We recently wrapped up our first in-house design “Jam Session.”  It’s time to add some new products to our line, and we decided to tackle the process a little differently this time.

We like keeping the in-house team small and agile (a.k.a. “mobile”), but when it comes to solving design challenges and adding hot new pieces to our upcoming line, we knew that the more creative minds involved in the challenge, the better. So we teamed up with a few other designers for a 2-week design blitz. The team included a couple of very talented GA Tech design students, as well as our good friends over at Resource. We are super stoked about the results. And though we’d love to show you the new designs and features now, unfortunately it will be a few more months before they’re ready. In the meantime, here’s a few images from the fun, and productive, jam session…

Use what ever it takes! A paper bag prototype to test a concept.

“Meet Designer, Malcolm Fontier”: An interview with Scout Mob published January 26, 2010

Local designer Malcolm Fontier has been featured in so many noteworthy magazines, it seems ridiculous to name them all (but we’ll start: Wired, Dwell, Lucky, Design Milk, AJC, Thrillist, etc., etc.) The man behind the design is just as cool and collected as the unique, modern pieces on his animal-friendly travel line.

Scout: How would you best describe your work to someone who’s never seen it before?
Malcolm: Most of my work has a clean aesthetic backed up with clever details. I strive for a casual and versatile feel — an approachable modern style.

Scout: What made you pursue this passion? Or at what point did you realize “this is what I have to do”?
Malcolm: Shortly after my now wife, Gabrielle, and I started dating we decided we wanted to start a business together. We laid out all of our skills, interests, and ideal working conditions. With my background in industrial design, her interest in marketing, and a shared passion for travel we landed on modern travel accessories. Being able to work from anywhere and call all of our travel “research” is definitely a nice bonus!

Scout: Where in Atlanta do you go to get new ideas? Or where do you go to unwind?
Malcolm: My favorite place is on 2-wheels- exploring on either my bike or motorcycle.

Scout: Your favorite “curious find” in Atlanta?
Malcolm: There’s a lot of cool spots around our studio just south of Downtown in The Railroad District which most people don’t frequent. Calabash vegetarian restaurant on Mitchell Street is one our faves. We also like The Social on the other side of downtown – great food and drink with a fun international vibe.

Scout: Another local Atlantan that inspires you or your work?
Malcolm:peopleofresource.com. We collaborate on a lot of projects, but whether we’re meeting on a project or not- we end up with an impromptu brainstorm- and in the end, making more work for ourselves, but it’s good.

Scout: Where do you get your best ideas?
Malcolm: When traveling. For some reason the ideas flow easily when I am traveling, whether it’s on a plane or chatting with friends over drinks. I think more clearly without all the distractions of the phone and computer.

The full article: http://www.scoutmob.com/scoutfinds/49

We’ve heard a few reports of the left buckle(when facing the bag) being difficult to open. We dispatched our emergency response team to find out who was to blame. They came back with loads of research and all fingers pointing at our design team.

It turns out that the problem is actually the flap that covers the credit card slots interfering with the buckle releasing- not the buckle itself. Since the card slot flap closes with Velcro it ends up being positioned slightly differently each time it’s closed. The times that it is closed a little closer to the buckle is when the interference happens.

Buckle seems to stick sometimes when opening

To minimize the chances of the flap blocking the buckle you can skew the flap slightly away from the buckle when you close it. (Slightly hokey, we know, but hopefully you love your bag enough to tolerate this small issue.) We are fixing the problem on all future releases of the bag.

Skew the card slot flap away from the buckle

We apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused.  If you have one of these Diplomat 15’s with the buckle issue but you’re willing to stick with us while we work out the bugs we’d like to send you a gift to show our appreciation. Simply send us an e-mail with the subject “Diplomat Buckle” with a photo of your bag(hopefully of you on an amazing adventure), approximate date and location of purchase, and your address. While you’re writing we’d love to hear any other feedback on the bag or our line that you might like to see worked into next season’s line.

Bags look pretty simple to design- they’re not. At least, not when you’re on a quest to design the perfect carryall! Thanks for your support and thanks for visiting our blog.

Venture Boldly.

To us “modern” is more than an aesthetic, it’s a lifestyle. A modern approach involves rethinking all traditions and “norms”, utilizing technology and embracing a globalized world. It means using this approach to shape your own rewarding and enjoyable path- wherever and whatever that path might be. To us, this thinking is a huge part of our business model and everything we do, from our studio setting to the material choices in our products.

We have always sold our line as “unisex.” To us it just made sense- we would design it, put it all out there, and let you decide which pieces you like. It’s always nice to hear a little confirmation that we’re doing something fresh and heading the right direction. We recently spotted a NYTimes article that did just that for the unisex fashion idea.

They are much better writers than we are so we’ll just give you a few quotes from the article:

•”is like waving a flag of neutrality. “It’s a way of breaking down sexualized relationships, of getting people to relax”

•“Every line should be unisex. A good piece of clothing is a good piece of clothing no matter who was meant to wear it in the first place.”

•And our personal favorite:

“Today the more successful designers are the ones that try to bridge the gap between the sexes rather than drive a wedge between them,” said Karlo Steel

all quotes are from the New York Times article: “It’s All a Blur to Them”

By RUTH LA FERLA

You may have noticed some trends in our product names: basically, all our products are named after travel related things. Wallets are named after international drinks, our toiletry cases are tropical beach destinations, and our bags – travel professions. Most names are straight from our twisted minds here at the studio. Others are from nagging friends. The most recent addition to our bag line, The Diplomat Series, comes from the latter.

The Diplomat 13

A good friend of ours here at the studio is a diplomat named Brendan.  And I don’t mean the kind of person who knows how to delicately make a bitter pill taste sweet, I mean the “real” kind of diplomat, the one that has worldwide immunity and negotiates behind closed government doors. Now, Brendan is definitely a traveling professional, both for his work and for fun. He also seems to think that his job is pretty damn cool and doesn’t mind flashing the diplomatic passport every now and again – especially if you happen to be an attractive woman sitting near him on a flight. So, when he realized that our bags were all named after travel professions, yet there wasn’t a Diplomat in the line, it just didn’t sit well with him. Spending a lot of time in government and rubbing elbows with politicians, he has perfected the art of a convincing argument. So when he laid it on us, we didn’t really have much of a rebuttal. And when he kept reminding us that there should be a Diplomat, we finally caved: “Alright, alright, that’s fine we’ll name the next bag the Diplomat. We promise!”

Brendan carried one of our Directors before he switched to the bag that bears his mark. He probably carried that 1st bag more miles back and forth across the globe than anyone else we know. His last assignment with the US State Department focused on U.S. war crimes policy in Africa so he and his Director spent time in Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, The Congo, and Egypt, as well as meetings across North America and Europe. His latest assignment has landed him and his new Diplomat in Kathmandu, Nepal where he provides legal expertise to the Nepal government in drafting their constitution. Not all of our bags find themselves in such demanding hands, but at least you know that they are all up for the job.

THE Diplomat and his Director take on Cairo.

It turns out that the Diplomat is an approriate name for a bag that works as hard as it plays. It can jet off across the globe carrying your computer and files for tackling a serious job or it can tote a travel guide and beach attire for your break between meetings.

…………….

“The Real Story” added by Brendan…

You also may have noticed some other trends here in the Double Rectangle studio: the shameless recruitment of their closest friends to do all the hard work – movie making, modeling, custom artist designing, even naming their products. So when the Double Rectangle duo (Gabrielle & Malcolm) needed someone to spend weeks scripting their wedding ceremony, ensuring that it captured the four continents of their ancestry and the full narrative of their lives, and then perform that same ceremony in a thick, draped robe below a blazing hot Jamaican sun, who did they turn to? That’s right. The diplomat-cum-preacher.

And so it’s no surprise that they again needed a little inspiration from their friends in creating their next bag’s nom de guerre. Some initial suggestions I proposed for travel-related bag names included The Roman Polanski, The H1N1, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. All were names that I felt truly embodied what it meant to venture boldly. What could be more bold than a global health pandemic, or a 76 year-old sexual assault fugitive taunting L.A. prosecutors? Those should be the real faces of the Mojito. But in the end, the two of them insisted on a one-word-only name, and one without numerals. So I was forced to turn inward and a take a long, hard, meditative look at myself. Diplomat, I said, as a weathered United Nations flag flapped overhead. And with that, I gathered up my diplomatic passport, refilled my Ciprofloxacin prescription, and fit them both snugly in my sexy new Diplomat bag. There was a draft constitution somewhere out there, and by god I was going to find it.

To create the Mojito video “Simplify,” we were able to collaborate with some very talented and creative friends, not to mention that we made some new ones along the way. Everyone involved has some of their own amazing things going on. We’d like you to meet the people who made the Mojito video happen!

If by chance you have not seen the video and you have no idea what we are talking about, you can watch both parts here: www.malcolmfontier.com

People of Resource
People of Resource is a group of creative professionals who cover a wide spectrum of expertise, from digital design and identity development, to product design and custom fabrication. This multi-disciplined group of professionals share a common interest in the power of collaborative action, and they live it out every week in a 5,800 sq. ft. creative lab(they work in 500 ft. of it and keep 5300 available for dancing and other spontaneous behavior). It was founded by Industrial Designer, David VanArsdale, who has done things such as teaching the Junior design studio at Georgia Tech, co-founding and serving as creative director of Thing Farm, an Atlanta-based custom product design studio. Thanks to David and his People of Resource team for directing and producing our beloved Mojito video.

The People are busy.

No Brakes
Skip is the owner of No Brakes, an independently owned bike shop located in Atlanta. He also happens to look dead sexy riding a bike naked. Skip and his partners at No Brakes created what they always wanted: a shop that carries the bike parts vital to everyday needs, parts more specific to fixed gear bikes, and a shop that’s comfortable to just hang out in. No Brakes specializes in track components, custom built wheels, original apparel and accessories. They also remain committed to nurturing the Atlanta bike scene, participating in alleycats, cycle swaps, group rides, races, and kickass parties. Not only did No Brakes supply some beautiful single speeds for the shoot, but also their shop owner riding in his birthday suit.  (Disclaimer: all bike seats were removed and cleaned thoroughly after the shoot.)

Sfatto
You may know Shawn and Richie as the scooter rider and thief- but when clothed, they pour their energy into their amazing line of custom cycling clothing known as Sfatto. The passion that Richie and Shawn have for biking inspired them to create Sfatto Clothing. They believe that the biggest reward in riding is the simple grace and joy earned from hard effort, and they wanted to see this reflected in the gear they use. Though we fully support their dedication to providing any level of rider with quality clothing, clean design, and unmatched service, we also think that Richie and Shawn look just fine riding in the nude (with the Mojito, of course!).

Also check out the “Making Of” post here.

We’ve become movie makers! That’s right – our popular Mojito wallet recently starred in a new movie, Simplify. Equal parts love story/action/drama, this groundbreaking film manages to pack a lot into its 45 seconds of excellence. You can expect things like naked cyclists, indecent thieves, a few very attractive wallets, and a whole new attitude towards travel.  Read what critics are saying about this film:

• A must see! -us
• 10 Thumbs up! -us
• The best thing to hit the small screen since “Snakes on a Plane.” -us
• It changed the way we think about naked people on bikes. -us

Now we are giving you, our dedicated readers, a behind-the-scenes view of our video shoot.

It was a beautiful sunny and chilly day. The crew gathered for coffee and pastries before heading to the site. Everything was going really well until we pulled up and saw a row of firetrucks along the street. We waited. And waited. Neighbors walked with their dogs down to the drama site (no, not ours – the one with smoke and sirens). And we waited. Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire, and as soon the trucks were gone and neighbors were snuggled back into their lofts, we began rolling film.

No one likes movie spoilers, so we won’t say much. However, we will say that there were men on bicycles and women on scooters, all who ended up baring it all, if you know what we mean. The Mojito’s debut performance was absolutely stellar, and the supporting actors, well, they weren’t bad either!

The movie release is just days away, but in the meantime, don’t miss these outtakes.

……..

Update: The video has launched! You can watch both parts here: www.malcolmfontier.com

See more photos on Flickr

Also meet the people behind the video here.

Director Dave getting a ground shot

Riding shirtless

Riding nude - and in 2's

Look at our star - the Mojito!

A chase begins... the plot thickens...

An excited (or cold) crew member

Our models are not normally models- they are actually associates, friends and friends-of-friends that we convinced to model for us. Saving a few dollars is nice- but, the real reason we wanted to work with them is that we knew their adventurous lifestyles show in everything they do (tough to duplicate this with a model chosen from a head shot). Everyone you see in our recent photos has their own interesting pursuits- in other words, they “venture boldly.”

Aliases?:
Kelly, Kellyg, Kelliot, yé-yé lief meisje, and formedinatube.

Hobbies?:
Dendrology, knitting, taxidermy, photography, exploring, riding my scooter, hanging out with unicorns, making things, bowling, and playing.

What do you do for work?:
I am an ecologist and an educator. My passions are herpetology, ornithology, and educating others about the natural world around them. I look forward to embarking on a journey north in a few weeks to spend time in the Arctic circle, living on the tundra, studying loons.

What do you like the most about what you do for work?:
I am constantly discovering new things. That kind of incessant learning is invigorating and inspiring. I then love taking that knowledge and bestowing information to others while encouraging them to apply that knowledge in order to make discoveries on their own.

Where are you the most creative?:
I am most creative in an uncluttered room at 4:30 AM after a long night of thinking, cleaning, napping, and tea drinking.

Ultimate travel destinations?:
Antarctica, Malawi, Japan, Chile, the Galápagos Islands, and Candy Mountain.

Favorite music/band:
Currently I am obsessed with Matt and Kim, Bon Iver, The Knife, TV on the Radio, Little Boots, and Au Revoir Simone. I will forever love: Sonic Youth, Built to Spill, Beck, The Misfits, Lali Puna, Dinosaur Jr., Air, Serge Gainsbourg, Yo La Tengo, Mogwai, Cat Power, Vivaldi, Sigur Ros, France Gall, The Pixies, David Bowie, Iron and Wine, and Bjork.

Aliasas?:
KIMesha, KIMpossible, Kimmie Kim, Kimerella, Kimster

Favorite activity in the world?:
DAAAANCING

Hobbies?:
Saving the world, especially women & children of sex trafficking.  Saving mother earth.  Advocating justice for the less fortunate.  Inspiring everyone to pursue their dreams.  “Personal therapist” for many friends.

What do you do for work?:
Marketing & event planning.  Connecting & inspiring people.

What do you like the most about what you do for work?:
Interacting with people, problem solving, helping people to manifest their dreams.

What is the quirkiest thing about the way you work?:
Very eccentric habits like an artist like staying up & working all night, forgetting to eat while I’m on the grind, and isolating myself when I’m in a zone.

Top 3 ultimate travel destinations?:
Croatia, Greece, Turkey

Favorite food?:
Fresh tropical fruits like coconut, mango, papaya and Asian fruits like longans, jackfruit

Favorite  music/band?:
Middle Eastern & African

Dustin

Aliasas?:
Dus… D… Dualbo (maybe)

Hobbies?:
Tinkering around with new comp software, Vid Games (xbox, ninetendo DS) Bocce Ball, Rock Climbing (bouldering specifically)

What do you do for work?
I work as freelance animator and character designer. Most of my work has been featured on TV by way of a few adult swim TV shows… Some even more obscure TV spot (one in Latin America actually) and spots for the web through PBS kids and other clients featuring spot for Verizon, Intel and Kaiser Permanente. My work will expand into developing original content for new media and developing material for TV and Film as opportunity grows and more production relationships are formed.
www.dualbo.com

What do you like the most about what you do for work?:
I like my sense of ownership over the projects that I get to design it feels good knowing I can contribute to the human experience in a unique way that can have an impact on the viewer. I’m thankful for the experience and creative insight entrusted to me.

Where are you the most creative?:
Ummmm, the shower actually. I’ve had some really good ideas showering. Atleast you know i’m a clean creative type!

Top 3 ultimate travel destinations?:
1. I really liked Belgium (Antwerp and Gent)
2. Paris (gotta return)
3. South Africa, Cape Town

Aliases?:
DVA

Favorite activity in the world?
Playing Accordion alone in the dark in large spaces meant for large groups of people.

Hobbies?:
Disc Jockeying, Bicycles, and Cats.

Random fact about you no one would ever guess?:
My right leg is shorter than my left.

What do you do for work?
I run People of Resource, a Creative Agency in Atlanta.

www.peopleofresource.com

What do you like the most about what you do for work?:
It allows me to do all the things I love; from furniture design to corporate identities. The scenery is always changing and there is never a shortage of problems to solve.

Where are you the most creative?:
Pacing around large spaces in the dark.

Top 3 ultimate travel destinations?:
Scandinavia ( all of it ), Spain, That island in Lost.

Anonymous persons,that we may or may not know, recently went to an undisclosed location in the Caribbean known for mojitos, cigars and old cars – they say it was an amazing place. From what they told us, the landscape and architecture is stunning, the people are beautiful and welcoming, and the culture has to be experienced. At a time when cultures blend and blur across borders, it’s great to visit a place that is so unique- despite some unfortunate effects. If things change, we hope this amazing place is able to keep the great things it has going while enjoying the benefits of more open borders. I hope to visit someday!

Definition of "Making Do": sharing a pair of roller skates.

One of our Mojitos, meets its namesake.