Radical Optimism: LA's New Creative Voices

Back in 2016 we saw that there was a need to provide a forum sparking conversations about the new independent creative forces shaping Los Angeles. We approached our friends at PLATFORM to curate and produce a series of conversations that bring together variable points of view on what we do ever day. "How We Eat," "How We Move," "How We Live," "How We Make," and "How We Buy." We call it Radical Optimism.

Photo by Katie Gibbs

Our most recent event, "How We Make," brought together panelists from a far reaching network of 'makers' in Los Angeles. Panelists included Yael Aflalo from Reformation, Bayan Joonam of SoulPancake, and Jessie Kawata of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Leading the conversation was our moderator Krisztina "Z" Holly who hosts the podcast The Art of Manufacturing and who leads Mayor Garcetti's initiative MAKE IT IN LA.

Photo by Katie Gibbs

Jessie Kawata summed up what it means to be a maker as "Making is solving a problem. and we often place purpose over design. To achieve the best solution, to make changes for the better, we must unite form and function." Check out radicaloptimismla.com for more information and we hope to see you at our upcoming event on July 27th, "How We Buy."

Two Takeaways from Apple's Rebrand

Apple recently made what appears to be a slight adjustment in its store branding. The word “store” is no longer used to reference any Apple retail outlet: instead, they are referred to as “town centers”.

On the surface it seems like a trivial exercise in semantics. But the real shift has a larger impact. Apple is leveraging its position as a leading global brand and its numerous "town center" locations to invite consumers in for reasons other than shopping. Apple is creating a shift in customer behavior by offering coding classes, speaking events, community gatherings, or just a place to meet up with a few friends.

By calling their stores “town centers”, Apple creates an approachable identity for their retail outlets.  Other large retailers can pay attention to Apple’s move and take away two things: 1. Customers are looking for memorable experiences 2. Global brands need a local face.

We at Ilan Dei Studio successfully integrated both of these concepts in our work with Lemonade and Oliver Peoples. We push ourselves to deliver unique designs for each new location. We use branded artwork and vernacular materials to reference the project's neighborhood, allowing these brands to integrate into their community. The customers feel a sense of ownership and connection with their local store, which helps build brand loyalty. As retail experience and entertainment merge to attract patrons, memorable experiences on a personal level are becoming the distinguishing factor of successful brands.

Who Needs an Icon?

Every brand needs a logo to help identify itself, but not every brand has an icon. Icons achieve a transcendent quality that sets them apart. They are simple, unique, easy to remember, and are one of the most powerful tools in a brand’s arsenal. Icons communicate strong visual messages quickly and effectively, which helps customers identify a brand instantly (think the Nike Swoosh, the Golden Arches, and the Starbucks Mermaid)

At Ilan Dei Studio, we think icons should be more than just representative. When designed intelligently they can serve as multi-functional elements in physical space. For Oliver Peoples, we designed, "the Orb", an object that serves 3 functions: appealing product display, eye-catching window signage, and representative brand icon. The Orb communicates a futuristic, luxurious optimism that reinforces Oliver Peoples' brand values. As a retail display it focuses consumer attention on a curated range of goods helping to increase sales. As a window display, it gives the stores a unique street presence by lighting up the storefront at night.

Oliver Peoples Chicago

The Orb has been the symbol for Oliver Peoples retail stores around the globe for more than 25 years. Surviving multiple ownership changes, it is the icon for Oliver Peoples helping them maintain their status in the competitive luxury market.

The Value of Branded Intellectual Property

The branded environment can be a noisy place. Walk through any shopping area and you're bombarded with messages competing for your attention, trumpeting the new and the next. How can an emerging brand compete in the arms race of today's commercial landscape?

Lemonade Venice - Before Branded IP

Lemonade Venice After - A Cohesive Branded Environment

The answer is a strong set of brand values expressed through high-quality physical environments. Every surface and object within a space presents an opportunity for a brand to communicate to their customers. In short, memorable environments create value.

800 degrees keeps things simple with a black and white color scheme and marble countertops. Chipotle uses industrial materials like corrugated metal and plywood to create unfussy, modern environments. The strongest brands have unique intellectual property which is a physical expression of their DNA. 

We are proud to design and craft Lemonade's physical environments. The touch and feel of their restaurants is a major part of their customer experience; one that keeps them ahead of the competition in an increasingly crowded market

Art Is Long And Time Is Fleeting #1

Recently IDS was approached to design a building-scale public art project in Pasadena. The project is an exciting addition to the usual studio workload, and a great chance to alter the landscape of our city.

Our aim for this project is to make commentary on the experience of time on three different scales: the order of seconds, the order of hours, and the order of months. To express these scales, we created three separate elements that will display the passage of time.

First, an array of fins across the first floor creates a rhythmic pattern that mimics the regular, observable advance of seconds. Some fins extend are painted yellow and vertically to tie into the second element: the sundial. As the sun advances along its course, it uses the building façade itself to indicate the afternoon hours. As the sun sets, the third timekeeping element comes to life: a moondial indicates the current phase of the moon.

Timekeeping is a functional yet subtle aspect of our project. First and foremost, it is public art. We want the piece to have an immediate visual impact that both resonates with the viewer and enhances the quality of the architecture. For the vertical elements of the sundial we chose a bright yellow to draw viewers’ eyes upwards, inviting them to study the installation and building together. The gnomon, which is the part of the sundial that casts the shadow, is painted red to set it apart from the neutral gray hour lines. These additions lend a unique element to the host building, setting it apart from its surroundings.

As designers, we’re always striving to find new ways to influence the world around us. Needless to say, we’re thrilled to be working this project. We’ll keep updates coming as progress is made.

- Vaughn Calandra, Designer at Ilan Dei Studio