Spanx squeezes into tony shopping malls

PHILADELPHIA -- They‘re a tummy tuck and butt-lift in a bag. The new-millennium version of Grandma’s girdle, minus the bruising engineering. And each garment has a name so tart, so clever, that even hippy women feel hip when they squirm into a sheet of Spandex the size of a body condom.They are, of course, Spanx, the figure-slimming shapewear that has revolutionized how women dress by convincing ladies to shun comfort over compression. The brand has disinterred the dead-and-gone girdle by elimin

Aug. 29, 2012

Art peps up product designs

Collaborations between acclaimed artists and top-notch brands bring synergy effectsThe following is the sixth in a series of articles on design prepared in anticipation of the Herald Design Forum on Sept. 19-21. ― Ed.The classy, monogrammed leather of Louis Vuitton bags is simply turned into a backdrop for much wilder patterns: artist Yayoi Kusama’s vivid red polka dots, for example. The French luxury brand’s 2012 line features a collaboration series with the established Japanese avant-garde art

Aug. 23, 2012

Richie eyes sustained success through Impulse

NEW YORK (AP) ― You know her by the sunglasses she always has with her. You know her from TV, and you might know her from the tabloids, too, but Nicole Richie isn’t convinced any of it works for or against her when it comes to building her design career.She guided aspiring designers on the fashion competition show “Fashion Star,’’ and says she sees success in the fashion business as either potentially intense and fleeting, or broad-based and sustained. It’s up to the work you do ― and doing it c

Aug. 22, 2012

Chinese avant-garde painter goes black-and-white

The “Chinese cultural invasion” has become a global phenomenon. Record-breaking sums are being splashed on Chinese art pieces at international auctions and exhibitions of works by Chinese “enfants terribles” are held at galleries around the world. In Korea some of the trendiest Chinese artists have become the new darlings of collectors, replacing Andy Warhol or Lee U-fan.At the center of the frenzy for Chinese contemporary art is Zhang Xiaogang. Zhang is now considered among the most sensational

Aug. 20, 2012

David Beckham back in new H&M underwear ads

NEW YORK (AP) ― David Beckham says he’s in the underwear game for the long haul, with the second set of abs ― sorry, ads ― for his branded collection with H&M launching Thursday.The English football star’s ads will coincide with a “statue stunt’’ planned by the retailer, with larger-than-life Beckhams going up in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. New products will be added to the collection later this year.Beckham, 37, said he’s pleased with consumer reaction.“I’m very happy that so far p

Aug. 15, 2012

Beauty boxes bring cosmetics bounty

Monthly subscription boxes a way to sample wide variety of cosmeticsIt’s like receiving a Christmas gift anytime of the year. A cheerful-looking black box with white polka dots tied up in a hot pink ribbon arrives at the office. You begin unwrapping the box with anticipation. You are a little girl once again as you rush to explore the goodies that lie within. The monthly delivery from Memebox, one of the largest beauty subscription services in the country, is jam-packed with cosmetic products ra

Aug. 15, 2012

[Herald Interview] Chris Bangle, front-runner in innovative design

Bangle to share design vision at second Herald Design Forum Sept. 19-21The following is the first in a series of email interviews with leading designers participating at the Herald Design Forum on Sept. 19-21. ― Ed.As companies try to create competitive advantage with innovative design, new design concepts are fast emerging, according to Chris Bangle, head of the eponymous design brand Chris Bangle Associates, in a recent e-mail interview with The Korea Herald. Just as Bangle said in the intervi

Aug. 14, 2012

Designer adds new touch to Herald corporate identity

Founder of Big Ant International explains the ideas behind his design for new company logoA photograph of a soldier pointing a machine gun on a street poster on a lamppost might be nothing new. However, if you could walk around the post you would see that the end of the gun points right back at the soldier. And a sharp moment of epiphany strikes. The groundbreaking anti-war campaign “What goes around comes around” put 33-year-old Park Seo-won and his firm Big Ant International on the industry ma

Aug. 13, 2012

Forum highlights how design changes world

Top designers at the Sept. 19-21 forum to inspire audience in design, lifeA design forum organized by Herald Corp. is once again set to start a discussion on the role and impact of design next month, hosting leading designers, architects and artists. Launched last year, the Herald Design Forum has positioned itself as a major design forum in Korea, inviting acclaimed figures in the field and attracting local audiences looking for inspiration. The forum, titled “Re-imagine! Herald Design Forum,”

Aug. 13, 2012

Design matters: Eyes on stylish cars

Top car designers Peter Schreyer and Chris Bangle bring big changesThe following is the fifth in a series of articles on design prepared in anticipation of the Herald Design Forum on Sept. 19-21. ― Ed.The monotone roads of Seoul have been getting some touches of color in the past few years. Yes, black, gray and silver still make up the majority of car colors, but vivid shades and stripes of colors such as mint blue, baby yellow and red are being spotted more often than before. Sales of the BMW m

Aug. 9, 2012

Wear it proud: Flag as a fashion statement

LONDON (AP) ― There was no mystery as to which team Varun Pemmaraju was supporting: His American flag was tied around his neck, the Stars and Stripes floating like a cape behind him.“I was going for the Superman, Captain America-look,’’ said the beaming 19-year-old computer science and chemical engineering student from San Jose, California, as he stood a stone’s throw from Olympic Stadium. “I thought America was a little under-represented.’’Patriotism and the Olympic games have long gone togethe

Aug. 8, 2012

Hudson Yards: New York’s town within a city

NEW YORK (AP) ― New York lost the 2012 Olympics, but the city’s bid for the summer games spurred another, visionary venture: building up the largest undeveloped parcel in Manhattan.While London got the games, New York was left with the best opportunity for development remaining in town.On Manhattan’s West Side, the old Hudson rail storage yards are surrounded by potholed roads, warehouses, low-rent brownstones, cheap delis and strip clubs. Crowds waiting for discount buses line 10th Avenue. And

Aug. 6, 2012

Meeting the challenge of sustainable living

Sustainable, green buildings create low-carbon neighborhoodsThe following is the fourth in a series of articles on design prepared in anticipation of the Herald Design Forum on Sept. 19-21. ― Ed.Sustainable development and green businesses have become keywords in various industries, and architecture and city planning are no exception to this trend. “Sustainability started to be mentioned about 10 years ago and now it is the most important keyword among architects,” said Lim Yeong-hwan, architect

Aug. 2, 2012

Fair opens market for designers, customers

Young designers find new opportunities, visitors discover unique designsAn annual design fair brought together young independent designers and customers under one roof in Seoul last week, serving as an open market for innovative designs. In its second year, The Handmade Korea Fair 2012, held from July 26-29 at COEX, Samseong-dong in Seoul, featured 180 small design companies that offered unique products ranging from clothes, accessories and jewelry, to stationary, furniture, home-ware and childr

July 30, 2012