What does it take to launch a fashion line these days? During New York’s Fashion Week, Nolcha’s Beyond the Runway competition has emerged as a solid platform and a reputable outlet for launching top-tier designers from around the globe

As MSLK digs deeper into the world of social media campaigns, it seems that time and time again we are discovering our clients have the same challenges. Small companies see social media as an exciting opportunity, yet  quickly become overwhelmed by the variety of media platforms out there. It may seem like a bottomless pit of time commitment needed to enter the arena. On the other hand, larger companies who have ample resources to maintain these platforms,  struggle to let go of their carefully crafted brand image and open themselves up to the more relaxed format. Larger companies need to learn how to have a casual voice and invite in as much (if not more) conversation as they put out information.

Our website, www.mslk.com, is cited in the current issue of How Magazine in an article entitled, “The Marketing-Smart Website” written by Ilise Benun. The article gives examples of what to do — and what not to do — for designers setting out to redesign their site. Our site’s innovative and sorting features were given the following compliment:

“There are 90 examples of work in the portfolio section of MSLK.com, but it’s not overwhelming because visitors can sort by medium or industry category to find what they’re looking for. Mouse over any thumbnail and it automatically enlarges and identifies the image.”

In today’s multi-media extravaganza, it’s hard to get anyone exited about one of the world’s oldest mediums, paper. However we at MSLK don’t think that paper has lost it’s place just yet, in fact, we believe that the true presence and importance of paper as a tactical impression you can touch, engage with and hold onto is even more important in this new world of virtual gratification.

A new trend in advertising has hit the streets, though it’s tough to say whether it’ll catch. QR codes — a digital barcode common in Japan — are meant to be decoded by smartphones, so an advertiser’s special offers, promotions, or (in the case of Calvin Klein) their NC-17 commercials can be seen.

It’s an interesting technology whose sole purpose is to engage audiences in new ways. Rather than simply being part of the background noise of the urban landscape, you’re required to act.

Barcodes are nothing new, and there are still very innovative uses of them. In NYC, it seems that most people have smartphones, though I’m not sure if that is the same for the rest of the country.

Passing fad, or new reality of advertising? Below I’ve taken a look at some of the recent trends…

This fall during Fashion Week, MSLK will be judging the Nolcha Beyond the Runway competition to discover and support the industry’s next hot up-and-coming designer. During the competition, 50 independent designers from around the world will put on a traditional runway show featuring their personal collections. These shows will run over the course of three days during the traditional 7th on 6th tent shows. The focus of the event is to give these designers exposure to press, buyers, and industry figures in the New York fashion market.

These days many people are visiting websites from their mobile devices. As we become as completely untethered and free to roam the internet at will, customers are checking emails and Googling key phrases as soon as the mood strikes.

Is your website ready for their call?

It’s interesting to see how brands either are leading or following visual trends, especially as technology impacts the media that brands are showcased. The old rules about logos (i.e. must exist as a black & white version for faxing, fewer colors for ease of printing) are being completely re-written in the digital age.

MSLK’s logo — the embodiment of our brand featuring overlapping initial of its founders “MSL” and “SLK” — was borne from the concept of wanting to showcase that the company is the overlapping of two initials, and  talents. We experimented with a number of different ways to showcase this (different fonts, different sizes, etc.), and has existed intact for almost 14 years. The result still garners compliments from those who are being introduced to our brand.

New Rule: If you’re going to redesign your highest denomination, then hire a designer! This is an abomination which appears to have been driven by no aesthetic principles. Just a bunch of engineers who tried to cram everything into our nation’s most valued denomination.

As a business owner I learned long ago that designing great projects is one thing, but leading a client towards entrusting you with their brand is an incredibly crucial —and often overlooked — part of the process.

Recently I organized a panel discussion for Spark Design Professionals and AIGA/NY to explore how during initial business conversations some of New York City’s top green designers are able to shape projects into environmentally friendly communications. I wanted to glean an inside perspective on what these successful advocates did to shift the conversation beyond simple aesthetics and dig deeper into the purpose of the promotion, the materials, and manufacturing process used.