Bill Blass Ltd. LLC, a provider of sophisticated tailored clothing and a division of NexCen Brands, Inc., has named Peter Som the creative director of its women's division and Michael Bastian the creative director of menswear. Som will manage womenswear design teams for the company's licensed and wholly owned businesses. Bastian will be responsible for the design and management of a men's high-end collection—which will be launched at a later date—as well for all of the company's licensed and wholly owned menswear businesses. Established in 1970, Bill Blass is an internationally recognized brand of women's ready-to-wear clothing.
Washington State Department of Printing wins Design Awards
The Washington State Department of Printing (PRT) has been honored with two American In-House Design Awards from Graphic Design USA, a national magazine for design professionals. The winning pieces—a 2006 executive summary and a 2005 fiscal report—were prepared by Starlit Bear, PRT's graphic design manager. The award-winning "Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation 2006 Executive Summary" for Greg Griffith, the deputy state historic preservation officer, is a six-page tri-fold layout that illustrates a number of success stories of historic preservation in Washington. The "2005 Fiscal Report for the Department of Ecology's Model Toxics Control Account" visually describes the state's history of toxin impact.
Cadillac design team to be lead by GM's lead designer
One of General Motors' most successful designers, Clay Dean, will now lead the company's domestic brand Cadillac as the head of its global design team. Dean will work on a number of new projects, including the Cadillac BRX, a crossover due out in 2009, and a substitute for the Cadillac BLS sedan. At General Motors, Dean worked on the designs of the Chevrolet HHR, Chevrolet Malibu, and Pontiac Solstice. Dean, who joined General Motors in 1988, has served as the design director of the company's small and midsized-car division since 2004. A luxury vehicles brand, Cadillac is manufactured and marketed primarily in the United States and in Canada.
