
Published in Sweden 2008

Press images available here.

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Andra bloggar om: design, designboost, hållbar design, miljö, hållbar utveckling

Finnish supreme companies Artek and Marimekko will break boundaries when they are presenting the Milkbar, a new concept at this years Milan Design Week. You will find the Milkbar at Viale Francesco Crispi 3.

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Andra bloggar om: milano, möbelmässa, artek, marimekko, möbler, inredning, tyg

Comme des Garçons’ founder and head designer Rei Kawakubo will create this autumn’s guest designer collection at H&M. Rei Kawakubo, famous and admired for her creativity and artistry, will design a women’s and a men’s collection, with some pieces for children too. Accessories and an exclusive unisex fragrance will also be included in the collection.

“I have always been interested in the balance between creation and business. It is a dilemma, although for me creation has always been the first priority. It is a fascinating challenge to work with H&M since it is a chance to take the dilemma to its extreme, and try to solve it”, says Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garçons.

The world launch of the collection will be at the opening of H&M’s second store in Tokyo, Japan, in the beginning of November. Launch date for other H&M markets will be a few days later.

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tags technorati : comme des garcons Rei Kawakubo hm fashion design

Andra bloggar om: reklam, branding, marknadsföring, mode, kläder, hm, h&m, comme des garcons

I was reading an article some weeks ago in the Swedish business magazine Dagens Industri which made me a bit confused. The theme was branding (and design). In the article, Stefan Ölander from the branding agency Rewir says; “Today most products and services are exchangeable, it’s branding and communication that make the difference.”

I have a few objections.

My first questions is - could Apple exchange the iPod or iTunes? Could Fritz Hansen exchange the Ant chair? Could Omega exchange the Speedmaster?

My second question is - does he mean that a company can exchange most products without changing the company and its values itself? Like changing into products with bad design, of poor quality, without authenticity which are bad for the environment? Or disposable products that we are not emotional connected to? Or just some smoothed average design that are not iconic and timeless at all? Products made by child labour? And so on…

If we hold for true that a brand is (only) a perception in a consumers mind, the physical deliverance of great products will be even more important; the smell, taste, feel, look and sound. Everything that actually has to do with design. Design is like a “visualization of a business strategy” and products are the true messengers of a brand. Nothing you just replace by snapping the fingers.

Today you can’t diminish the importance of good design. Business executives (and marketers…) that don’t understand the power of design in general and sustainable design in particular will have serious problems in the future. Design is one of the strongest competitive weapons. It can give strong business advantages. Why are so many companies still neglecting the importance of design. Is it just lack of knowledge?

History wise, products were everything during the industrialisation. Later, in the middle of the last century marketing/advertising grew really strong. Then, from the eighties and onwards branding was suddenly the overall solution. I think that we in a way are coming back to where we started. With products, but this time based on the knowledge of the power of design. As an important tool to create the future. Design is even more important in a time when climate changes and injustices are growing. Design can make a difference. It’s sustainable. I don’t think you can say that about marketing or branding…

Maybe you were able to sell anything with simple marketing in the past. Even “canned porridge” as we use to say in Sweden. But it is not like that any longer. You don’t build a brand from only advertising or marketing these days. Because no one believes it any longer, they would even like to pay you to be free from it… Today people are wise and connected. You can only sell a bad product once. Then the rumour is all over. Isn’t that a better world? With the consumers behind the steering wheel?

At David report we believe in building brands with design. We have written about it in two earlier issues of our bulletin called The Credibility Loop and Communication Through Product. Both were released during 2006 but is still as accurate. Read it if you have a minute, or two…

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tags technorati : design branding marketing iconic

Andra bloggar om: design, reklam, marknadsföring, varumärke, varumärken, företag, entreprenörskap