Make It In Design Course: Creative Exercise 2.6 Trends; Brief 1: WOW! This design brief really was a tough one. It’s about trends, and how trends are influenced by major international events. Any huge event can spark mass production of goods to sell relating to the events.
For this brief I was to think ahead to the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games (to be held in Tokyo, Japan 2020) and to design a small collection of patterns inspired by the event. Of course it is important to know that the official Tokyo 2020 logos, mascots, and the Olympic rings logo are protected intellectual property so should not be used.
- Try to be creative and think about colours associated with the Games and/or the host country, or be inspired by a particular sport, or perhaps the emotions around the event. Imagine that your patterns will be used to create a set of hip t-shirts aimed at teenage girls. (It was this statement that stumped me cold.)
I had no idea of Japanese trend cultures and fashion, so did a little research, and wow, there are some pop-art type fashions the young girls are wearing in Japan. Certainly making a fashion design statement.
I took the infinity ring used to describe the meaning of the Olympic/Paralympic events layout over Tokyo, making it into abstract brush strokes. Click here to read all about the summer games, locations, venues, mascots, and anything you need to know about the games. The pink and blue pattern in the flame is a standard Japanese pattern I designed adding the Olympic colors flowing from the torch. I made a checkerboard Adobe Illustrator brush to tie in the checkerboard pattern used in the official Olympics logo for Tokyo 2020.
Totally crazy patterns, I know, and as unpredictable as the fashions I saw the young girls wearing. (Anything goes 
🙂 and oddly I think this works.)
Glad this exercise is over, and I’m sure the exercises are only going to get a bit more challenging as we go on. I’m learning a lot though, loving every minute of this course from Make It In Design!
marylouwade.com 