In sports they tell you that to become a better player, you have to practice against people more talented than you—demolishing your opponent each time will never lead to increased skills. This advice holds true in the creative realm as well, and one of the great graphic designers of our time, James Victore, is inviting a handful of budding designers to come play with him. Never one for convention, Victore began hosting a week-long workshop in his Williamsburg studio last October as a way of challenging up-and-comers to see design through his eyes while giving them a "set of wings" so they can continue to grow.

Victore calls the immersive experience "The Dinner Series", partly because each day ends by sharing a chef-prepared meal with a special guest like Stefan Sagmeister, Gary Hustwit or Martin Glaser, and partly because Victore and his small team will stuff you full of valuable design fodder. Curious about the intimate training session, we recently spent a day observing—and learning from—Victore, who graciously allowed us into his studio on the fourth day for a hands-on review.

Over a healthy breakfast Victore and his group of five discussed the previous day's events, which included lunch in Manhattan with Esquire's design director David Curcurito and dinner with illustrator Jessica Hische. Victore doesn't hold back on introductions, and in addition to the dinner guests, throughout the week the group also received surprise visits from pioneering designer Josh Davis and the duo behind the industrious start-up Grady's Cold Brew. Victore surrounds the group with people who will enlighten, adding to the series' seemingly twofold programming: discussion and application.

His provocative style extends from his own work to how he encourages others. Although a professor for many years at NYC's School of Visual Arts, Victore doesn't claim to take an academic approach. "All I know how to do is spur thinking on," he says. "I don't teach design because I don't know how to." Referring to his role as a content generator over a graphic designer, Victore focuses more on the statement made than the aesthetics behind it. The exercises he challenges the group with revolve around this ideology, each tasking them to expand their thinking. "We want to stretch your brain and hope it doesn't return to its original shape," he explains.

For example, after a sage talk from Victore's sole graphic design assistant Chris Thompson—who advises participants to not "rush to a solution", and to play around with the idea like in improv acting because "if you're not moved by your work no one else is going to be"—Victore asked the group to tell a story in three pictures. This is what he calls "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow", an assignment that draws from filmmaking, where the same story is told in different ways by mixing it up and making the audience see something new.

One of the clear advantages of learning in Victore's studio is his ability to be spontaneous. Before the students could finish their "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" projects he remembered Saul Steinberg's "Country Noises", a set of visual representations he made for The New Yorker in 1979. In minutes Victore has found the archive and passed around photocopies for everyone to consider. At another point in the afternoon he put on a Jack White song that exemplifies "barbed" writing—a Robert Frost term Victore stands by—later he pulls down a book by revered poster artist Henryk Tomaszewski to demonstrate a point. He pulls you into his world while encouraging you to be yourself.

Some people will take $6,000—the cost of attending the week-long salon—and go on a holiday to forget about client work, deadlines and demanding bosses. A handful of young designers have instead opted for learning from Victore, and they all tell us it is worth every penny. "He creates an atmosphere that is true," explains one student, adding, "it's coming through his heart".

The next Dinner Series takes place 16-20 July 2012, and there are still open seats. Those with more limited time can also sign up to attend "Take This Job Love It", a one-day event held in NYC this September that will focus on bucking the status quo, a favorite pastime for the rebellious designer. Information on these events and more can be found at the James Victore website, where you can also pick up a copy of his book "Victore or, Who Died and Made You Boss".

See more images from The Dinner Series in the slideshow below.

Housed in a renovated factory building on the Williamsburg waterfront, the Wythe Hotel marks the long-due maturation of the booming Brooklyn neighborhood. The place embraces local flavor by blending grungy industrial looks with luxe hospitality, and there's plenty of buzz around the involvement of restaurateur Andrew Tarlow of Marlow & Sons and Diner fame. "It's a grown-up version of what's happening in Brooklyn," says Tarlow of the Wythe. At present, it stands as a beacon for the direction of Williamsburg, a place to stay and feel at home in one of the hippest corners of NYC.

The 100-year-old building represents what's left of an old cooperage that was renovated to suit the wants and needs of hotel guests. "We fell in love with the building on day one and just wanted to show it off as much as possible," explains Peter Lawrence, who along with Tarlow and Jed Walentas make up the trio of partners behind the Wythe Hotel. "We stripped everything down to the bare bones—the cast iron columns and the timbers and the exterior wall," says Lawrence.

Details like rusted ceiling tracks add to the flavor of the historic building, as does a floor-to-ceiling illustration depicting the history of Brooklyn in the lobby. While the skeleton of the original building remained relatively untouched, a three-story add-on by architect Morris Adjmi maximized skyline-facing views and features an L-shaped rooftop terrace and cocktail bar.

If you're looking for Williamsburg in the Wythe hotel, you'll find it in the details. Marlow & Sons provides the mini-bar accoutrements, including a selection of small-batch ice cream. Marlow Goods provides the bathroom towels and the soap is from Goldie's out of Rockaway, NY. Rather than incorporating a complicated tech systems, each room is equipped with a simple red audio jack connected to the room speakers. Each of the four styles of wallpaper for the hotel were custom-made by Flavor Paper, and are available from their online shop.

While the concrete floors may look industrial, heating elements ensure that your toes are cozy when walking around barefoot. Two-way mirrors in the bathrooms allow guests to enjoy the Manhattan skyline while freshening up. Commenting on the "white linen" approach of most hotels, Tarlow explains. "I don't think hospitality is about a fine cloth. It's more about you and I sitting down, me saying hello and, holding the door for you and all these little interactions."

"Part of the excitement of being in this neighborhood is that it's a creative center—not just in New York these days but internationally," says Lawrence. "The level of talent that's available nearby was too exciting." Much of the furniture was made from wood salvaged during the renovation, with beds and desks repurposed by local craftsman Dave Hollier. Steve Powers, commonly known as "ESPO", decorated the adjacent building with vintage Brooklyn logos to give non-view rooms a piece of art to look out on.

One of the quirks of the hotel is their pair of adjoining "band rooms". Created on the recommendation of the the folks behind the Brooklyn Bowl music venue who needed a place to put up traveling music groups for the night, the bunk bed filled rooms hold six and four guests, respectfully.

When it came to food, Tarlow wanted to keep up the "New American" style of his other restaurants, adding a commitment to whole beast butchering and open flame cooking. "We purchase all of our animals in whole form. A cow came in here on Monday and we've been going through it for the entire week—so how we move through it will inform the menu." An on-site butcher and localvore sourcing may not be the most convenient methods for a hotel, but Tarlow wanted "Reynard's" to stand out as a destination restaurant for locals as well as guests. For drinks, the rooftop cocktail bar provides brilliant city views under the building's marquis lights.

A few weeks following its opening, the hotel has already garnered a strong local following. Part of their success comes from the fact that the attraction remains Williamsburg rather than just the Wythe: spa treatments and swimming pools are sacrificed in favor of a sense of place. The hotel promises to become part of the urban fabric, joining the Brooklyn Bowl and the Brooklyn Brewery as an area landmark. Rooms at the Wythe Hotel start at $179.

Wythe Hotel
80 Wythe Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11249

One of our favorite cult bike brands, tokyobike, just threw a housewarming party and customized-bike exhibit to inaugurate its new outpost in London's Shoreditch neighborhood. Londoners can now buy these lightweight, 22lb bikes directly from the Japanese bike-maker in a variety of frame colors and models. The simple, all-white 1,700-square-foot interior of the shop, designed by Glass Hill, also stocks hard-to-find accessories and lifestyle pieces such as Japanese bags and housewares, and houses a bike workshop space in the basement. We asked the team at the London location to give us more insight into the new shop, which is the latest in a string of recent openings that includes Berlin, Sydney and Singapore, with Paris and New York coming soon.

The design of the store incorporates elevated platforms for the bikes. Can you explain the concept behind these?

Joe Nunn, Glass Hill: The elevated platforms are more a shared approach that sees that different functions should take place in different spaces. Separating the circulation area from the product display area seems appropriate in the same way as a genkan is right for outdoor shoes and not indoor slippers. We are showing the bicycles as new and pristine, and the slight separation in height and material not only says that visually but also practically.

What is the significance of the hanging cedar ball and how does it fit into the space?

Yuki Sugahara, store manager of tokyobike Melbourne: The cedar ball, made by Japanese craftsman, is traditionally used at the sake breweries as a sign to tell the locals that the fresh sake is ready. We wanted to have a symbolic piece that makes our customers feel something about Japan, where tokyobike originally came from. It is a beautiful and happy element that stands out in a simple white space and will hopefully start a conversation.

What elements did you bring to this store to give it a London personality?

Neil Davis, tokyobike: tokyobike comes from a traditional suburb of Tokyo with a lot of craftspeople and designer/makers still working. The Yanaka store displays and sells a lot of this work, and the London store will be similar in that respect, showcasing local products and designs alongside books and maps and a carefully curated range of bicycle accessories. Gropes is a good example.

What are your plans for the store and brand in the UK?

Davis: The store is a beautiful, clean space designed to show off the bikes and their many colors, but this makes it ideal for events and exhibitions. We have just collaborated with six artists to produce six pieces of bike art which will be displayed at the store before being auctioned. In the future look out for more exhibitions and product launches.

What is the fixie bike culture like in London?

Yu Fujiwara, store manager of tokyobike London: Compared with Tokyo, London's bike culture is more centered around DIY and vintage. People fix up their old bikes or ride 1950s and '60s bicycles; the growing popularity of the Tweed Run typifies this culture. Tokyo's fixie culture is more rooted in pop/youth culture, which mixes colorful components with fashion.

What did you learn about the UK market after you did the pop-up shop last year that you took into account for this permanent location?

Davis: Pop-ups are fun but we always intended to have a permanent store. Not least because we want to look after our customers' bikes. Location was important too—staying in Shoreditch, close to our existing customer base and in an area where there is still a lot of creativity. Space was also important. We wanted to give people coming to the store an experience as well as have enough room to show the entire range and house a workshop to build/service the bikes.

If you're in London during Clerkenwell Design Week from 22-25 May 2012, tokyobike will be offering its famous bike tours. Send an email to cdw@tokyobike.co.uk to reserve a spot.

Photos by Andrea DiCenzo