DAFES | Design, Art, Fashion, Education & Startups

DAFES CHOICE: MAY 2025
Welcome the winners of DAFES selection for May 2025:

I Place:
"Jonas Mekas. The Biography", Yana Yurasova.
A poetic and thoughtful tribute to the founder of the “diary cinema” genre.

"Chernobylnik: A Chronology of the Chernobyl Accident",Elizaveta Makedonskaya.
A deeply researched timeline of the catastrophe, documented with clarity and precision.

II Place:
"THEREMIN: The Invention and the Inventor", Maria Lychyeva.
A visual journey through the life of Lev Termen and his famous invention.

"RAP", Aisylu Galiyeva.
An exploration of the unique poetics of Russian rap.

"Belyaevo Encyclopedia", Polina Zherebtsova.
An encyclopedic series about the Moscow district of Belyaevo — its architecture, spirit, and memory.

III Place:
”The USSR: the Workers’ State”, Sofiya Eristavi.
A publication about the key urban-forming industrial enterprises of the USSR.

Want to be next?
Upload your work on Deziiign.com and become a future winner of DAFES Choice.

#DAFESChoice

4 Sites Every Graphic Designer Should Bookmark

Looking for authentic inspiration beyond endless social media scrolling?
We’ve selected 4 digital platforms that offer a good selection of contemporary design — from archival gems to curated references and professional networks:
1. Deziiign.com
2. Fonts In Use
3. Fuse.Kiwi
4. Design Reviewed

Explore, learn, and find your inspiration!

#DAFESInspo

INVISIBLE GENIUS: VIVIAN MAIER

A mysterious woman with a Rolleicord camera in hand, roaming the streets of Chicago. A French-accented nanny, fiercely private, photographing obsessively — but showing her work to no one. For decades, no one knew the name Vivian Maier. Today, it’s written into the history of photography. Her postmortem fame raises questions about artistic intent, legacy, and the life of women in the arts.

Born in New York in 1926, Maier spent her life capturing America in the second half of the 20th century — from quiet working-class neighborhoods to major political moments — always with a sharp eye for detail and emotion. Her archive, discovered only after her death in 2009, contains over 100,000 negatives, film reels, and audio tapes. Her style? A social history in stills — subtle, unsentimental, and beautifully composed.

#DAFES #StreetPhotography #VivianMaier #HistoryOfPhotography

DREAM RECORDER: An AI Device That Visualizes Your Dreams

Dutch design studio Modem presents the Dream Recorder — an AI-powered bedside device that turns your dreams into short, impressionistic videos.

Here’s how it works:
— In the morning, just speak your dream into the device;
— It generates a grainy video reel, reflecting your subconscious through AI-trained visuals;
— No apps, no notifications — just a calm glow on your nightstand;
— Each device stores up to 7 dreams — enough to notice patterns.

With open-source hardware and software available on GitHub, anyone can 3D-print the shell and assemble it using standard components.

Would you dare to visualize your dreams (Admin doesn't)? Put 🦄 , if yes!

#DAFESNewsDigest

Weekend recommendation — Explore fashion history through the lens of V&A

If you’re looking for visual inspiration, we highly recommend exploring the Victoria and Albert Museum’s website. It is home to one of the world's most impressive historical fashion collections. And what's important — many of the archive pieces are digitized and freely available online.

A valuable resource for fashion designers, stylists, curators, and students who study the visual language of costume.

#WeekendRecommendation

DAFES NEWS DIGEST

The Birkin of All Birkins
The first-ever Hermès Birkin bag, crafted for Jane Birkin in 1985, was sold at Sotheby's auction in Paris yesterday for an astounding $10.1 million! It became the most expensive handbag ever sold.

Chloé x Karl Lagerfeld Auction
A rare single-owner auction of 80 archival prêt-à-porter pieces from Karl Lagerfeld’s era at Chloé (1963–1983) happened this week at Bonhams. This is the first time such a collection is being auctioned. The estimated prices per lot were very modest: €700-1,500!

MERO Studios: “Paysage de Pain”
At Festival des Architectures Vives, a pavilion of 780 salvaged baguettes questions food waste and excess. In France, 11% of baked bread remains unsold. Of this unsold bread, 15% is donated, 25% repurposed as animal food, and 60% is destroyed.

#DAFES #ArtAndDesign #ArtNews #DesignNews