By industry standards, the polo shirt was one of the market's best. It at once defined the company in sales, yet trapped it from telling the story of what the brand could be. This brands story needed to unfold naturally and follow a logical path rather than an emotional one. This is the part of the story that I wrote. It developed from the right side of my brain and was written by the left.

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I was approached to create a contemporary line for a global manufacturer. I realized that the key to making all this happen was not to think like a giant but rather the opposite. My mantra became make the new pair of shoes as comfortable as the old ones. How do you seamlessly integrate new items into the consumer's life? You make them think that they have been there all along. 

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Sometimes when building a product how you get there is just as important as the end result. How something is created speaks to the consumers needs and wants. I think it is important to keep in step with the consumer and what they expect. No one said it better than Steve Jobs when he said great products are a triumph of taste, of "trying to expose yourself to the best things humans have done and then trying to bring those things into what you are doing." 

I recently returned to a company that I worked for years ago. I was asked to direct design on a contract basis in an effort to get the product back on track. I had previously run an extremely successful business there, and going back held a certain amount of professional intrigue in how I could affect their bottom line. Creating the product came effortlessly and my intuition allowed me to speak to the customer, not very differently than it had years before. I had a certain advantage in being one of the creators of the great period. Here are some outtakes of the product that in the end signifcantly exceeded projected sales forecasts.

When you design for a global giant you have to remember that you are designing with the world in mind. Love of the outdoors applies to the guy in seat 32b on his way to NYC or the couple ahead of you in the checkout line. For almost five years, I found myself designing for a company at the intersection of mass market and the great outdoors. With sales exceeding $2b, the company was at its best and product was everywhere. I understood and identified with the brands story. Here are some examples of a truely unique outdoor biography I had the pleasure to help build and move forward.

For a product to be successful you need to play up to the consumer's intelligence by offering designs that fulfill their needs and wants. Designing for active sports isn't easy; you can't fake form or function in today's market. Technical products need to fulfill the functional, but they also need to suit the ever changing trends of the marketplace. An historic Italian name can't hurt when modernizing a brand's personality. Here are some examples of my performance products, all technical in composition. 

Design has entered an era where the bottom line sometimes takes precedence over creativity. Simply said, if it doesn't sell it doesn't work. Designers need good business minds to reach the target audience and corporations need seasoned designers who know how to expand the core business. Strong merchandising and design go hand in hand; one can't exist without the other. You have to get into the head of the consumer to understand when they want to be comfortable and when they want to be surprised. It is the psychology of product development. Color is a key element in setting the stage for successful consumer relations. You can make it new, but it needs to work so the consumer identifies with it. Here are some outtakes of color mood minus the accents.

I have designed everything from sleeping bags to home funishings. Textile design and constuction play an important role in the consumer experience. Fabrication gives meaning to products, be it a technical product that features wicking properties or the romance of storytelling yarn dyes. Textiles connect with the consumer in a relevant way with pattern, texture and touch. They tell a story as well as perform a function. I think of it as part of product branding. Here is a small sampling of the thousands I've designed that represent casual to updated classic.

Branding is the art of communication. For Vivian Maier Photography, I turned my attention to the art of storytelling without words. From Isda & Co to Diadora, to O'Neill every project I have worked on is different and contains a unique aspect of Dharma. Dharma is a principle that is difficult if not impossible to define. A products Dharma is its true place in process: in time, in vision, in awareness, in thought, deed and being. Here are some examples of Dharma being revelaed through the art of branding.

A strong design and merchandising background taught me that active product can easily evolve into cool street wear. Meaning, subtle details can become high profile elements that can reach from the active field to the asphalt. Here are some outtakes that are hip but yet add vintage comfort to today's contemporary urban jungle.

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Someone once said to me, "your designs are wonderful." I laughed because I thought how awful it would be if they said the opposite. Be it casual or high end, I enjoy the aspect of designing fabric, color and finish, which then can be merchandised into a category of style or performance. I take great pride in the comment that I help Americans dress better. Here are a few of the very, very many.

Developing unique and strong imagery creates an environment for creative ideas to thrive. A great image, even if simplistic in its form, can be extraordinary in making a statement and setting the mood for a brand. Here are some of my outtakes for womenswear, menswear, direct mail and advertising. Some are point of purchase and others are presentation branding tools.

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I call this portfolio Nomad. I began my career working for the branding genius Sara Little Turnbull. Sara is considered one of the country's leading industrial and commercial designers. Sara is most noted for her work at Corning Glass, 3M, Proctor and Gamble, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden, Pfizer, Marks and Spencer, Volvo, Nissan and NASA.  Working for Sara was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Evolution of life and our surroundings inspires me to create designs with functionality and purpose. From hardscape to landscape, here are some samples of my work that remind me how lucky I was to work with America's best. Sometimes it is what you don't see that's most important.