Be Out There

“Beats Neighborhood Collection goes out to today’s and tomorrow’s creators —
to all the ones out there making it happen...”

When I rejoined the creative team at Beats by Dr. Dre, the colors of this collection were already finalized — four colors inspired by urban environments, with the product designer’s original inspiration happening right here in L.A. (in Echo Park, to be exact). 

Next our team started brainstorming names for the collection, interesting ways to photograph the new styles, which interesting neighborhoods to highlight, and even what to put in the packaging (my art director partner’s idea was the winner — we’d make zines, because the dream of the ’90s is alive!).

“For the creators, the doers, and the tastemakers...”

In the end, we zeroed in on four other cool neighborhoods in addition to Echo Park — Chengdu, China; the Shimokitazawa district in Tokyo; Charlottenburg in Berlin; and Montmartre in Paris’s famed 18th. Beats also partnered with local up-and-coming artists from each area to help tell the story of real young people out there making stuff happen.

The four new colorways — available in the Solo3 Wireless, Powerbeats3 Wireless, and the Pill+ speaker — were launched in September 2017.

“Your neighborhood is your muse and inspiration is around every corner...”

“Here’s to the good times.... Set the tone and fill the room.”

Also available on Apple.com, natch:

Never would I have expected to make zines for my job. It was actually lots of fun and they came out rad.

The new colors looked real nice on the ol’ feeds: