That Hey Day

THEY RODE VESPAS, DRANK COCKTAILS, went shopping, skiing, threw pool parties and wore amazing clothes. They also graced the cover of my notebooks back in high school, distracting me from class and leaving me jealous of both their glamorous lifestyles and their creator's artistic achievement.

Uruguay-born Jordi Labanda grew up in Barcelona where he studied industrial design and in the mid-90s decided to pursue a career as an illustrator. Oversized sunnies, exotic locales, model physiques and superchic interiors, all rendered by hand in a flat yet fluid fashion, became his signature, gaining him international popularity via collaborations with lifestyle brands and publications. Louis Vuitton, Wallpaper, Vogue USA and Nippon, The New York Times, Swarovski, Freixenet and Grand Marnier, among others, have all populated their pages and commercial channels with Jordi's fabulous femmes in fabulous worlds. The artworks have also made it to a credit card, a cafe, a car, and of course the stationery supplies I so eagerly collected.

Ten or so years later, Jordi Labanda's illustrations grace my tabletop once again; this time a coffee table instead of a classroom desk. The scenes are still delicious as ever, and I continue to covet their glamor, but it's great to find a bit more of the wit, and familiarize a bit more with the scenarios that I see.

In a way, I guess I've had my mini heyday. My high school self would be so jealous.

Hey Day by Jordi Labanda and Tyler Brûlé, published by Editorial RM.

That Sheikh of Chic and That Music Maven

SOME JORDI OVER COFFEE ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON. After all these year of discovering one illustrator after another, I still consider Jordi Labanda as the chicest of them all.

He was my favorite, my first love. I would collect his notebooks back in high school and give his notepads as presents to my girlfriends. Don't think they were really into them though.

The thing about Jordi is that many people think of him as "the Hed Kandi guy." He's not. So I attempt to make that distinction now to give both illustrators the credit due them.

Responsible for the sun-soaked, disco-dancing, bikini-clad Hed Kandi girls is Jason Brooks. His works are inclined more towards music and nightlife while Jordi's lean more towards lifestyle, travel and luxury.

It's easy to confuse the two, but it's not hard to tell them apart either once you know. See Jordi's illustrations above and Jason's below.






Finishing off my coffee and as the afternoon turns into early evening, so will my Jordi mood transform into a Jason vibe.

Enjoy your Saturday night and see you on the dancefloor!

Illustrations from www.jordilabanda.com and www.jason-brooks.com