Portfolio Update: Summer Bags

I'm excited to share an update to my portfolio page. There is now a page for the Wayfaring Bag and Summer Tote that I designed for lululemon athletica. 

On the left is the perfect summer festival bag (as an update to this bag  from last year). Whether you're hitting up outdoor yoga classes  or concerts, it's sure to keep your gear safe and your hands free. The adjustable strap allows you to wear it cross body or around your waist - yogi's choice!

On the right is a versatile summer tote (as an update to this bag from last year). Perfect for yoga or beach gear, it's lightweight and has space for everything you need.

New Festival Bag and Wanderlust Must-Haves

Image: lululemon.com

ps: I also worked on that mat strap and water bottle! 

As we get into the full swing of summer, Wanderlust Festival season is upon us. Yogis across North America will be grabbing their mats and heading to the amazing yoga and music festival at one of the many locations in Canada and the US.

The folks at lululemon have put together a blog post about what to pack, and my latest bag design made the list.

This festival bag was designed with events like Wanderlust in mind. Keep your valuables safe and your hands free as you hit up outdoor classes, concerts, lectures, wine tastings, hikes and much more.  

Attending last year's Wanderlust Festival in Whistler was great for research and user-testing. It helped me determine the size, details and essential functionality of this year's bag. The biggest improvements from last year's Festival Bag are the phone pocket, main compartment opening and inner pocketing. 

I can't wait to bring the new version with me to Wanderlust Whistler in August! The biggest problem will be which colour to choose: black, orange or purple?

Check back again soon for a full portfolio spread on the newest Festival Bag. 

To add to Elim's list, I recommend packing along a small journal. World-class teachers are sharing their wisdom with you all day long, and there will be many ah-ha! thoughts that you'll want to jot down. ~ Namaste ~ 

Instagram Love for new tote

Over the weekend, lululemon posted a photo of my latest bag design on instagram. That's a lot of likes! This photo does a great job of showcasing how much stuff was designed to fit inside this bag. It's similar to this drawing I made for last year's version of this bag. What's not visible is the snap-out inner bag that's great for holding smaller items like sunglasses, valuables, hair ties and an mp3 player. 

To see more images of the new tote (before it sells out), click here > 

Check bag again soon for a portfolio page.

New Bag Sketches

I am currently busy putting together portfolio pages for the new bags I designed that recently hit stores. In the meantime, I thought I'd share some of the sketches I created when I was dreaming up ideas for the perfect Festival Bag. 

I was especially interested in how to maximize the function of a small, cross-body bag. Expandable compartments and transformable shapes were ideas I started with. The intended fabrics were nylon or polyurethane, with most using the latter only for trim in order to keep the bag lightweight. Key trim details included grosgrain and a wide, colour-blocked webbing.

The final design turned out most like this last sketch here. Check back again for the full portfolio spread coming soon.

These sketches were made using Paper.  

Summer Bags have hit stores

images: lululemon.com

Summer is finally here, and so are my latest bag designs for lululemon. On the left is the perfect summer festival bag (as an update to this bag from last year). Whether you're hitting up outdoor yoga classes or concerts, it's sure to keep your gear safe and your hands free. On the right is a versatile tote (as an update to this bag from last year). Perfect for yoga or beach gear, it's lightweight and has secure pockets for everything you need. You can find them both here >

Portfolio page updates coming soon. 

Tennis Visor in Action

My latest design for lululemon athletica, a Tennis Visor, makes an appearance in this hilarious video. These kids have serious skills.

Video by lululemon athletica

Headwear designs in stores this week!

Spring is here, summer is on the way. You want to keep your eyes shaded and your head cool when you're outside enjoying that glorious sunshine. Check out my most recent hat and visor designs for lululemon: 

Image: lululemon.com

Portfolio page updates coming soon! 

A note from the Universe

I subscribe to the TUT (Totally Unique Thoughts community) Notes from the Universe. Each day, I receive an inspiring, encouraging message, tailored to my goals and aspirations. They are almost exactly what I need to hear in that moment. Today's was so perfect that I had to share:

Learning to disassociate your dream's manifestation from the illusions that now surround you, to release yourself from the burden of figuring out the "hows," and to trust what can't be seen, are the high watermarks of creative enlightenment.

Have you ever felt utterly stopped by the not-knowing-how?​ This often happens to me, especially when I'm going after those big creative dreams, the ones bigger than anything I've done before. So of course, I wouldn't know how, because I've never been there before. And if I'm going to create out-of-this-world experiences, or products that have never existed before (which, by the way, is what I'm really passionate about), there will be no road map as to how. So I'll just have to get comfortable with that feeling of uneasiness, and trust that it must mean I'm on the brink of something really really fantastic.

Thank you Universe, I needed that reminder.

Welcome to my new site!

I am extremely proud to be sharing my brand new website with you. I have been working very hard over the winter putting together a fresh new site to showcase the work done at Dana Ramler Design.

I'm especially excited about the new easy-to-navigate format, where you can view projects and find information on every page. I've also added social buttons - find me on LinkedIn, twitter, or email me from the click of a button. My favourite part about the new site? It's mobile compatible! Take me with you on your tablet or smart phone.

I am working to update the blog portion of the site - stay tuned for the launch in the very near future.  I will also be adding projects and updating information regularly so make sure you check back in again soon. In the meantime, as with any new site, there will be updates and tweaks as I work out all the kinks. I appreciate your patience.

Can't find something you're looking for? Drop me a line and let me know, I'd be happy to help. Have comments about the new site? Id love to hear your feedback!

Warm Wishes, Dana

Flotspotting: Soft Product work Featured on Core 77

I am thrilled to share that I have been featured on Core 77 today as part of their Flotspotting Series, particularly for my work in soft products. 

“...her projects and collaborations hit that sweet spot between thought-provoking conceptual design and the intelligent products for market.
”

— Teshia Truehaft, core77.com

The article mentions my work on conceptual pieces such as Bio Circuit and {nest}, as well as more practical projects such as the Bandeau Belt and Seasonal Run Accessories for lululemon.

Click here to see the article > 

A new design school for Vancouver

Chip Wilson, founder of lululemon athletica, announced he will fund a new $36-million school of design focusing on high-tech clothing at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. This is very exciting news for the city of Vancouver. The ultimate vision is to bring the epicenter of technical apparel to Vancouver, which will bring design facilities and opportunities that are otherwise lacking in the city. This will mean more opportunities for soft product design in Vancouver, along with more competition.

Read more here >

​(side note: my Festival Bag makes an appearance in this video about the new school)

video by Kwantlen Design

PechaKucha Whistler: recap

​What an incredible event! I am honoured to have been a part of last weekend's PechaKucha Whistler, Vol 7.

The topics were diverse, and the other presenters left me touched, moved and inspired. Congratulations to my fellow speakers, and a huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended. A special thank you to Aki Kaltenbach who organized the event.

I spoke about the work I have created outside my 'day job,' such as Small World Big Dreams and the Gratitude Wall, my passion for projects that involve communities, and how continuously asking myself "what if?" has led me to incredible creative discoveries.

PechaKucha speaking engagement

I am excited to announce that I will be participating in the upcoming PechaKucha Whistler Vol 7 event, as part of the Whistler Readers and Writers Festival. The event will be held at Maxx Fish Lounge and Bar in Whistler Village Sunday October 14.

A sneak peek of the event and speakers can be seen here.​

I have been diligently working on my presentation, and am excited to share some of my most recent projects with a larger audience. ​I plan to speak about how pursuing personal projects outside my 'day job' helps fuel my creativity, and how those projects have led to opportunities that might otherwise not existed. 

If you are in Vancouver or the Whistler area, I encourage you to come check out this event. Tickets are $10 and include a free drink. ​

Hope to see you there!​

Gratitude Post for lululemon

In honor of Thanksgiving, lululemon asked me to write a blog post about the Gratitude Wall I made during Wanderlust Whistler.  The Gratitude Wall was inspired by 1THING and the Before I Die project, and asked people to publicly share what they are grateful for.

image: lululemon.com

Nuit Blanche: recap

Wow! What an amazing weekend in Toronto. On Saturday September 29th, my interactive media installation for Nuit Blanche 2012 went live at sunset. 

What I was hoping for was a (relatively) seamless setup and a healthy interest from passers-by. What I got was more than I could have ever imagined.

​local yogis show off some bendy skills

Things kicked off with talented local yogis demonstrating some rad moves at the Queen Street location. The Cumberland Street location had a large group of supporters who immediately jumped in on the action when the DJ started to spin. Right from the start, the concept of the project was well-received. Stepping into the window display and seeing the moving outline of someone else created surprise and delight; people weren't just smiling, they were beaming!  They loved the idea of dancing, doing yoga and interacting with strangers in real time across a city.

​a high five between two individuals at two separate locations

As time wore on, the crowds got bigger and bigger. At one point, there was a line-up to get in front of the screen! I think my twelve-year-old self died with jealousy when a MuchMusic VJ and her camera crew passed by and got in on the action.

Hundreds of spectators stopped to check out the installation at the Queen St location. Photo: Jacqueline Valentine

The response from the crowd was incredible. People were entranced by the images they saw before them, and an impressive spirit of community grew as groups of people gathered to dance in front of the screen. The music played a key role here; it drew crowds and interest, and gave people beats to move to. This was critical because dancing and movement caused such a dynamic effect on the screens.

People danced like their lives depended on it. Photo: Jacqueline Valentine

One aspect of the project that I had not anticipated was the interest and curiosity created by the backdrop screen. It was a logistically necessary component, but one I had considered secondary to the project. The lights created dancing silhouettes on the backdrop that essentially drew more crowds and intrigue than that of the installation itself. 

Some participants used this shadow-play element as the focal point for their own interaction experience and paid almost no attention to the LED screen. They seemed to be dancing for the sole purpose of creating interesting silhouettes for the crowd.

Silhouettes created unexpected results and additional interest. Photo: Jacqueline Valentine

Others, entranced by the images they saw on the LED screen before them, danced furiously and unknowingly generated spectacular silhouettes that drew a crowd on the street behind them. Some seemed oblivious to anything outside the space between the backdrop and the store window. It was as if the screen provided them a false sense of privacy and anonymity where they could dance as if no one was watching. Ironically, hundreds of people between two locations were observing their movements. It was an interesting phenomenon that I had not expected, and I'm so glad it happened.

The installation was scheduled to come down between midnight and 1:00 am, but demand from the crowd kept the party going until around 2:30 am.  

Thank you Toronto for the amazing Nuit Blanche experience! I feel incredibly grateful to everyone who attended and danced their heart out. 

Cameron Roden filmed the event, and is putting together an awesome video that I'll be sharing soon.  I will be adding a Nuit Blanche project page to my portfolio shortly, so check back soon. 

-- 

Update, October 6: The video is complete! A huge thank you to Cameron for capturing the evening so perfectly.