DESIGN DISPATCH

Shantell Martin Will Bring a Meditation Maze to Times Square, and Other News

Our daily look at the world through the lens of design.

A concept sketch for Shantell Martin's forthcoming walking path. Image courtesy of Shantell Martin.

The Design Dispatch offers expertly written and essential news from the design world crafted by our dedicated team. Think of it as your cheat sheet for the day in design delivered to your inbox before you’ve had your coffee. Subscribe now

Shantell Martin is dropping an illustrated maze into the middle of Times Square.

Shantell Martin will debut her first walking path, a 160-foot-long “meditation maze,” in Times Square on October 1. The labyrinth, designed with her signature style of looping lines and playful characters, takes participants on an art-filled reflective journey with pre-recorded audio guidance from Martin herself.

OpenAI’s $6.5 billion fundraising round could send its valuation soaring to $150 billion.

OpenAI is in discussions to raise $6.5 billion in equity financing at a valuation of $150 billion, a significant value increase over its $86 billion tender offer earlier in 2024. The company is also negotiating a $5 billion revolving credit line with banks, all in the interest of supporting its growing operational costs.

Annie Leibovitz, who is among the honorees of this year's CFDA Awards. Image courtesy of the CFDA.

Next year, a newly expanded Alcova will head to the Milanese suburb of Varedo.

The nomadic design exhibition Alcova will expand its 2025 edition in Milan with two new locations in the northern suburb of Varedo: a former SNIA factory and ancient Pasino glasshouses. The new venues will join the previously used Villa Bagatti Valsecchi and Villa Borsani during Milan Design Week from April 8–13. Leading up to Milan, Alcova will host an edition at Miami Art Week, running later this year from December 3–8.

Proenza Schouler, Wiederhoeft, Luar, and more are nominated for CFDA Awards.

The CFDA has announced the nominees and honorees for its 2024 awards, which will take place on Oct. 28 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Key nominees include Rachel Scott, Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Thom Browne, and Tory Burch for American Womenswear Designer of the Year, while Mike Amiri, Emily Adams Bode Aujla, Browne, Todd Snyder, and Willy Chavarria are nominated for American Menswear Designer of the Year.

The Row has reportedly received an influx of funding from high profile investors.

The Wertheimer family, owners of Chanel, and Francoise Bettencourt Meyers’ Tethys Invest have acquired minority stakes in The Row. These moves place the brand’s valuation at approximately $1 billion. Imaginary Ventures also participated, but founders Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen will retain majority ownership of their label. 

 

Emily Endo’s Nymphaeum. Image credit: Erik Benjamins

Today’s attractive distractions:

Forget drugs—done right, lucid dreaming can be the trip of a lifetime. 

A bubble of gasses convinces scientists we have galactic neighbors. 

Is camo print ever suitable as decoration for the great indoors?

A new wave of galleries and artists are making seashell art cool.

 

All Stories