Everything Prada:

Quite a number of years ago (more than I would care to admit), a friend found a great little hole in the wall in Chinatown for knock-offs. Completely convinced I was going to find a gorgeous [insert designer name here] knock-off, I trekked into the city, only to be completely let down by that day's selection (first world problems, I know). However, they did have a decent selection of basic, black, nylon Prada bags. For $20? Sure, I'll take one. Problem was, all of the metal Prada tags on the purses were scratched (I think we're beyond first world problems at this point). I reluctantly asked if they had any bags without scratches... and do you know what happened next? The woman took a plain black bag off the wall, and opened a box FULL OF METAL PRADA TAGS.

Naturally I asked her if I could just buy the box of tags.

Naturally she had no clue what I had just said.

So I got my knock-off with a shiny new Prada tag (and believe me I got my money's worth, as I still use that bag to this day). The running joke is that I wanted to buy the box, and stick a Prada tag on everything: our refrigerator? Oh, it's Prada. The TV? Prada. These shoes? No, that's not Nine West crossed out--they're Prada.

Now at least I don't have to worry about labeling my fonts Prada, as Alias has already done so:


Prada the font? I'll take it!

I love how they call it Prada Candy--it seems so appropriate. And, if, if they ever sell it, I won't need that box of metal tags anymore!

Your logo cost you HOW much??!

I swear, I ought to go work in Britain; they pay a ridiculous amount of money for logos over there. First, the London Olympics logo (cost: £400,000). And, by the way, it's a bad logo.

Today, in doing some research for another logo I'm working on, I came across this article on the Southampton University logo controversy. Not only have they paid upwards of £360,000 (about $705,132 American dollars--apparently this figure includes replacing signage, stationery, etc. But still!), but now the university is talking about cutting jobs to get itself out of debt. Ummmm... is this not making sense to anyone else out there?

The logos, as seen below (the top is the new logo, by the way), aren't even anything to write home about. I mean, the dolphin one looks dated, but the new one... well, it certainly doesn't look like a logo worth over a half million bucks. And in the face of layoffs? That's just silly. I'm sure there are plenty of other logo designers out there that could have delivered something just as good--if not better--for far less of a price tag. Um, me, for starters!