Debbie Millman Week - Look Both Ways

Look Both Ways may have been the advice your mom gave you prior to crossing the street, but in Debbie Millman's newest book of this title, it is the intersection of design and our everyday life that comes alive. Look Both Ways is a series of short stories were Debbie relates how design and branding have become a part of her life.

We learn how to properly eat Keebler Fudgetown cookies and the observations of a youth about the package design. A simple observation that leads to Debbie actually designing packaging for many of our biggest brands.

"The Illustration on the front panel of the cookie package, which showed the Keebler Elves holding a package of Fudgetown cookies. This meant that the Keebler Elves were holding a package of Fudgetown cookies featuring the Keebler Elves holding a package of Fudgetown cookies. And so on and so on and so on..... This killed me!"

Another chapter goes into the summer long production of a young teenager producing a magazine. Interviews are made, he stories are all handwritten and illustrated with a close friend. A one of a kind design is produced.

The book is full these short observations, about life, food, music, clothing, growing up and how it all plays a pivotable intersection in Debbie's world of design. As I read, I found myself going back and searching my own memories from days past and how they intersect into my life today. Each story is presented in a new typographical fashion, with many in a playful hand written style to modified abstraction layouts in all caps.

I found the book to be full of intrigue, excitement and fun. Seeing how many of the simple things can shape where we are today, how items are tagged to our memories and experiences and to gain further understanding into how design and branding truly do shape our lives will be the lingering thoughts that make Debbie Millman's Look Both Ways a fun and unique read.

The book is available at bookstores and you can read more about is debbiemillman.com.

To meet Debbie Millman, she will be speaking this Friday evening in Orange County, CA. It promises to be an exciting evening.

Look Both Ways: An Interview with Debbie Millman and Rodrigo Corral from Print on Vimeo.