SKAGGS Blog

Since we finished Amy Helfand's portfolio website in the nick of time for the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, Elspeth and I decided to pop over to the Jacob Javits Center and take a look at her artwork booth.

It was cool to see the rugs up close–we had been working with Amy's images in digital format for a couple of months, so it was interesting to finally see them in three dimensions! It was also nice to see her sculptures since we had worked with a lot of images of the Tibetan prayer flags Amy uses as inspiration.

Despite all the drama Amy had getting the rugs here–all the way from Tibet–we were impressed with the booth and happy to hang out.

See more photos from ICFF on our Flickr stream.

What level of commitment does it take to see a project through from concept to execution? Passion, commitment and even–sometimes–a trip to the Emergency Room!

Regular readers of this blog will know that as part of my involvement with nurturing talented young designers on American and Icelandic shores, I am often asked to lend my expertise and experience to teaching undergraduates the basics of branding and design.

One student’s concept for the Kids’ line.

This year I was honored to be asked to teach an intensive, 7-day course on branding at the College of Arts and Crafts in North Iceland.

Students were tasked with branding an organic haircare product line which we called “PureSense.” The target audiences were Women 18-55, Men 18-35, Kids and Infants. The needs of these audiences would be paramount to the success of the brand. The students each created a Mood Board, Product Logo, Color Scheme, Shampoo and Conditioner Refill Pack and Travel Pack.

Each student had an iMac, a brief and just 7 days to complete the assignment.

23 eager students + 1 color printer + 0 cans of spray-mount/dry transfers = oh my! The deadline was tight and there was a lot to do in such a short space of time. One student was so tired that she cut the top of her thumb off, went to the Emergency Room and came back to present her concepts!

I’m proud to report that each student pulled through with a unique take on the brief. We focussed on environmentally friendly concepts and in this small way I hope to sow the seeds of responsible packaging design that will equip these talented young designers now and in the future.

This week SKAGGS played host to some of Syracuse University’s most talented young artists and designers.

The students came by to soak up a little of our studio atmosphere and to hear about how a typical design project rolls out. With Sam’s unparalleled expertise and Jonina’s teaching experience, we were happy to oblige! Best of all, we were delighted to receive leave-behind pieces from each student which introduced us to their work.

See more photos on the SKAGGS Flickr Stream.

Leave-behind piece by Syracuse University student Ildikó Tóth.

Established in 1949, The Madelaine Chocolate Company is dedicated to perfecting a superior taste and quality in their chocolate. The belief that everyone should be able to afford great tasting chocolate is what drives their commitment to their customers, ensuring they never compromise on flavor or quality.

We had the honor of completely recreating and redesigning The Madelaine Chocolate Company website. Due to the huge range of products the Madelaine Chocolate Company produces this was no simple task; however it was a task we were excited to take on. From the initial mockup and wireframes to the final design, we've created a compelling website that appeals to both consumers and retailers and that enhances their brand.

Features of the new Madelaine Chocolate Company website are numerous and some even involve very cutting edge web design technology to make a visit to the website solid, smooth and quick.

Store location search
The Madelaine Chocolate Company distributes their chocolate to stores across the United States. We made it easy to enter a zip-code and locate the nearest retailer within a specified radius of miles. We even included a visual map with markers which provides more detailed information when you click the marker.

Product Search
The Madelaine Chocolate Company has an enormous range of confectionary, including more than 2,000 individual products. We painstakingly sorted and coded each product by keyword, title, SKU and description so the entire product database is now fully searchable. Also, we wanted to add in a method to quickly preview all products that match their search term in real time. This allows a visitor to quickly search out a specific product, whether they know exactly what product they are looking for or not.

Product List
The Product List is easily the largest and most important section of the new website. Beginning with a simple Excel spreadsheet, we created an entire online database which lists all products in their new Product Catalog (also designed by SKAGGS!) The products are split into 9 categories and are listed by "seasonal occasions".

After successfully importing the Excel spreadsheet of products into our online database we quickly discovered a few issues. A category such as 'Everyday' easily has 100+ products listed. Each product has an image and can be clicked to view more detailed information. We wanted to employ the "zero-click" methodology to prevent a user having to click on 'page 1, page 2' and so on. Loading 100+ images on one page, however, can be very time-consuming and would take quite a toll on the hosting server. Our solution was to implement a feature called "Lazy Load". This means when you are viewing a list of products, all products not visible on your browser do not load. The beauty of Lazy Load is that as you scroll down the page, the images load as needed as they appear on your monitor. This was a win/win situation for everyone involved!

Custom Blog and Trade Bulletin
The Madelaine Chocolate Company needed a way to reach out to and connect with consumers as well as to retailers. A blog is the most intuitive way to do this.

Designing the Site
The initial website design mockups went through a few rounds and we finally honed in on a design that was flexible to develop around and correctly establish The Madelaine Chocolate Company brand and identity on the internet. With a subtle "Madelaine Purple" monochromatic color scheme the website is very pleasant on the eyes.

Visiting the Website
On first visiting the site, you are presented with a soft slideshow of images which attract your attention but don't distract you from the rest of the content. The sidebar lists off recent Trade Bulletins, latest blog post and a quick search box to find the nearest retail store. You'll also notice a hand-selected choice of products in a scrolling box below the slideshow.

It doesn't take long to realize that you can click through the website to not only see their products, but also learn about the company heritage, how to follow them on twitter and facebook, visit them on Flickr, learn all about the history of chocolate as well as see which Trade Shows The Madelaine Chocolate Company will be attending in the near future.

SKAGGS is proud to announce the launch of visual artist Rodney Durso’s new portfolio site. Rodney is a Chelsea-based visual artist and a fixture of the New York art and music scene.

He wanted a design that wasn’t the traditional stagnant portfolio site: the usual flip-through format didn’t suit his varied forms of expression and he wanted something more dynamic. We were tasked with programming a website that is as visually interesting and inviting as Rodney’s artwork.

“One important aspect of the site was that Rodney needed to be able to maintain his pieces himself and easily add to his collection. Over the course of his career he’s produced a huge diverse range of artworks. The site showcases everything from print works such as Mega-Something to found-object photography series like Bicycle Salad.”

— Nicole Confrey, Web Developer

“The website had to do one thing well, it had to show all of my work and projects in the same voice and with the same importance, showing all of my creative output as equally relevant and I believe we accomplished this thanks to the team at SKAGGS”

—Rodney Durso, Artist

Some of Rodney’s works presented us with unique layout challenges because in addition to his paintings Rodney has many three-dimensional pieces. He uses a lot of color in his artwork and we chose a neutral palette to make sure that the website didn’t overpower any of the artwork. From a technical point of view we were careful not to use Flash on the site since it isn’t search engine friendly. Instead, Javascripting takes care of all of the informational rollovers making the site compatible across most major browsers. It is also the top listing on Google’s search engine.

“Too many artists’ sites get bogged down with large Flash files. This can mean that sites are hard to search for, and sometimes don’t load if the user doesn’t have the latest version of Flash installed. In order to showcase Rodney’s fantastic range of work correctly we engineered the site using HTML and Javascript.”

— Robbie Edwards, Web Developer

Check out Rodney’s portfolio.

Recently Bradley and I had the pleasure of hanging out with artist Amy Helfand and her canine companion Jengo at her Redhook-based studio.

Jengo’s a big dog, but still a puppy! We’ll be working with Amy to update her identity and to create a new website which will showcase her artwork.

Amy works with many mediums but her interest in abstraction and our relationship to landscape, real and imagined, has remained a constant throughout her career.


Amy’s eye for color and pattern are evident in her rugs, made to order in custom sizes and colors from hand-knotted Tibetan wool and Chinese silk, in a workshop outside Katmandu certified by Rugmark, an organization working to end child labor in the carpet industry.

These close-up shots show the rich detail of each rug. They are all created by hand.


For her latest pieces, Amy took her inspiration from her travels in Nepal where her rugs are created. She takes photographs and develops three-dimensional artworks that then provide the basis for two-dimensional shapes and patterns which are woven into her designs.

“[Inspiration came from] prayer flags at Buddhist temples and hanging from trees.”

— Amy Helfand

Thanks for showing us around, Amy!

There’s no stopping photographer Kfir Ziv’s unmistakeable talent and ability to constantly change the game.

Kfir approached us in July to design the labels for his very own signature wine, which he created with New York’s famous City Winery. Kfir named the wine after his newborn son, Kai. Inspired by one of Kfir’s photographs, SKAGGS worked with Kfir to create the photograph used on the label. The result is a bold yet sophisticated look that matches the flavors of the wine.

I recently got a new camera (Canon S90) and while I’m no expert (and admittedly a beginner), I’ve taken on a whole new appreciation for light and the art of photography. While looking through iphoto I noticed a common theme – the light…THE LIGHT!! Honestly, I can’t take a lot of credit because on most of the flicks I’ve literally gone – “point-shoot-move on”, but I will say that the S90 is flippin’ amazing when it comes to picking up light. Below are some flicks I’ve taken over the last 2 months.

The holiday season is upon us, and with it the cards, gift boxes and wrapping paper. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans will generate five million tons of household waste – twenty-five percent more than the usual four million. That’s equal to the weight of five million Volkswagen beetles, twenty-five-thousand 747 airplanes, or thirteen and a half Empire State Buildings.

In order to cut down on this waste, people can use alternatives to wrapping paper such as old newspaper, shopping bags, reusable boxes… even old clothes. The California Waste Management Board and Associated Content both provide useful alternatives here and here.

1. Erno Laszlo Anti-aging Value Set $250.00 — 6-piece skin care regimen guaranteed to bring out "the glow" and keep wrinkles and puffy eyes at bay.

2. DKNY Be Delicious Gift Set $55 — Celebrate individuality with a refreshing spirit! The limited edition set contains 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray and 3.4 oz Body Lotion.

3. Vitra Uten.Silo $425.00 — Designed by Dorothee Becker, this colorful wall tidy organizes offices, kitchens, bathrooms and children's rooms and is a veritable design icon. Available in white, black or red.

4. Rodney Durso's Funny Moment In Time $800.00 and Sunny Side Up $3000/$1050 — New York artist Rodney Durso uses bold, large-format and works in India ink and acrylic to create his vibrant and thought provoking master pieces.

5. Madelaine Chocolate Company Gift Bags (Visit website for retailers) — The SKAGGS team can certify that once you've tried the smooth milk chocolate in the gift sets, you'll want more.

6. Valley Produce Company Deluxe BBQ Selection $49.00 — Just because it's Winter doesn't mean you can't barbeque and with a hamper that includes garlic and rosemary oil, pepper cracker thins and amber walnuts you'll be firing up the grill in no time.

7. Three Tarts Box of Truffles $18.30 (box of 9) — A mouthwatering assortment of classic dark, caramel sea salt, cinnamon, ginger and lavender truffles from Chelsea's finest.

8. Salon Luba Gift Certificate (Enquire in-store) — Get pampered and coiffed to perfection at New Jersey's premiere luxury salon.

9. Le Cherche Midi $150.00 — Packaged in a wooden box, this beautiful gift set contains one of each fine fragrance candles in a smaller 2.5oz size. The perfect gift or treat for yourself or a loved one.

10. Spaksmannsspjarir Flower Accessory $348.00 — Using raw silk, the beautifully Icelandic, hand-crafted Flower necklace is bang on trend for this seasons' "oversize" and "gothic" style jewelry

According to a recent study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America’s Health, two-thirds of all Americans are overweight or obese. But as the health care debate continues in Washington, members of the so-called “fat pride” community are fighting what they see as a national prejudice against fat people. As the New York Times reported recently, “heavier Americans are pushing back now with newfound vigor in the policy debate, lobbying legislators and trying to move public opinion to recognize their point of view: that thin does not necessarily equal fit, and that people can be healthy at any size.”

While we may come in all shapes and sizes, as the saying goes, overweight and obesity are more often caused by eating habits and lack of exercise than by the way individuals are born. The efforts made by the “fat pride” community may be well-intentioned, but they encourage us to ignore one of the most fundamental problems in our society: our eating habits. Rather than maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough exercise, many Americans eat too much, feel guilty, and then pursue miracle solutions like diet pills. Such behavior is terribly unhealthy and – in the case of diet pills – potentially addictive. Moreover, it weighs on the nation’s health care system.

With the holidays coming up, many of us will begin to indulge in more sweets, hors d’oeuvres, rich holiday meals and cocktails. The messages advertised on television, online and in store windows will be the same: indulge, indulge, indulge. During the Christmas season, the average American will gain over a pound. And while their waists are getting bigger, the food and pharmaceutical industries will be gaining revenue, financing future advertisements.

The preferred solution to staying fit during the holidays is also the simplest: eat well and exercise. Unfortunately, this philosophy doesn’t seem to sell so well.

Scents from the Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris collection

On Wednesday, Sam and I sashayed over to Bergdorf Goodman to represent the SKAGGS team at the launch of new fragrance collection Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris hosted by KVD NYC .

Francis Kurkdjian is largely known for the fragrances he has created for Jean Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent and Guerlain. Since we’ve been working with DKNY Be Delicious we reckon we’re pretty clued up about modern scents—but we were very surprised to find out that Kurkdjian has created scents that can be considered artworks, including the scent of money for artist Sophie Calle. Even better, in 2008 he filled the fountains of Versailles with scented bubbles that gave off the fragrance of strawberries, pear and melon. Definitely unique! Naturally we were intrigued to see what he’d come up with for this new line of scents…

We weren’t disappointed! The room at Bergdorf Goodman was split into four sections, each dedicated to the four primary fragrances making up the collection. It’s all about the details…

We loved “Papier Encens,” a scented paper which burns slowly to an ember over an hour or so, without the thick smoke given off by an incense stick. Interesting… but a bit of a fire hazard perhaps?

—Sam Edwards, Creative Director

The bottles of perfume are sealed with a pure zinc cap, inspired by the rooftops of Paris. This year’s signature piece is an exquisite leather bracelet, infused with a fragrance which becomes richer as it is warmed by the wearer’s body. Scented leather bracelet infused with Francis Kurkdjian’s ‘Lumière Noire pour Femme’

In true Sam-and-Els tradition, we were hounded by the paparazzi and ended up pulling sexy faces for more than a few publicity shots. But if you’d like the real scoop on the event, check out our photos on the SKAGGS Flickr Feed.

I had the pleasure of interviewing France born - Brooklyn based designer - Sophie Theallet back in Feburary for the Celeste Duquesne website. Sophie was fantastic to interview and is one of the realest, warmest people I’ve met in fashion. Her Fall 2009 collection was absolutely beautiful - her clothes have no fuss, no frills - just simple and sophisticated detail. It comes as no surprise that she won the coveted $200,000 CFDA/Vogue Fund on Monday.

The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund helps emerging American designer pursue their design and business plans. Award recipients are selected by a Committee of industry experts, based on the exceptional talent they have already demonstrated in fashion design and their capacity for future distinction in the fashion industry.

Alexander Wang won in 2008 and has continued to take the fashion industry by storm, with his French chic, rock grunge, rolled-out-of-bed collections. Winners (and the runners up) usually go on to have huge success and as most of us have seen in The September Issue - an approval nod from Wintour is enough to take you to dizzy new heights.

“Her clothes are not flashy or arty; she’s not everybody’s darling. She is the real deal, a designer who knows how to make clothes from start to finish, and the CFDA/Vogue Fund committee apparently saw that. She also has a point of view in her fashion. She has such a distinctly feminine eye.”

— Cathy Horyn, New York Times

Bravo Sophie! With fans that include first lady and “style icon” - Michelle Obama, increasing attention from the fashion community, consistently beautiful collections and a fearless and down-to-earth, natural charm. Sophie is a much deserved winner. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for her!

Follow Sophie on Twitter

View the interview on the CelesteDuquesne.com

See behind the scenes in the Case Study

Late last month, the Reykjavik City Environment and Transport Council agreed to establish a task force to increase the presence of electric cars and charging stations in Iceland’s capital. Their decision to shift toward an electricity-based model was born out of the 2008 Driving Sustainability Conference in Reykjavik, where pioneers in the movement to achieve environmentally sustainable transportation decided that electricity proved more efficient than hydrogen. The recent 2009 Conference saw continued support for electric energy, along with a new emphasis on liquefied bio-fuels.

As members of the Driving Sustainability organizing committee, Bradley and I are incredibly proud to be part of an organization that is fueling change. Iceland has an immense amount of clean energy resources at its disposal; by increasing access to electric cars, and enabling ships and airplanes to run on bio-fuel, the country could reduce its reliance upon harmful fossil fuels almost entirely. Such an achievement would greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance the national economy, and serve as a model of successful sustainability for countries around the world!

For more information on Driving Sustainability, visit http://www.drivingsustainability.org/
and if you like to read about Reykjavik’s pledge for sustainable solutions see article here:
http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/search/news/Default.asp?ew_0_a_id=351086

As the McDonald’s franchise closed up shop in Reykjavik last weekend, many perceived the company’s decision to pull out of Iceland as yet another setback for the country’s struggling economy. In truth, it was just the opposite.

By contract, the McDonald’s franchise holder in Iceland – Lyst, which, coincidentally, means “appetite” – was required to import all of its food from Germany. The result was that much of the 650 krona ($5.29) spent on a single Big Mac ended up going out of the country, while transportation costs caused unnecessary damage to the environment and high-preservative products caused unnecessary damage to people’s health.

Lyst’s new venture, Metro, will offer a similar menu using materials and produce sourced from within Iceland. By switching to local providers, the new model will help to create jobs, reduce pollution, and keep money circulating within the national economy. Moreover, because of Iceland’s laws restricting the use of preservatives, the food itself will be healthier. If Metro is a success, it will prove to similar businesses that there is money to be made in sustainability. Indeed, the McDonald’s departure could end up being exactly the kind of “setback” Iceland’s economy needed.