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Take 5: A Battle of Creativity, Futuristic Flowers + More

Every other week we’re inviting one of the Design Milk team to share five personal favorites – an opportunity for each of us to reveal the sort of designs we use and appreciate in our own lives from a more personal perspective. Lifestyle Editor Vy Yang returns this week for our Take 5 series…

06.22.21 | By
Take 5: A Battle of Creativity, Futuristic Flowers + More

1. I love discovering new accounts on Instagram, especially ones that are full of inspiration or even just fun to see in my feed. Some new accounts you might enjoy following: @futurejenn, a talented, emerging florist in NYC whose contemporary creations look more like art or out-of-this-world alien arrangements than precious florals; @swantjeundfrieda, whose home is so colorful and happy; and @studioarhoj, a Danish design and production studio who creates fun things for home and office.

2. For my own home, I like to scope out modern furniture that has a unique shape but doesn’t look to out of place for a suburban home. I recently discovered that Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis – whose work always catches my eye for her exploration in shapes, colors, and materiality – designed the Boa Pouf for Hem and I love how sculptural yet inviting it looks. Its perfect geometry, smooth plushness and playful shape make it a fun piece of furniture to add to a modern living room.

3. My sister’s dog recently celebrated her second birthday and I knew I had to buy her some goodies from our Design Milk Shop. Koda, the most spunky Aussie-mix pup I know, looks so good in her new terracotta leash + collar set from Herzog! I love the neutral color of terracotta over the usual black or grey and the material feels so substantial and durable in your hand. And since it’s always worth mentioning, adopt, don’t shop! Koda was a rescue and I’m so happy she found her way into our lives.

4. For the kid in all of us, I love the concept of Creativity Battle, a fun game by Londji that gets your creativity going by drawing on a photograph of an object. The rules are simple (the most creative drawing wins) but possibilities are endless.

5. Lastly, sustainable fashion is something I’ve been thinking a lot about. As someone who loves to shop, it has taken practice for me to curb my wants over the latest seasonal collection. Nowadays, I try to mindfully shop, asking basic questions like “Do I need this?” to harder-to-answer questions like “Is this brand sustainable or only says it is because it’s trendy to do so? Are the people sewing my dress paid fair wages? Is the material harming the environment?” I don’t think fashion will ever be 100% sustainable (truly, the most sustainable solution is to go naked and that’s not something anyone needs me to be doing) so making conscientious decisions is the best we can do. In my opinion, Christy Dawn’s latest Farm to Closet collection should be industry goals and standards. Christy leased 24 acres of depleted land in India and nourished it back to health to grow the cotton that her dresses are made from. Additionally, all workers were paid living wages to achieve financial independence. Being able to create beautiful things without harming the earth, and additionally healing the earth – I think that should be industry goals for all things outside of fashion as well.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She's probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.