by Tim Girvin | Concepts, Places, Storytelling | Sep 25, 2014
There is the sign, which is a way — a tool to explain process and direction, to instruct, to mark, to place: made. The Ace Hotel, Expressed Metal Plate But to the notion of place-making, how that sign is made, gesture or stone, or cut metal, wood can tell a layering... Read More
by Tim Girvin | Brands, Concepts, Places, Retail, Scent | Jul 1, 2014
Designing a Pathway of Personality, Fragrance and Their Retail Perfume Portal. In a note forwarded by retail strategist and architect, Dawn A. Clark, she notes Selfridges’ newest innovation — a Perfume Laboratory [Videolink]. As has been pointed out by many,... Read More
by Tim Girvin | Concepts, Storytelling | Apr 22, 2014
When you draw a letter, what happens? A drawing is a drawing out; draw a letter, the string of story unspools and it’s something more. A letter is a map, an anciently originated succession of markings, a thought cartography, a seared, scarred, scratched, penned,... Read More
by Tim Girvin | Brands, Concepts, Cool People, Designers, Storytelling | Aug 6, 2013
Designed Magic, Magic Designed. It’s been said that illustration, the real meaning of the word is a shining — to illustrate is “making bright.” But also — to purify. In a manner, thinking about illustration as a craft of communication... Read More
by Tim Girvin | Brands, Concepts, Interior Design | Mar 13, 2013
Designing story, in place, the allegory of nature, space — in making a place I find myself in the study of the symbolic, the metaphorical — and, to the end, the magical. I recall when Apple defined the iPad as ‘magical.” An interesting choice... Read More
by Tim Girvin | Brands, Interior Design, Places, Retail | Jan 18, 2013
Designing the Brand: Yogurt Culture Company, Exploring the Process of Restaurant Brand Ideation Girvin has a deep history in the restaurant trade, particularly in building new brands. The legacy of 30 plus years has led to insights working both sides of the counter,... Read More
by Tim Girvin | Concepts, Places | Nov 16, 2011
THE STATE OF WOWNESS In the exploration of design, organizing information, considering presentations and context, emotional relatedness, there are two elements that I look for in the conjunction of creative intelligence and communications to community. Content and... Read More
by Tim Girvin | Brands | Jul 25, 2011
Workers at a fake Apple store with an iPad tablet in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Friday. Wong Campion / Reuters The Soul of the Brand Material In the emerging wild east of China, the idea of counterfeiting continues as the savaging of anything and everything... Read More
by Tim Girvin | Brands, Concepts, Retail | Sep 22, 2010
Image: iPhone Defender As the world gets trickier, let’s think about products as self defense strategies. I’d written a while back, only days ago, about the idea of design strategy — DESIGN THINKING AT APPLE. Actually, I’ve no clue as to... Read More
by Tim Girvin | Cool People, Designers, Human brands, Interior Design, Retail, Trends | Sep 10, 2010
Jonathan Ive and Steve Jobs What’s the point of leading if you’re not in front? I was studying overviews on Steve Jobs, Apple strategy, some thinking about leadership and the reflection in consumer relationships and Apple marketing, but more particularly... Read More
