Fashion’s Coming Attraction

Balenciaga's new Artistic Director Alexander Wang

Alexander Wang ………………………… When I think of Balenciaga, I think of two people.  Cristóbal Balenciaga, a fellow Spaniard and the founder of the fashion house, and Nicolas Ghesquière, the designer who reinvented the house in 1997 at the young age of 25. Last month Ghesquière announced his departure after 15 years as Creative Director, and Alexander … Continue reading Fashion’s Coming Attraction

Luxe Leather

a shopper's guide for high end hides

‘Luxe Cafe’ from Edelman Leather ……………………….. . Let’s talk about a special type of leather today.  Those lustrous, sophisticated, supple varieties that high style is synonymous with. . The finest grade leathers are still produced using traditional vegetable and salt tanning methods resulting in malleable, translucent hides with great color saturation.  The process of aniline dyeing … Continue reading Luxe Leather

‘The New Guard’

Jon Call of Mr. Call Designs

………………………… “For today’s interior designers, antiques in Europe are as easy to access as those in New Jersey.  As this ‘global access’ trend continues to evolve, interior designers are going to have to adjust their business models and skill sets in response.” ………………………… While attending last months press preview for Holiday House (Iris Danker’s annual … Continue reading ‘The New Guard’

Fortuny in the 21st Century

The 'Grand Manner' lives on...

Photograph by Erik Kvalsvik from Fortuny Interiors by Brian Coleman.  Reprinted with permission by Gibbs Smith. ………………………… From the curiosity and passion of one person – Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo – a design empire was created that encompassed fine arts, photography, theatrical design, lighting, fashion and textiles.  The inventor, and the world he created over one hundred … Continue reading Fortuny in the 21st Century

The 2012 Hearst ‘Designer Visions’ Showhouse

featuring apartments by David Rockwell, Matthew Patrick Smyth, & Antony Todd

…………………………………. This years Hearst ‘Designer Visions’ Showhouse event is set up in 3 apartments at 250 West Street in NYC, and while the building is still a construction site, it’s very much worth seeing.  I was invited to the preview breakfast last week.  It was a very enjoyable time with the designers, magazine executives (including … Continue reading The 2012 Hearst ‘Designer Visions’ Showhouse

Holiday House 2012

Benefiting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Photo credit The New York Times ………………………… New York’s Design Showhouses are among my favorite events to attend.  They’re an opportunity to meet both the well established and the new-to-the-scene designers, and to see spacial creativity at it’s best.  This years Holiday House opens to the public today, and I’d like to share a few … Continue reading Holiday House 2012