Blogs By Tim Girvin
EXPERIENCE NOMAD: EVENT HORIZON
EXPERIENCE NOMAD: EVENT HORIZON | I WAS THINKING ABOUT ANTONY GORMLEY'S INSTALLATIONS. AND THE FIGURE IN SURVEILLANCE. I was thinking about the watcher, the sentinel. And the sentient. In NYC, we live -- Girvin's offices, are -- in the neighborhood of Madison Park....
Smoke, scent, perfume — the etymology of the mist of fragrance
Smoke, scent, perfume -- the etymology of the mist of fragrance; examining the legacy of aroma, the waft of fire, in the history of language. The inspiration of smoke, scent and magic One might offer that, as a designer, I've spent a lot of time examining the context...
BRAND BACKSTORY | LEGENDARY MYTHOLOGIES IN BRAND STRATEGY
What is the myth, brand storytelling: the legend, the narrative that lies in the heart of the brand proposition? Karl Lagerfeld by Karl Lagerfeld (by Girvin) I was talking to a client about the concept of legendary culture and it set me thinking to the concept of...
The scent of Paris | notes on fragrance, Serge Lutens, women and sex
Exploring the concept of memory, experience and the layering of the scented, working in Paris: the evocation of the perfumes of women and the metaphor of place and fragrance design. (Photo: Girvin) A friend of mine asked that I offer something -- a quick essay -- on...
Neil Patel + HARD WORK | 15 reasons why your business sucks
PASSIONATENESS Biz 4.0: Really, is there a perfection to business logic and the path to doing it right? Neil and I've been trying to meet for a couple of weeks -- a new entrepreneur, a millennial business strategist and a passionate (indulge me -- a new application of...
Starbucks go(es) home! Retail design strategies at Starbucks, and who’s doing it?
Speaking with colleagues, people have asked -- "you seem to know something about what's going on at Starbucks; but really, who's doing the work?" I just talk to people -- being the perpetually curious type. And I ask questions. It's not like I'm a constant design or...
Manly Men Brands | Authentic design for guys | Andy Spade, Peter Buchanan Smith, and other real men
The proposition of men, designing men's stuff is an interesting one -- from Filson to designer Axes, from canvas luggage to gear that guys want. What's the pitch? To the general philosophy that there's a men's designer consciousness -- to the concept that there isn't:...
The scent of asphalt | scenting place and the making of fragranced environments
Smelling where you are Arising this morning, I can gather the scent of wild grasses, the salted smell of sea, the slight drift of sulphur from the cast of decaying seaweeds, wafting from the rocky shore below -- and there is a note of stone; pine, crushed in my...
BRANDING HOME | Creating a brand strategy and visualization for a property. Designing brands for family estates and compounds.
Home: the house where the heart is. Speaking of the idea of branding, and the heart of the matter, the idea of exploring the nature of spirit in place couldn't be more intimate than a place that people call their home -- a house, a place of holding and containment....
Brunello Cucinelli | True Brands: Beautiful Authenticity | Truth in the telling (3rd in a series)
Imagery source Exploring meaningful enterprises, true stories and the people that have created them. I'm looking for true brands, brands that are seeking to represent themselves in the most authentic manner, have stories in play that are based on the profundity of...