Spring (Fashion) Forward: The NorthPark PaperCity Section

April 3, 2014 Kris Murphy

Spring is hot this year — at least when it comes to the stunning spring fashion images featured in the March NorthPark PaperCity section. Aside from a couple of ”sneak peek” billboards you may have seen, this was the first big reveal of the spring campaign, and it included some spectacular looks from Roberto Cavalli, Versace, Gucci and other big names found at NorthPark Center. The 12-page insert will be followed by several ads in publications including T Magazine, Town & Country, Modern Luxury, Patron and FDLuxe.

As always, the photoshoot is a labor of love, with lots of coordination, last-minute changes and long hours. And then there’s the endless photo editing, retouching and production. But the results are always rewarding, as is collaborating with our exceptional client, NorthPark Center. We always enjoy working on a project of this caliber and think the end product speaks for itself.

Photographer: Maxine Helfman

Model: R’el, Kim Dawson Agency

Stylist: Tammy Theis, Wallflower Management

Hair & Make Up: Al Tidwell

– Kris Murphy, Senior Designer

New Logo Makes a Splash: Celebration! White Rock

March 19, 2014 Kris Murphy

If you live in Dallas, you probably have spent some time at White Rock Lake or at least know that it’s pretty special to the people who live here. Over one million people a year enjoy the trails, scenery, picnic areas and other attributes of this beautiful area park. So when we were asked to create a logo for a new annual event that would benefit the lake, we jumped on board.

Spearheaded by some folks at the White Rock Lake Conservancy, Celebration! White Rock is destined to be a yearly outing for area families, runners, foodies, music lovers and basically anyone looking for a fun outdoor festival. Kicking off with a 5K/10K run at the lake, the event will host local musicians and food vendors, with all proceeds benefiting special projects such as the historic White Rock Lake Stone Tables and Pavilion restoration program.

With this in mind, we were asked to create a logo that somehow captured all of the above and also considered the multitude of activities of lake-goers; from birdwatching to boating, the list is extensive. Our exploration included renderings of various critters found in the park, iconic structures and water activities, some custom type and a range of color palettes. After a round or two of further color studies, a final logo was selected. (Yay!) Here are some of the designs presented with the ultimate winner displayed above on the right. We hope it will help the event get some attention, and think it will rock on T-shirts!

– Kris Murphy, Senior Designer

Trash Talk: Our New Client Stash Design

March 12, 2014 Kris Murphy

There’s something to be said about that old adage “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Especially in the hands of the creative minds at Stash Design, our newest clients. At a time with recycling is top of mind, they take it to a whole new level: upcycling — where discarded items from fence posts to metal scraps find new life and new purpose as unique and artistic furniture, fixtures and finish-out.

If you’ve ever set foot in Bishop Arts hot spots Oddfellows or Bar Belmont, you’ve seen their work. Details from the door handles to seating and lighting and even the bar tops, floors and signage are the inspired touches of Stash designers Gary Buckner and Kim Linder. Not far from there, at The Foundry Bar on Fort Worth Avenue, they unexpectedly transformed re-purposed wood pallets into a spectacular outdoor stage — and next door at Chicken Scratch, you’ll find reclaimed wood used for the tables and quirky light fixtures made from old milk crates. Everywhere you look, there are layers of visual surprises. And Stash is keeping it local, with several other Dallas businesses having them to thank for their amazing interiors, each with its own flavor. You can see photos of all of them on the Stash Design site.

So, all this is to say, we had a field day visiting their retail space on Lower Greenville to research (shop) the types of finished pieces they offer. That was followed by an excursion to their workshop in Oak Cliff, to peruse the endless raw materials they have collected from scrap yards and trash piles and to see where it all comes together. It was quite impressive. Now, with our newfound understanding of what Stash Design has to offer, we’ll go to work on helping them repackage their branding and marketing materials. Our first step will be to succinctly communicate exactly what they do in a positioning line — which will be fun but challenging. Keep your eyes out for a future blog to see the results of our own renovation project as we refresh their printed materials (on recycled paper, of course) and web site.

– Kris Murphy, Senior Designer