DAFES | Design, Art, Fashion, Education & Startups

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

Illustration category winners ofDAFES AWARDS '25competition! 🥇 I place Carnival of superstition — a captivating series of vivid illustrations created for a book exploring global superstitions. Author: Aleksandra Bocheverova 🥈 II place Teplo — a mural concept designed to transform the facade of a heat power plant, to bring brightness and warmth to an industrial space. Author:Katerina Kiseleva 🥉 III place Mythicos — an educational board game designed to make learning Greek both visual and playful. Author: Afina Elefteridi. #DAFESAwards #creativeawards #illustration

The winners of the DAFES AWARDS '25 in the Local event category! 🥇 I place — "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. The airport” — a performance inspired by “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, reimagined within the atmospheric space of the former Minsk-1 airport. Author: Antonina Rusinovskaya. 🥈 II place — “NOVYBURG: a personal phygital exhibition” — a three-part experimental project blending digital and physical formats. Author: Arina Vasilieva. 🥉 III place — “From the fairytales of the World: DIY musical instruments concert” — a performative concert featuring hand-crafted instruments. A deeply personal interpretation of fairy tales from different cultures through sound and collective creativity. Authors: Alina Antimonova, Mariam Hasanbaeva, Ekaterina Izbrekht. More award categories will be announced tonight — stay tuned! #DAFESAwards #creativeawards #performance

Please welcome the winners of the DAFES AWARDS '25 in the Concept art category! 🥇 I place Concept design of the 19-th century working study — a concept of interior design for a game location, rich in historical and cultural references. Author: Arseniy Kolesnikov 🥈 II place Concept of the city for the Game NEW EDEN — a visionary cityscape for an open-world sci-fi cyberpunk game, modeled with principles of sustainable urban planning. Author: Arseniy Kolesnikov 🥉 III place Concept art for the animated Series “Crab and Squid save the ocean” — a vibrant visual concept for a 2D animated series — playful, educational, and environmentally driven. Author: Natalia Schizalova Winners from other categories will be announced soon — stay tuned! #DAFESAwards #conceptart #gamedesign #creativeaward

Weekend Reading Recommendation: “Restitution: The Return of Cultural Artefacts” by Alexander Herman What: A clear and compelling overview of restitution—what it is, how it’s negotiated, and why it matters. From colonial legacies to the ethics of modern museums, the author examines the tension between historical injustice and present-day responsibility. Why: If you’re following the ongoing discourse in the art world, this book is essential. The restitution of cultural artefacts is one of the most urgent topics in today’s cultural debates. For whom: Art lovers, museum professionals, cultural historians, and anyone interested in the intersection of art, justice, and global history. Difficulty level: Light and accessible—suitable for all levels of art knowledge. #ArtWorld #BookRecommendation #WeekendReading