Here she is. 

The classiest woman in New York City.  I feel qualified enough to say that.  Because I’ve been to NYC a number of times…and lived there a bunch of years and…I think it’s true. 

May I present, please…..Louise Fili….and a tart.

When Deborah, Mitch and I went to visit her in NYC a few years ago, she offered us grilled Halloumi cheese with wedges of lemon and then showed us around her amazingly classy office (the word here in this here blog post is, indeed, classy).

She has collections from Italy, vintage food labels, matches, vintage advertising posters on the walls I could go on and on.  She is married to design author Steven Heller who worked for many years as the Art Director of the New York Times Book Review (currently serves as the co-chair of the MFA Designer as Author program program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City).

Check out her website and you can see everything.  INCLUDING the New Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval which, yes, she redesigned.

Here’s what she and her amazing co-horts at her studio have done for us over here (oh!  And there’s more to come!!  Keep your eye out on our website for the secret next item…coming in days…..):

da Vinci Zipper Pouch

da Vinci Shoulder Tot

Madonna Shopper

World Shopper

Alphabet Shopper

This is Jenny.

She has a tough job here at Blue Q.  Accounts Receivable.  But she’s super nice so, of course, everyone pays her right on time!

And she loves her bag (as you can tell).

And this is a close up of the favorite bag, the Pretty Print Shopper - art by Brie Harrison.  (Oh, and if you like this bag, you’ll love something NEW we’re doing with Brie in the near future….but of course that’s all hush-hush.)

Here’s Jenny with her Staff Pick of the day.

I Feel Pretty

You know that song from West Side Story right?  I feel pretty, oh so pretty…I feel pretty and witty and gaaaaay…and I pity, any girl who isn’t me today.  You’re picturing Maria dancing gracefully around Anita’s sewing shop aren’t you. 

So ok, picture me instead…I’m Italian though and I’m really not that great of a dancer…or singer…ok, so I’m no Natalie Wood but I do feel pretty darn er…pretty with my Blue Q Pretty Print shopper on my arm. 

Although there are so many to choose from, this one is my favorite.  I even remember seeing a very early version of it before it got printed, in New Product Development (NPD)…my eyes bugged out and I believe I declared that the bag was “PRETTY!” and NPD said…”well good, because it’s called Pretty Print”.  Was I on the money or what?  If I had a skirt with this print on it, I would wear it constantly…but I digress.  So this is my favorite Blue Q shopper and I truly do pity anyone who isn’t me at the market, bookstore, beach or wherever I shop or spend time because my groceries, books, beach toys etc. are carried in the prettiest bag ever.

The end.

Do you know Colin Johnson?

We didn’t – before we saw his work on Thumbtack Press.  And when we did, we kinda went gaga.

That’s how Blue Q works.  Happy Accidents…..a quote from Mitch Nash, Blue Q’s Art Director.  And when New Product Development seeks out new designers, new artists – we surf the web, visit our regular blogs and websites that show great work…. We’re routinely plowing through volumes of graphic books, magazines, tomes - Mitch  is an avid reader of everything.  There’s always something new to research, find out more about, follow up from a snippet under a photograph that intrigues us.

And that’s how it was with Colin.  We told him that we adored his piece, Flotsam and Jetsam.  And would he want to make a bag with us?

Guess what he said?

Oh!  And we did a new piece with him now available too.  

These are beautiful bags indeed.  Am I allowed to say that?