Taxi Driver is inspired by the fifty thousand cabbies in the city. These guys are everywhere at all times of day, and know the city better than anyone else. They always know what's what, and are truly some of the most honest folks I've ever met. They often refuse tips and always run by the book, even with tourists. And in a big city, its the small gestures that leave lasting impressions.



I took the photograph on my weekly trips to visit family. The graf-inspired crown is printed in gold ink, and is a personal recognition of their integrity.

Coat of Arms is the unofficial logo for the Mumbai railway. Ironically, the design is inspired by an event I was lucky NOT to witness too closely: the railway bombings on July 11, 2006. I was working in the city at the time. For those that don't know or can't remember, six bombs went off in Mumbai, killing more than 200 people. More details here.

I was in a cab on a road running parallel to the tracks when I heard one of them. In seconds, the cabbie had the lowdown and was getting the news better than CNN ever could. I got home safe, and watched the aftermath on the news.

There was obviously a sense of surprise and shock. But not enough to stop the city - not even close. The rebuilding began even before the dust settled, and the lines were up and running just four hours after the first blast. The city was back in business.



In the design, the shield is representative of a battlefield. The crossed beams and wheel are parts of a train, and the two stripes on the shield represent railway tracks. The pattern on the shield is a nod to one my favorite and most popular designs, Heart of the City. The phrase "Through floods, bullets & bombs" gets its meaning from events like this, and many others across the world. On a larger scale, it can be seen as recognizing the spirit of those that keep moving through the toughest circumstances.

This, along with other designs, be available for sale soon - follow me on Twitter for more updates and previews. Until then, check out the shop.

I was with my 9 year old cousin the other day, showing him how the subway works in Toronto - it was his first time and he was pretty amazed at the whole operation. I'll just wait for him to get jaded instead of ruining it for him. The highlight of the whole tour for me was meeting Brendon, who was wearing the Heart of the City on the train.

I wish I had a better camera with me at the time. This is the best the crackberry could do...



The Heart of the City design is the most popular in the store. It has 2 meanings:

1. It is inspired by the train system in Mumbai - the true lifeblood of the city and its 20+ million residents.
2. On close examination, I noticed that the railway map roughly resembles the path of blood flow through the human heart.

The name "Heart of the City" was only natural.