DAFES | Design, Art, Fashion, Education & Startups

5 Figma plugins to elevate your creative workflow Whether you’re developing a portfolio project or preparing an entry for the new season of DAFES Awards (coming soon), these tools can help streamline your work and boost creativity: Curve Text — bend and stylize your typography; Redlines — generate technical redlines; Blobs — craft organic, abstract shapes; LottieFiles — transform your visuals into Lottie animations; Supa Palette — generate stunning color palettes. Have a favorite plugin? Share your must-haves in the comments! #CreativeTools #DAFESLearning #Figma #FigmaPlugin #DesignTips

Weekend Watch: “How to Steal a Million” (1966) Continuing the theme of art crimes, we suggest you entertain yourself with a timeless classic. "How to Steal a Million" is a sparkling heist comedy set in the glamorous Parisian art scene — with Audrey Hepburn as the daughter of a charming art forger, and Peter O’Toole as the mysterious gentleman enlisted to help her... to pull off a robbery at the city’s museum. Bon week-end! #DAFESWatchlist #AudreyHepburn #OldMovies

The Nightmare of Every Museum Curator Inspired by the news of the damaged “Van Gogh’s Chair” (see yesterday’s post), we’ve gathered 5 famous moments when visitors crossed the fragile line between admiration and destruction. Let this be a reminder: admire, study, sketch — but never touch (or try to make a selfie)! #MuseumFails #ArtCrimes

Hard week for the Art industry! Usually not very fruitful for news, this week, the Art World has one scandal after another — each one highlighting urgent issues of our time. And isn’t that, after all, one of the core functions of art — to hold a mirror to society? "Sometimes we lose our brains to take a picture, and we don't think about the consequences," says Vanessa Carlon, Palazzo Maffei (Verona, Italy) director. Her comment follows the release of footage showing museum visitors climbing onto Nicola Bolla’s “Van Gogh Chair” for selfies. One of them slipped and crushed the artwork. The visitors fled before staff could intervene. Overtourism puts the Louvre on strike. On Monday, Louvre employees went on a major strike and closed the museum due to unbearable working conditions caused by overtourism. The last straw? A government proposal to increase attendance, without dealing with the understaffing. Recently, activists across Europe have been staging protests against overtourism and its impact on local life. On Sunday in Barcelona and Mallorca in Spain, protesters turned water guns on tourists as part of one such demonstration. Rubens or not? The former curator of the National Gallery in London, Christopher Brown, told The Guardian, that one of the Gallery's most celebrated paintings — “Samson and Delilah” by Peter Paul Rubens — is most likely a decoy. He revealed that in the 20th century, the back of the painting had been removed and replaced with a plywood panel, destroying crucial indicators of authenticity such as stamps, monograms, and antique wood. Many art historians had already raised concerns: the anatomy of the figures is unusual, the brushwork is notably crude, and the typical craquelure of old paint is absent. Despite this, the National Gallery insists the painting is genuine. But the official attribution was made by Ludwig Burchard, a figure whose credibility has long been in question: dozens of artworks he “discovered” were later exposed as forgeries... #ArtIndustry #ArtNews #ArtScandal #Overtourism #Louvre #MuseumProtests #ArtAuthenticity #Rubens #ArtHistory #ContemporaryArt #ArtEvents #ArtCommunity #ArtCritique

Free online games for designers, which improve creativity (part 2): Shape Type — Complete iconic typefaces by reshaping individual letters. It’s Centered That — Test your alignment skills by placing elements exactly where they belong. Pixact.ly — Recreate the exact dimensions of shapes using only your perception. Whether you're a student, educator, or practicing designer, it’s always a good time to revisit the fundamentals — and why not do it playfully? #DesignSkills #GraphicDesign #DesignEducation

5 facts about Giorgio Armani: 1. From Medicine to Fashion Before entering the fashion world, Armani studied medicine at the University of Milan. He left his studies to work as a photography assistant. This experience shaped his visual sensibility and understanding of composition. 2. A New Language of Style In 1975, Giorgio Armani launched his own fashion house. Five years after he revolutionized fashion by redefining the power suit. His jackets blurred the lines between masculinity and femininity, setting a new standard for elegance. 3. Pioneer of Lifestyle Branding Armani became one of the first designers to extend his name beyond clothing. His empire now includes Armani Casa (interior design), Armani Hotels, Emporio Armani cafés, an Armani luxury spa, and the Armani/Silos exhibition hall. 4. The Patron of the Arts Since 1984, Giorgio Armani has made significant donations, which have helped restore iconic Italian sites, including the San Fruttuoso Abbey in Camogli and Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan. 5. A Self-Made Billionaire Armani remains one of the few designers who owns 100% of his company. This rare level of independence has allowed him to maintain a consistent aesthetic and vision over the decades. #FashionHistory #GiorgioArmani

Weekend Reading Recommendation: This weekend, take time to explore "On Photography" by Susan Sontag — a collection of essays she originally published in "The New York Review of Books" in the 1970s. More than a book about photography, it’s a profound reflection on how images shape our perception of reality, memory, and identity. For creatives working with visual media — from designers and photographers to educators and curators — Sontag’s essays remain sharply relevant. She challenges us to think critically about the ethics of seeing, the power of representation, and the role of images in both personal and public life. This read won’t offer easy answers, but it will transform how you look at the world and your work. Have you already read it? Share your review in the comments! #WeekendRecommendation #DAFESLearning #ArtAndDesign #VisualCulture #CreativePractice #WeekendReading

Do you remember our overview of Labubu’s early rise, recalling how a set of 3 figures was sold at Sotheby’s back in 2021? Yesterday, the toy made headlines again — Yongle Auction House (Beijing, China) held the world’s first-ever Labubu auction, and the results were astonishing! All 48 lots were sold, bringing in a total of about $520,000 (according to NBC News). The top 3 lots: — A 1,2 m tall mint-green Labubu for $170,000; — A 1,5 m tall brown Labubu for over $130,000; — "Three Wise Labubu" (the set of 3 figures we told you about last week) was sold for more than $80,000. But here’s a question for you: Do you think it’s appropriate to auction pieces like Labubu alongside traditional works of art? #DAFESCulture #Labubu #VisualCulture #CreativeCommunity #AuctionHouse

3 games for designers — master kerning, Bézier curves, color theory, alignment, and proportions with these free online games: Kerntype — Adjust the spacing between letters and learn the art of optical kerning. Color.Method — Train your eye in hue, saturation, brightness, and harmony through color challenges. The Bézier Game — Practice drawing smooth curves with the pen tool. Try them and share with us your experience! #kerning #beziercurves #colortheory #typography #graphicdesign #designskills

The winners of the HSE x ITS competition "Art of Reframe," where participants created alternative cinema posters: I place - "Killer dancing" by Polina Dubich; - "Night watch" by Nisa Hanifah. II place - "Fall" by Timur Samudera; - "Bumi Manusia" by Sonia Kim. III place - "Fall" by Naira Putri; - "Kuyang" by Anita Kozyulina. Thank you for your participation! We look forward to seeing your new ideas and artworks in the following competitions! #creativeawards #graphicdesign #HSEcompetitions #posterdesign

Born into a Russian-German aristocratic family and refined by Parisian culture, George Hoyningen-Huene (1900-1968) brought a classical sense of beauty to the modern lens. His iconic works for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar in the 1920s–30s introduced a new standard for fashion photography: meticulous composition, poses inspired by Classic Art, and chiaroscuro lighting that sculpted the human body like it was made of marble. He was also among the first to use male models in fashion photography. Beyond fashion, he collaborated with Hollywood, explored the potential of color photography long before it became a standard practice, and became a mentor to another legendary photographer, Horst P. Horst. His vision still echoes in the works of today’s photographers. A true master of visual harmony, George Hoyningen-Huene transformed fashion photography into an art. On the cover: "Divers. Swimwear by Izod. Horst P. Horst and Lee Miller", 1930 #ArtAndDesign #PhotographyLegends #VisualHeritage #FashionHistory

WEEKEND WATCH: Blow-up by Michelangelo Antonioni (1966) The Swinging Sixties, London: a popular fashion photographer who is bored and frustrated with his work, one day unwittingly captures a possible murder on film... Michelangelo Antonioni's key idea was to show the blurred lines between reality and illusion, and to question the artist’s role in interpreting the world, which gave the film its philosophical depth. Though the plot is interesting, what is more important is that beyond it lies a profound visual essay on the act of seeing — something every photographer, artist, and designer deals with. Blow-Up redefined how cinema engaged with contemporary art and fashion, influencing generations of visual creatives. From color composition to framing, each scene is a masterclass in visual storytelling. Watch it not just as a film, but as a lens into the very process of creative observation. #WeekendReco #WeekendInspiration #VisualCulture #Photography

The winners of the DAFES AWARDS '25 in the Video essay & Algorithmic music categories! Video essay:

🥇 I place — What no angel knows. Author: Nikolay Saveliev 🥈 II place — (not) the face. Author: Polina Minchenko 🥉 III place — Mirroring· High Score Pears. Author: Youdan Zhang Zhang

Algorithmic music:

🥇 I place — Geographya. Author: Artem Malyshev 🥈 II place — fictiveVoid: Echo of the Generative Flow. Author: Dmitriy Senko 🥉 III place — A world of wonderful rooms. A video game-opera for voice and electronics. Author: Vadim Genin

Thank you for being a part of the DAFES AWARDS '25! We are truly proud of your creativity and dedication. May this recognition be just one of many milestones in your professional journey. We look forward to seeing your new ideas and artworks in the next season! #DAFESAwards #videoart #contemporarymusic #creativeawards

We are thrilled to announce the winners of theDAFES AWARDS '25in the Best research publication & Visual research categories! Best research publication:

🥇 I place — The thread of history: Russian folk costume in the context of modern fashion. Author: Elizaveta Andrievskaya 🥈 II place — Mono-ha: is it Japanese minimalism or something different? Author: Maria Rogova 🥉 III place — Self-portrait in contemporary photography. Author: Maria Stirmanova

Visual research:

🥇 I place — Landscape as a reflection of Finland's national identity. Author: Victoria Gaeva 🥈 II place — The cultural and emotional significance of kimonos in Yasujirō Ozu’s films. Author: Anna Kireeva 🥉 III place — 6B41 Author: Anna Subbota

The winners of the remaining categories will be announced tomorrow — stay tuned! #DAFESAwards #artresearch #artcriticism #visualresearch

Labubu before hype In 2015, Kasing Lung, a Hong Kong-born artist, created Labubu as part of his comic series "The Monsters". Despite the mischievous look, Labubu is not a monster — she’s a Nordic elf in a magical universe. Personage was soon converted into a collectible toy. In 2021, a set of Labubu figures was sold at Sotheby’s as part of the “Contemporary Discoveries” auction, signaling its potential early on. In 2019, a collaboration with Chinese retailer Pop Mart boosted its popularity. But why did it become such a phenomenon? Two key reasons: 1 - Blind-box magic: buyer can’t choose it — they come in sealed surprise boxes. This scarcity and randomness turned the toy into a collector’s grail. 2 - Celebrity effect: In April 2024, Lisa from BLACKPINK showcased her collection of Labubu figures on social media, and the trend exploded... Today, Labubu leads the wave of “ugly cute” collectibles, like Huggy Wuggy or Teletubbies did before. Are you into this trend? #Labubu #ContemporaryArt #Sothebys

We are excited to announce the winners of theDAFES AWARDS '25 in the Comics category! 🥇 I place — How to: 5/2 — a witty and ironic guide to surviving office life without losing your mind. Author: Kseniya Isotova 🥈 II place — Lyuda — a deeply personal visual memoir dedicated to the author's grandmother and the fragility of memory. Author: Kseniya Isotova 🥉 III place — Students’ Street — a collection of short stories about four young women navigating adulthood in an old shared house at Students’ Street. Author: Aleksandra Bocheverova #DAFESAwards #creativeawards #comics #illustration

A few days ago, Banksy’s latest artwork appeared in Marseille, France. It features a lighthouse stencilled on a wall with the inscription: "I want to be what you saw in me." A nearby bollard casts a false shadow, cleverly forming the lighthouse beam, turning the scene into poetry. In past decades, street art has emerged as a critical form of social commentary. This is in no small part due to Banksy's influence. His success has paved the way for other street artists to become key players in the art market—a phenomenon known as “The Banksy Effect”. Few contemporary artists provoke as much curiosity and debate. His overnight stencils deliver sharp social critique wrapped in irony. From hanging works in museums to shredding one at auction, Banksy continually rewrites the rules of engagement. Although best known for graffiti, his practice spans paintings, installations, and performances. What do you think: is Banksy a visionary, or just good at provocation? #Banksy #StreetArt #Graffiti #UrbanArt