Issue 3: Folklore (Aura's Version)
On the stories we tell, how we tell them, and what they say about us.
🪡 Once upon a time…
Like so many things, graphic design moves in trends, and the pull of trendy design can be tempting as heck. I feel it all the time—I’ll confidently set a look for my own brand or for a client’s, only to see a beautiful version of the trend of the moment and feel an overwhelming urge to switch it all up. As we’ll discuss below, trends are not all bad, but they also sell us short. Design is about storytelling, and a story well told accurately represents not only its message but its source. How can we tell our own stories through a look meant for everyone? And more importantly, why would we ever try?
Design did not evolve out of one look—it grew out of a drive as old as humanity to add richness to our lives, to make sense of our surroundings, and to symbolize the things that give our lives meaning. Fundamentally, it is about expressing who we are and where we come from. As we push design forward, it’s important that we never lose sight of why we design in the first place—not just to tell stories, but to tell stories as we are.
That’s why this week, we’re looking at design through folklore—the stories we tell, the ways we tell them, and how they represent us. We’ll look at tradition, how it continually evolves, and how the same goals can be reached via infinite paths. We will take this as inspiration—not to do what others have done, but to learn how to look inward and express ourselves with equal conviction. And, because I’m me and I know no other way, I will be making you listen to Bulgarian folk music, and you will freaking love it.
✨ Moodboard of the week
The Folklore (Aura’s Version) moodboard started as a study of embroidery and pattern and quickly ballooned into a love letter to ornament, intricacy, motion, tradition, and how traditions evolve into something new. Click the button below, to view the full board, and original images, on Pinterest.
🔍 Question of the week
“How do you balance design trends and modern, fresh feel with branding for the long term?”
This is one of my favorite design questions to answer and one of the hardest. The most obvious advantage to trendy design is that it’s popular: a lot of people like it, and if you follow a trend, it can endear people to your brand. As you mentioned, you also want your brand to look modern and up-to-date. Every brand needs to evolve with the times, and any brand that sticks rigidly to how they’ve always done things risks falling behind in an ever-changing world.
On the flip side, there are a lot of disadvantages to following trends. If you are establishing a new look for your brand, anything trendy will quickly be outdated. If you have an existing look, you can’t build recognition or brand equity by constantly changing things up. Moreover, if you blend in with what everybody else is doing, how will people know what sets you apart? Finally, following trends can very easily backfire. If you don’t really get the look or come to the party too late, it will just make you look out of touch.
What do you do with that?
There are many philosophies on balancing trendy vs. long-term design thinking. There are times when you’re looking for a quick win—or just need to put something together fast—when it’s easier, quicker, and more effective to just follow a trend.
That said, the most successful brands lead with confidence. In other words, they pick a direction and stick with it. They establish a look that accurately reflects their brand and the experience they have to offer, and no matter what is happening around them, they lead with integrity first. Consistency is the most powerful tool you have at your disposal. You want anyone who looks at your design to immediately who and what it represents. This means committing to colors, fonts, a logo, photographic tone, layouts, patterns, textures, and, most importantly, principles that govern everything you put out. your first priority should always be building and sustaining a look that will hold up as you and the world evolve.
That said, this does not mean you’re stuck. Trends can be a precursor to an overall shift in design practice. For example, design used to be much more intricate, but it was also much harder to read. Over time design moves towards more effective communication strategies and changes alongside the aesthetic sensibilities of the era. While it is important to know your look, it is equally important to periodically make sure no element of your style looks dated or stale. If anything does, update it—as long as, in the process, you maintain brand integrity.
Finally, it’s important to remember sometimes you really just don’t get your look right the first time, and tht’s ok. Sometimes your look is outdated from the start, sometimes you just need to get off the ground and can’t put in a lot of effort upfront, sometimes the look you pick is just wrong. In that case, move confidently in the direction of major change with the goal of building something lasting.
Submit your burning design questions by sending me a message below. Questions can relate to design itself, entrepreneurship, workflow, or anything you think I may be able to answer. There are no limits.
🎧 Soundtrack of the week
This week’s playlist compiles some of my all-time favorite tracks, all rooted in folk traditions. Some of them are super old school, some of them draw on traditional styles to do something new, and some of them use new styles to evolve traditional themes. This playlist features songs of love, resistance, faith, reflection, murder?, celebration, and sorrow, and a fair number that just rock hard. Click to listen to the full thing on Spotify!
🥔 My favorite things
My sister Isabella recently made me aware of the Pieroguszka® pierogi pillows from Luft Sklep, a Polish studio that employs local disabled artists and craftspeople. Beyond the two below, they also make angels, devils, aliens, and more. I’m completely obsessed and will not rest until I have the complete collection.
Designed by Luft Sklep, images from https://luft-sklep.pl/. Check them out on Instagram here. Tragically, they only ship to Poland. On an unrelated note, if you’re going to Poland any time soon, hit me up. There’s something I need you to get me.
📖 Bookshelf
This past year I’ve read and been so inspired by a number of novels based on various folk traditions around the world. Here are a few of my favorites:
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
Based on the folklore of many cultures around the African continent, with a focus on West and North Africa.
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Based on Russian folklore.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelly Parker-Chan
Based on Chinese folklore.
The City of Brass by SA Chakraborty
Based on the folklore of the greater Muslim world. I also highly recommend The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, by the same author.
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
Based on Jewish and Syrian folklore
Note: All of the above have sequels or are the first in a series. Of the ones I’ve read, the subsequent books are all as good as, or better, than the originals.
🌱 Touching Grass
📖 What I’m reading: The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty, the sequel to her lush epic fantasy The City of Brass (see above).
🥤 What I’m drinking: I found a shelf of Cockta—by FAR my favorite Slovenian Soviet-era Coca-Cola alternative—at my local Stop & Shop and I was so confused and excited that I bought 2 2-liter bottles (I’m a big believer in positive reinforcement).
🍽 What I’m eating: I finally subscribed to The Late Plate by Rosie Kellett after months of stalking her Instagram, so I’m planning to make one of her gorgeous spring pastas this week—probably either Gnocchi with Silky Green Sauce or Lemon Miso Butter Spaghetti.
📺 What I’m watching: Catching up on the most recent two episodes Abbot Elementary and finishing the Schitt’s Creek marathon rewatch I’ve been keeping on for background noise these past few weeks.
🎧 What I’m listening to: The playlist of the week encompasses a lot of my favorite music. I’ve had it on heavy rotation the past few weeks, and I doubt I’ll break that trend in the week ahead.
🎉 What I’m excited for: I get to see BOTH of my sisters this week!