It’s the end of a small era. A few days ago, Barneys New York launched its new site, leaving behind the designs I created for them over the past three years. I’m trying to gauge how I feel about the recent departure of my work.
I had a tremendous amount of psychological energy vested in the old design, which was Barneys first e-commerce site and was built by a team of us – myself, a Flash designer, an information architect, a project manager, and an e-commerce group. But, as my wife reminded me recently, I’m “in advertising.” People who create print advertising campaigns that last one day or one week move on to the next subject, project, and client. They may have spent months, like I did, working to make sure that the “campaign” was perfect, compelling, and managable and met all of the branding, strategic, and commercial requirements of its client. At the end, when the magazines are put into translucent, blue bags, they have their work to show for it and their passions moved onward.
Web design is no different; in fact, in some ways it’s better. After my “engagements” with clients, I have a digitally extant object to show again, while a print advertising designer has only a set of pressed pages to exhibit.
Having said all that, I wish the organization, its new site and its new audiences well.