Duane Smith and Stefane Barbeau of Vessel

We never thought we’d do it, but Design Salon will hear from our first MALE guest speakers, Duane Smith and Stefane Barbeau of Vessel (http://www.vessel.com/) !

Please join us to learn about this innovative company and the men that began Vessel. We will find out how Duane and Stefane, talented corporate consulting executives, brought Vessel to life as a place to incubate fragile, young ideas close to their hearts. From the beginning, Vessel began brimming with nagging, chirping product ideas. One thing led to another, and the first shipments of bright new designs hit store shelves in the spring of 2002, exactly one year after Stefane and Duane gave up full time jobs to care for their offspring. Vessel is a reservoir of passion, creativity, ideas, and excitement; they create products that appeal to people’s hearts and minds. High-tech knowledge combined with a love for the home equips Vessel’s designers to pair technical ingenuity with beautiful, simple forms and materials.

Now with 2 retail stores, also named Vessel, they are able to showcase their product line, along with designs by like-minded companies

When: Tuesday, June 23rd

Time: 7:00

Where: Vessel (chinatown location)/125 Kingston St / Boston MA

Please bring wine and snacks

R.S.V.P. Jill.palese@gmail.com

Limit: 30 people

South End Open Studios

If you are planning on spending your weekend checking out the South End open studios, please stop by Bead + Fiber Gallery Fashion show.

Hope to see you there!

GRAPHIC DESIGN IS GOOD FOR YOU
Please join us for a night with Ann of the 47th, Jen of JHill Designs and Kate of 3 Square Design, three local ladies with diverse backgrounds and different expertise in the many realms of graphic design. Whether you are a business owner wanting to learn more about graphic design or you happen to be a graphic designer yourself, these ladies will discuss why graphic design is good for you. Featured topics include branding, packaging design, the purpose of design for website and blogs, identity and brand narrative, as well as online and interactive marketing.

Ann Theresa Karash is a happy designer. She has served interactive and multimedia art director roles in marketing and advertising agencies over the past ten years, working with clients such as Covidien, Liberty Mutual, Novartis, and Microsoft. However, realizing that her professional fulfillment skews inversely proportional with the size of client she works with (and the scope/specialization of project), Ann started the 47th (a happy, creative consultancy) with like-minded compatriots, focusing on creative/conceptual strategies (and implementations) for kindred companies. Ann has a plethora of extracurricular activities, for which she accepts any excuse to involve in her day job, including endless experimentation with plastic cameras, obsession with feedback mechanisms, bread baking, compulsive reading, and storytelling aspirations. (http://www.the47th.com/)
Jennifer Hill is the owner and designer behind JHill Design. She attended the Massachusetts College of Art + Design,where she graduated with a BFA in design in 2001. Jennifer then went on to work for the acclaimed beauty company, Fresh. She developed her sense of color and pattern while perfecting the aesthetics of “clean” design. She was able to expand on her doodling and develop patterns for the company’s packaging and collateral. From there Jennifer broke out on her own to start JHill Design and develop her drawings series "Places I Have Never Been, drawings of imaginary vacations." JHill Design's design services focuses on branding and web design for small retail, restaurant and creative businesses, as well as packaging design. Some clients include Moroccan guest house Peacock Pavilions, french fragrance company Institut Tres Bien, local fashion designer Anne Reagan, and local retail stores Acquire, Good and Fire Opal. (http://www.jhilldesign.com/)
Kate Caprari is the founder and principal designer of Three Square Design -- a small graphic and web design studio based in Boston. Kate specializes in working with companies in the creative fields: artists & designers, small businesses, and non-profit organizations. Her client list includes Design*Sponge, the Sartorialist, and many other designers and socially-responsible companies. In the winter of 2009, Kate co-taught a master's level course on Business & Design at the New England School for Art & Design. Kate believes in the power of design and its ability to create positive social impact and meaningful relationships. (http://www.threesquaredesign.com/)
Bring your questions, business cards and a little wine or food to share!
Space is limited to 30. Please RSVP to: kelly@etceteramedia.com
Tuesday May 5, 7pm
etcetera, filzfelt, pinkcomma headquarters
81 B Wareham St
Boston MA 02118
617.833.0330
Feel free to park right outside our studio space or anywhere along Wareham St that isn't a loading dock.

Salon Networking Night

Where: Bina Osteria -581 Washington Street, Boston

When: Tuesday, April 14th. 7:00 pm

r.s.v.p.: Jill.Palese@rcn.com

Who are all of these lovely, creative women attending Design Salon events? If you've ever asked yourself that question, now is the time to find out. Please join The Salon at Bina Osteria http://www.binaboston.com/o-about.html for a fabulous evening of appetizers, drinks and an opportunity to learn about the other women at Design Salon. The cost for this event is $15.00 per person to cover the cost of appetizers and drinks. We will introduce ourselves to the group, then spend time meeting every woman. Now is the time for sharing, so be prepared to talk about our work and the possiblity of helping each other out with contacts, references, etc. Space is limited to 25, so please r.s.v.p. early in order to confirm your spot.

Rachel Levitt of Boston Home Magazine

When: March 10
Time: 7:00 pm
Where: Utile, Inc. Architecture + Planning 50 Summer St T 617 423 7200

www.utiledesign.com

R.S.V.P. Jill.Palese@rcn.com

Maximum: 30 people

Please join Design Salon members for an evening with Rachel. She will be navigating us through P.R. and marketing from her point of view! As the editor of Boston Home—formerly Boston Home & Garden—Levitt draws on her experience as a designer and writer to show how the best homes in Massachusetts are not just beautiful, but also skillfully reflect their owners’ unique lifestyles. After getting her master’s in architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, she worked at the award-winning Boston architecture firm Leers Weinzapfel Associates. Five years into her architecture career, though, she realized that writing about great projects was more fun than designing. Levitt, who lives in Cambridge and Maine, is also on faculty at Northeastern University. An avid bicycle commuter and a rower at dawn on the Charles River, she’s clearly a masochist, too.

Thank You, Livia Cowan

Livia Cowan, you are my new idol! What a fantastic evening you shared with Design Salon on Tuesday at Urban Living Studio. It is easy to see why Mariposa is so successful! You started your business as an girlish adventure. Along the way you seem to have cooked up the perfect recipe- a pinch of wit, a chunk of honesty, loads of humor and endless business savvy. Clearly, your blend of smarts and whimsy is just what the marketplace relishes. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of your business, your success and your life. Most importantly, the quotes for all of us to run our businesses by....


Livia-ism #1 "Hire your weaknesses"

Livia-ism #2 "Your passion defines your business"

Livia-ism #3 "Begin with the end in mind"

Livia-ism #4 "If you fail to plan, plan to fail"


Bravo, Livia


Jill Palese

Meet Livia Cowan of Mariposa

Please join the ladies of Design Salon Boston on Tuesday Feb 24 at 7pm

Urban Living Studio
58 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA

http://www.urbanlivingstudio.com/

We will meet Livia Cowan, the founder, President and Creative Director of this leading international company that features handmade tableware, ceramics, aluminum, cutlery, and glass.

Livia Cowan founded Mariposa (http://www.mariposa-gift.com/ ) over twenty years ago as a personal quest, a worldwide journey, in search of the handmade and the beautiful. What began as a youthful endeavor (Livia drove the truck; her parents’ garage was the warehouse) has become a successful company that’s really an extended family. Now located in a renovated a yellow 19th century livery stable in the small, stylish heart of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mariposa, staffs about 30 employees and is an international leader in handmade tableware.

Limit 25

Please R.S.V.P. to Kristen Gaughan (Kristen@urbanlivingstudio.com)

Discussion with Mimi Love, Architect and Principal at Utile Design

January 13, 2009

Mimi Love, principal of Utile, Inc., (http://www.utiledesign.com/) an architectural and urban planning practice located in downtown Boston, will discuss her entrepreneurial life in the competitive architectural design world. While a working as an associate and lead designer at Machado and Silvetti, an internationally known firm, Mimi and her husband made the leap to entrepreneurship when they started their successful firm, Utile, Inc. They handle all types of design projects such as the master plan and renovation of the Advent school in Beacon Hill, master plan for Emerson Hall at Harvard University, and a new retail center in Marshfield, Massachusetts to name a few.

Salon members will be treated with an up close and personal account of Mimi's successful career from her design work for Utile, Inc. to the book that she co-authored Color Space Style, published by Rockport Press. Mimi will highlight the importance of the service side of the Design Industry (critical to all designers in competitive fields). We will hear about her firm’s philosophy for running a design practice (as a business), distinguishing Utile, inc from other firms, and trying to stay hip in the ever-changing design world!

When: January 13, 209

Where: 81B Wareham Street, S. End

RSVP: Jill.Palese@comcast.net

Limit 30 people

Biz Night

December 9, 2008



Mark your calendars! We have assembled a terrific panel of talented ladies to walk you through some of the biggest business issues that design businesses (small and large) confront. The event will take place 12/9 and be located at Mimi Love’s lovely architecture studio Utile Inc. in Downtown Crossing. Mimi can only handle 25 people, so please RSVP pronto to reserve your spot!





Jill Shah – Founder of SoLuxe (http://www.soluxe.com/) as moderator





Jill Cartwright – Founder of Go Ga Ga (http://www.gogagalife.com/) who will be speaking about pricing strategies (calculating your per item COGS and pricing your product in the market)





Moria Flynn – Co-Founder of M Flynn Accessories (http://www.mflynnjewelry.com/y.com/) who will be speaking about positioning your product (how to differentiate yourself or your product)
Christine Frieze – Accountant and Color Consultant (what a combo!) who will be speaking about month-end financial statements and budgeting (why to do it? What can you learn?)




Lisa Mims – Co-Founder of Mod Green Pod (http://www.modgreenpod.com/) who will be speaking about writing a business plan (where do I start, and what are the pros/cons)

WHEN:
12/9, 7pm

WHERE:
Utile Inc.
50 Summer Street in Downtown Crossing
at the corner of Summer and Chauncy Street (above a 7-11)..

PLEASE BRING SNACKS!! And, please review topics and be sure to let us know if you have any specific questions that you want covered.

Last but not least, don’t forget to RSVP!

Licensing Night with Lilla Rogers, Lisa Dejohn and Jill Rosenwald.

October 14, 2008

Illustrators, artists, and surface designers skipped home from our Salon evening on October 14Th with their creative juices rushing and heads full of new opportunities for licensing their work. Lilla Rogers (www.lillarogers.com), a straightforward agent with a passion for art and artists, spent the evening with our Salon to discuss

her side of the design biz. Lilla has been highly successful in her role of representing talented artists and selling their work to reputable clients in the U.S. and Internationally.

Lisa DeJohn (lisa@lisadejohn.com), one of our Design Salon Boston members and a talent in Lilla's portfolio was on hand to talk about the benefits of hiring an agent. Lisa's story goes something like this: While Lisa was scraping by as a fine artist, Lilla Rogers saw the incredible young talent and approached her. Lisa quickly developed a portfolio and was immediately signed on to the Lilla Rogers studio. Because of their successful Artist/Agent relationship, Lisa's talent has not been overlooked. Her unique style is now a driving force behind the whimsical looks of Land of Nod (www.landofnod.com), Chronicle Books (www.chroniclebooks.com), Crate and Barrel (www.crateandbarrel.com) to name a few.

"I am happy with the amount of money that I am making as an artist", says Lisa. "Your agent is a problem solver and a great mentor when things get sticky with a client. I always have Lilla to turn to. Because of Lilla, my clients tend not to take advantage".

Witty, humorous and full of real life experience is what our beloved Jill Rosenwald (www.jillrosenwald.com) , Design Salon Founder, brings to our gatherings. With stories and experience galore, Jill reminds us that we can be successful with Licensing ..."but make sure that you get a great contract in place first". Says Jill "I have made so many mistakes, but I keep learning and learning". "There have been some years when I had 11 employees and years with just 1". "If you product does well, ROYALTY, that is what you want!" Regarding an agent, "make sure he/she is a good one".

If you are thinking of licensing your work, here are some tips from Lilla:

• "The better your work, the more clients you have, the more work you will get"
• Agents have contracts that are (hopefully) based on trust and integrity
• You must have a link to your website that is QUICK and easy to use
• Typical cut that an agent takes is 20% of net sales
• Protect yourself. The more distinctive the work, the easier it is to recognize and less chance of being copied
• "I receive 100 e-mails per day, please make sure that when you submit your work, it is clear and concise. Also with a personable note. You have to be someone that I would like to work with, both your talent and yourself"

Thanks,Kate Maloney of Kate Maloney Interiors (www.kmidesign.com), for her generosity in hosting us at her studio!

Aid To Artisans

On September 16, Carol Campbell and Colleen Pendleton of Aid to Artisans http://www.aidtoartisans.org/ presented an inspiring view of the design world to Design Salon Boston. In the spirit of generosity, Heather Wells of Heather G Wells, LTD. Architectural Interiors offered the use of her posh studio space for the evening.

We heard from Carol and Colleen that it is possible to develop our craft alongside artisans in Third World countries, blending our skills and knowledge with the cultural craftsmanship of men and women in impoverished countries such as Mali, Columbia, Afghanistan and Peru. These skills are not only creative skills. They are also business leadership, sales, marketing and collecting money. Most importantly, the skills are bringing an income to an individual, a family or an entire village.

O.K., I know that it sounds incredibly altruistic, but we are savvy business owners. So how does working with Aid to Artisans help us??? Many big name designers and product companies such as Steven Burk, Jonathan Adler, West Elm, and our own Jill Rosenwald have been successfully developing product through Aid to Artisans. All of the designers seem to have gained not only a place to produce their wares, but a deeper understanding of other cultures and innovation. In many cases, it is simply an injection of inspiration that brings a new product to life.

I have to confess that before I attended this salon event, I imagined that I would find an opportunity to help someone in a less fortunate part of the world. As it turns out, however, perhaps it is the Bostonian designer that benefits the most.

If you would like to learn more, please contact Colleen Pendleton, Marketing Director. T: 860-947-3411, colleen_peldleton@aidtoartisans.org.

First Annual Design Salon Holiday Sale

Calling all Designers: Request for Applications to Sell Your Products at our First Annual Design Salon Holiday Sale (November 14th and 15th 2008!)

We are thrilled to announce that we will be hosting the First Annual Design Salon Holiday Sale this year on November 14th and 15th and want to invite you to submit an application to participate in this great retail event.

We are planning quite a bit of press and marketing for the event, proceeds of which will support the Kingsley Montessori School in Boston. We will utilize Kingsley’s beautiful space in the Back Bay for the event. Kingsley is located on Exeter Street between Newbury Street and Commonwealth Avenue so we expect lots of foot traffic.

The event will consist of a preview cocktail party and silent auction on Friday, November 14th (mark your calendars – details to follow!) and then a full day of selling on Saturday, November 15th.

We welcome manufactures and designers of all types of products to submit applications to the Holiday Sale Review Committee by Friday, October 3rd. We would love to have every Design Gal participate, but unfortunately space is limited – and so, we encourage you to submit your applications as early as possible.

Participants of the event will be required to pay a $25 administrative fee and will be asked to donate on of their pieces to the silent auction. Additionally, 20% of gross revenue (less taxes) will be donated to the Kingsley Montessori School.

To apply to participate in the DS Holiday Sale, please send an email to jill@jillshah.com with answers to the following questions. Additionally, please attach 2-3 photographs of the products which you would sell at the event.

Questions:

1. Your name, company name, website address, description of company, and EIN number.
2. Please describe the products that you would sell at the DS Holiday Sale. Please include details about the materials that are used in your products.
3. Which retailers sell your products (if you sell to retailers.)
4. Have your products been covered in any online or traditional publications?
5. What are the price points for your products?
6. Who, typically, is the target audience of your product?

Please email your application by October 3rd at the latest. Decisions will be made by October 7th.

Please email any questions as well as your application to the ATTN of the Holiday Sale Review Committee at jill@jillshah.com Thank you!

Next Event: Designing with Artisians

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to travel to Africa to collaborate with the traditional artisans, this Salon is for you.

Colleen Pendleton, Director of Marketing for Aid to Artisans, and Carol Campbell of Atuto, which is a fair-trade producer and former ATA project, will discuss their experiences working with craftsmen all over the world. Topics will include how to work with artisan-producers, adapting to local conditions, and working in "project land."

After the presentation, Colleen Pendleton would like to invite anyone interested in either paid or volunteer work in overseas projects to submit a CV to Aid to Artisans.

Our hostess for the evening will be Carol Campbell, a former luminary of The Baker Furniture Company and current product developer for many leading furniture/accessory companies, including Atuto.

The event will be held on September 16 at 7:00pm at Heather G Wells, LTD. Architectural Interiors located at 359 Boylston St #2, Boston MA, 617-437-7077.

Space is limited so please RSVP to Jill Rosenwald at mcrae2@aol.com. See you there!

Wrap Up: An Evening with Storey Hauck from Turtle

Storey Hauck, the lovely owner of the lovely South End store Turtle was kind enough to have us over for a chat about all things retail.


Storey shared her trials and tribulations of having not just one but two! Boston based stores Turtle and Tadpole).

It was a great evening of discussion and learning, plus we got to check out all those hot clothes that Turtle carries!

Design*Sponge's Boston Ladies Biz Night, Tommorow!

Hello Salonistas! We thought that we'd put the word out there that tomorrow night, Thursday August 14, Grace Bonney from Design*Sponge is holding one of her Biz Ladies nights here in Boston. Making it even more special, to of our Salon members will be speaking at it! Kate Klapfish from Three Square Design will be talking about online / web matters and Kristen from Urban Living Studio will be talking about all things retail.
So support your local salon members and check out the Biz Ladies night at west elm boston, 160 brookline avenue from 7pm - 9pm!