Andy Mangold is a very young designer (fresh graduate from MICA) who consistently churns out a professional body of work that is process-oriented, thoughtful, and inspiring. He is an excellent communicator, both verbally and visually. 

A project I’m particularly interested in, is a venture of his called Folk Goods. 

“Folk Goods is a brand and small line of products designed to encourage and highlight meaningful relationships between goods and the people that own them. Founded on the idea that people come to love and trust objects through consistent use, the products nourish their owners by filling small physical and emotional voids. The brand is a reaction to contemporary, “disposable” product design and consumer mentality, as well as a way to combine my passion for making lasting things with the storytelling elements of graphic design.

A comprehensive publication that will serve as a brand manual, lookbook, and catalog will tell the story behind the products and overarching brand. The canvas for the products is reclaimed from the historic Globe Poster Company, the bags are sewn by Phil Spector and Fashions Unlimited who has been in Baltimore for over 20 years, and the leather is hand worked by Matt Leberman, a printer and leather craftsman from the area. The customer will be encouraged to build upon this rich narrative and customer submitted content will be used for future publications and brand strategy.

Love and Utility, tagline and inspiration blog for the brand, will be maintained to make my inspiration known, generate publicity for the products, and cultivate discussion around the themes behind Folk Goods.”

— Andy Mangold

Folk Goods, as well as his other projects, are smashing, all the way around.