We’ve been reading and hearing quite a lot about signs these days and that got us thinking. Contemplating the craft of making signs and the role signs play in our lives—how signs reflect the intersection of art and commerce.

I visited the new home of the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, prompted by a recent segment on “Antiques Roadshow.”

The museum boasts one-of-a-kind signs befitting retail Main Street of a bygone time. We’re talking hand-lettered, hand-painted, gold-leafed, porcelain enamel and, yes, neon ones that reflect individual shopkeeps and the community they served, well before graphic design co-opted the word “identity” (remember a discipline called “commercial art”?). Continue reading →

Like this is a newsflash (?): Women are increasingly shopping online, but still make purchases in a store. (Note Diva J’s April 10 post.)

But, here are some stats to back up what we already suspected, plus a few more nuggets from the second annual “SheSpeaks/Lippe Taylor Women’s Buying Behavior Index.” The study collected the responses of 2,152 women over the past two months to get a handle on buying habits and forecast purchasing trends of American women.

Among the findings: When asked which method they use most to research products, 71 percent chose laptops, 18 percent selected mobile/tablet, while 6 percent preferred browsing in a store. Continue reading →

Talk about bling.

Here’s a sneak peek at Swarovski’s stunning new stand at Baselworld 2103, on view April 24-May 2. Baselworld is an international tradeshow of the watch and jewelry industry that takes place annually in Basel, Switzerland.

The Austrian-based company, known for its crystal-studded jewelry, watches and chandeliers, tapped award-winning Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka. The renowned Yoshioka, whose work can be found in the United States at MoMA and the Cooper Hewitt, created a circular stand, with a 21-ft.-tall curved wall, weighing in at more than 21,000 sq. ft.

The eye-popping display trips the light fantastic with LED and mirrors to symbolize facets characteristic of Swarovski, which traces its history to 1895. Continue reading →

Maybe this Retail Design Diva is just missing her pugs…who wouldn’t miss these faces?

But I found plenty of furry friends on the show floor to put a smile on my face. Have you spotted the them? In our pet-loving world, it makes sense that more of these lovable creatures will be incorporated into retail displays.

Continue reading →

Whatever you do, do not go shopping until after Labor Day.

I’m joking of course (how could we avoid shopping for that long anyway?!), but I also want to be clear that you have been warned.

Back-to-school shopping  is in full effect.

This past weekend, I needed to get some items for an upcoming party, along with a new dress. It turned into more of a wrestling match with tweens as I journeyed to Target, New Seasons, Fred Meyer and Ross. They were everywhere. I ended the afternoon with a few items in hand, and felt totally defeated.

However, Sears’ latest back-to-school promotion has perked me right up. Continue reading →