Another reason New York is a ridiculously stylish city: Even its bookstores have designer totes. In this case, the new Strand Bookstore contest winner Zak Foster BLK Tote Bag.
In March, The Strand held its first design competition for hopefuls to create a new version of the book superstore's ubiquitous tote bag. Foster ermerged victorious among 800 submissions with his design "Contents", which cheerfully showcases the bag's booty in cheerful neon against a black canvas backdrop -- giving the carryall a cool, modern aesthetic.
The esteemed participants and judges behind the venture make it all the more prestigious. Held in conjunction with The School of Visual Arts, TOON Books, Drawn & Quarterly and Fantagraphics Books, the judges panel was manned by Francoise Mouly, art editor of The New Yorker and TOON Books editorial director; Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Art Spiegelman; Stephen Heller, co-chair of the MFA Designer as Author Program at SVA; Shortcomings author Adrian Tomine, Author of the bestselling book; and R. Sikoryak, creator of Masterpiece Comics.
