74 TURNER DUCKWORTH
David Turner, head designer at Turner Duckworth’s San Francisco studio, is responsible for the new Tab Energy drink’s skinny pink can, with its silver grid that really pops.

“The original challenge we set for ourselves was to find an unexpected way to communicate energy that would be inspired by fashion,” he explains. “The design is actually a popular optical illusion. Stare at it and dark dots appear and disappear at the junctions of the silver lines. The pattern seems to sparkle. This was the expression of energy.” Inspired by the pattern designs of Burberry and Louis Vuitton, Turner combined high fashion with ’60s Op Art to create a sleek and chic drink can that not only stands out in the competitive energy drink category but also functions as a fashion accessory. Though most designs are meant to be “gender neutral,” and men tend to be “a little insecure about looking feminine,” Turner says he was permitted to go all out with this stylish ultra-fem design targeted to female purchasers. And since the original Tab is rarely distributed anymore, Turner used the brand’s vintage associations to appeal to a dual market. Tab is meant to be “feminine and cool in a retro way,” he adds. “We wanted to make the most of those positive associations.” by Zoe Weisman