Thinc Design

Thinc Design is an international design company that creates work appearing in natural history museums, botanical gardens, science centers, aquariums and theme parks – anything to link public experience with social change. The company, based in NYC and founded by Tom Hennes in 1992, hopes that its design concepts are “springboards to action” and inspire “dialogue, perception and participation.”

Most recently, the company developed the creative strategy behind the planning and design of the Johnson & Johnson 2008 Olympic Games Pavilion in Beijing.

Other projects include: California Academy of Sciences; The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk; Cleveland Botanical Garden and IBM Thinkplace at Epcot.



On October 19, 2008, Thinc Design will be presenting its latest concepts at the International Aquarium Congress in Shanghai, China: “The Water Planet: New Forms and New Strategies Expand What An Aquarium Can Do.”

Future plans include the design and planning on the September 11 Memorial Museum, set to

open in 2011.

text: Vanessa Voltolina

Vivienne Tam

In these past weeks of worldwide fashion shows technology giant HP (Hewlett Packard) and fashion designer Vivienne Tam unleashed the first in designer computer notebooks. Tam’s a digital clutch notebook is gleaming red and bursting with pink and purple peony flowers.

Tam hopes that her design would convey calmness and tranquility. She also included an embroidered sleeve with the clutch notebook to help keep the exterior protected.
Adding to the mood, the enter key on the digital clutch notebook includes the Chinese symbol for double happiness.

Tam explains that she chose the peony design because they are the most beautiful flowers and have many layers of unfolding blossoms — much like the layers of a busy woman's life. This design combination with a technology company promotes reliability and multi-tasking for a busy woman’s life, but still upholds the importance of femininity and beauty in a small, compact and lightweight device.

This notebook will be incorporated into Tam’s spring 2009 line of clothes, as well as the invitations to her show and a new notebook carrying case she'll be selling in her stores. Will more combinations in fashion technology be seen in the future? You bet.

Collaborations I would like to see: BlackBerry, Apple. A line of laptop bags.

text: Vanessa Voltolina

Haya Al Houti

Kuwaiti fashion designer Haya Al Houti made her debut in the U.S. in February 2007 at New York City's Couture Fashion Week, and returned again for the 2008 Couture show.

A prominent designer in her native country, Ms. Al Houti has become recognized for her beautiful bridal and evening gowns, with clientele including an array of Saudi Arabian and Qatarian princesses, as well as prestigious dignitaries, socialites and VIPs throughout the Middle East. She utilizes fine satins, silks, taffeta, chiffon, organza, tulle and lace with rich beading and jeweled embellishments.

Houti says her inspiration comes from the ocean, as her homeland, Kuwait, is bordered on the east by the Persian gulf. While inspired by the ocean, her designs aren't a typical navy and white, nautical theme, but colors, textures, and geometry/structure from underwater creatures such as seahorses, corals and fish.




Her most known wedding dress, resembling the structure of an octopus, is a blatant example of her sea-focused designs, and has received mixed reviews.

Collaborations I would like to see: Hermes, Vera Wang

text: Vanessa Voltolina

Andrew Yates

The recent surge of knitwear designers emerging from the UK showcase a broader array of what can be done with yarn. Educated at Central Saint Martins graduating with a BA Honours this year Andrew specialises in intarsia and tromp l'oeil.

Andrew's work was chosen from a graduation class of 150 to show at the Central Saint Martins press show this year. He's definitely off to a good start but with so many new designers in an already highly competative market the push to start his own label might be immenent. We hope to follow is progress and have more to report in the future.


Collaborations I would like to see: Fendi, Burberry