Taylor Gilbert Portfolio

Taylor Gilbert
Portfolio

www.taylorgilbert.com
info@taylorgilbert.com
LinkedIn @taylorgilbert
703-593-2878

professional

Lookbook
Designed For: Tucker Robbins Inc.
Role: Art Director and Primary Photographer
2014
After spending a year pushing the brand in a more modern direction, I
devised the lookbook a way to reintroduce the company to old client as
well as bring in new clients. The pieces are shown in an idyllic outdoor
setting suggesting the authenticity and beauty of the furniture.
We mailed 500 to current and prospective clients and distributed hundreds
more through events. Another one thousand were distributed at the
Armory Show and the Architectural Digest Show.
(Selected pages shown)

Website Re-Launch
Designed For: Tucker Robbins Inc.
Role: Art Director, Web Designer, Developer
2015
When I joined the company the website was showing its age. Navigation was
unwieldy and confusing and the images were small and cramped. I looked
for inspiration in the style language of art books.
I used plentiful white space and large images combined with an intuition onepage
catalog navigation system to evoke the refined luxury of the brand.
(Starts on next page)

Style Guide :: Zen Theme :: Colors and Textures
Style Guide :: Zen Theme :: Motifs
Style Guide
Designed For: Tucker Robbins Inc.
Role: Art Director
2014
The Style Guide was developed to solidify thinking and discussions into a
common reference. Diverse inspirations were focused into four themes—
Tropical, Grecian, Zen, and Arabian.
Style Guide :: Zen Theme :: Accents
Style Guide :: Zen Theme :: Environments
My role was to select the themes in consultation with Tucker and to oversee
the selection of relevant colors, textures, motifs, accents, and environment
images.
(Selected pages shown)
Style Guide :: Arabian Theme :: Colors and Textures
Style Guide :: Arabian Theme :: Motifs
Style Guide :: Arabian Theme :: Accents
Style Guide :: Arabian Theme :: Environments

After
Advertising
Designed For: Tucker Robbins Inc.
Role: Art Director, Photographer
2014
As part of my efforts to refocus the brand, I shifted the advertising from a
strictly product-oriented ad to a lifestyle ad. Clients should be able to imagine
our products in their home. More importantly, they should imagine our
products as part of the home environment they aspire to have.
Suite 504 :: 212 355 3383 :: tuckerrobbins.com
Before
THOR DINING TABLE
Live Satinwood on Blackened Steel
200 Lexington Ave Suite 504 New York, NY 10016 :: 212 355 3383
contact@tuckerrobbins.com :: www.tuckerrobbins.com
Suite 504 :: 212 355 3383 :: www.tuckerrobbins.com

Branding Positioning
Designed For: Tucker Robbins Inc.
Role: Art Director
2013
A broadening awareness of environmental issues and a dissatisfaction with
mass-market culture has created a new desire for “authenticity.”
Hipsters, vegans, juice cleanses, recycling, bicycling, etc. are all, in some
way, a manifestation of this broad cultural trend. Tucker Robbins’ clients are
affected by this cultural shift along with the rest of national culture, but with
the distinction of being members of the 0.1% of society. They long for a more
“authentic” life just like middle class Millenials, but they express this longing in
ways more consistent with their wealth and class.
The message of the Tucker Robbins brand should address this desire.
An “authentic life” is one lived in harmony with nature and a person’s
surroundings. It’s a life of health and well being, a life in balance. For the
wealthy in particular, it’s a life of comfort and enjoyment while doing no
harm to nature or other people. The Tucker Robbins brand offers a means to
assauge their desire for an “authentic” life while still providing beautiful luxury
products.
(Visual concepts shown on next page)

Product Development
Designed For: Tucker Robbins Inc.
2013
While much of design is based on intuition and inspiration, this should
be managed within a framework to guide the creative process towards
business objectives. Towards this end I developed two frameworks 1) Product
Development and 2) Product Release Phases.
(Starts on next page)

Product Development
1. Identify Broad Cultural Trend
2. Interpret Within Brand
3. Develop New Products and Variations
:: When the previous cultural trend
used by the brand begins to fade,
identify a new, relevant trend
:: 5-10 year trend
1 year for development and
introduction + 2 years to let the
market become familiar with the
product + 2 years or more to recoup
investment = 5 years
:: Identify which aspects of the trend
are most compatible with the brand
:: Create a new narrative consistent
with both the brand and the trend
:: Identify current products that can
be adapted to the new narrative
:: Develop entirely new products
focused on the narrative
Assessment
5. Introduction 5. Core Line
Good
Better
Best
Kill Your
Darlings
Test in the showroom for 6-12 months
Release as part of Spring/Fall lines

Product Release Phases
1. Introduction
2. Core Line 3. Phase Out 4. Discontinued
Definition
This phase is intended for
experimental products,
those we want to test on the
market before publishing
The “standard” product line,
excluding unique and custom
pieces
Products to be eventually
removed from the standard
line
Products that have been
removed from the standard
line or that have failed the
Introduction phase
Criteria Duration
6-12 months
:: experimental or uncertain
products
:: NOT primary Fall/Spring
lines
Indefinite 6-12 months Discount until remaining stock
is sold
:: successful market test
during Introduction
-or-
:: released as part of a primary
Spring/Fall line
:: product has been replaced
in the product line
-or-
:: product has sold poorly for
at least 2 years
:: Phase Out period has
ended and the sales have not
increased
Action
:: If the product is not
successful, move it to
Discontinued
:: If the product is
successful, add it Core
Line
:: Listed on Website
:: Press Release
:: published through all
available web and print venues
:: Listed on website
:: Move towards back of
website and showroom
:: List for auction
:: Offer at a discount during
Winter and Summer Sales
:: Consider adding to
“custom” offering

Okuyi Chandelier
Designed For: Tucker Robbins Inc.
2013
The Okuyi Chandelier was inspired by the Okuyi ceremony practiced by the
Bantu of Central Africa as a rite of passage marking major life events such as
births, weddings, and funerals. The natural color of the Rattan matts used to
make the piece and the red and white pigments suggest the costume used in
the Okuyi ceremony.
The piece was created for a showcase celebrating the heritage, culture, and
art of Central West Africa hosted by the Culture Project’s Lynn Redgrave
Theater. It was later shown at the Armory Show 2015.

student

Black to Ch-Ch-Chia!
2011
terra cotta, chia seeds, raku
rhino3d
Since coal mining ended in the Netherlands in the 1960s, nearly all traces
have been removed from the landscape. Today, almost nothing remains of
this 100-year period of history.
Under a policy known as “van zwart naar groen” or “from black to green,”
much of the old mining area was transformed into green space. Inspired
by this policy and taking cues from the iconic Chia Pet, I designed a
souvenir intended to act as a reminder of a period of history that is being
systematically erased. With the help of chia seeds, this model of an old
mining structure will literally transform “from black to green.”

Creation: Week 2
A history of water management in the Netherlands
2011
The history of the Netherlands is intertwined with water management.
Centuries of projects to increase the amount of usable land through flood
prevention and land reclamation have resulted in the perception by the
Dutch that the Netherlands is a place of their own creation in an entirely
literal sense.
This project explores this situation through two satirical pop-up books.
“Creation: Week 2” retells the Genesis story as a history of water
management as if the Dutch took over after God finished. “The Great Flood
of the Euregio” retells the story of Noah’s flood as a comment on the total
dependence of the Dutch on dikes.
“God made the world but the Dutch made the Netherlands”
-Dutch saying

Time Tension Wood
A construction system that waits on nature
2012
brass, flax rope, willow poles
Time Tension Wood is a construction system based on a technique used
by the Native American Indians for making bows. By applying consistent
tension to freshly cut wood, the wood will slowly and gradually bend as it
dries. Once the wood is dry after 3-5 months, the structure is permanent,
and the ropes can be removed.
The system consists of brass brackets and ropes with a simple tension
mechanism that are used to easily connect and manipulate freshly cut
wooden poles. These components can be used to make a variety of objects
and structures from a coat rack and tabletop supports to space dividers and
small-scale architecture. Since this method relies on the natural properties
of the wood in a slow process, there is no need for steam, heat, or any
special equipment. Almost any kind of wood can be used, so the majority of
the material can be sourced locally.
This project was developed to provide a tangible experience of time and
duration through natural material. The objects and structures made with
this system are the result of the cooperation between the natural and
unpredictable properties of the wood, the control of the applied tension,
and the time necessary for the process.

the kit consists of brass brackets and ropes with a simple one-way tension mechanism

showing how the parts in the kit are used

the gradual bending process as the wood dries

Hope & Leroy
2010
‘Hope & Leroy’ is a narrative project combining a new fairy tale with a series
of eight jewelry pieces illustrating scenes from the story. The text is written
in the fashion of traditional fairy tales, with dark themes and unexplained
events, but the style incorporates modern influences.
The modern approach to the narrative continues in the jewelry collection.
The pieces were designed and produced using primarily digital methods
including laser cutting and algorithmic design with RhinoScript.

Nature as Machine
This is a series of models of machines and devices powered by natural forces.

Wood Bending Benches
These illustrations were made for a speculative project about using green
wood to create furniture.

i didn’t thank you
2008
“i didn’t thank you” is a project to express our appreciation for people that
we didn’t, couldn’t, or wouldn’t thank. More than 300 people participated
during two weeks by writing a thank you note to someone they wished
they had or could thank. The displayed thank you notes show the gratitude
people feel even when they don’t express it.

selected examples from over 300 ‘thank you notes’

www.taylorgilbert.com
info@taylorgilbert.com
LinkedIn @taylorgilbert
703-593-2878