Going Down to Chinatown : Ralph Lauren

The back of a an evening jacket done as a shawl collard
robe embroidered with Chinese motifs.  Detail, for me, is
everything.  This piece alone is worth not eating for a month.

As you know, I love a lot of things; my list is quite expansive and somewhat enviable.  One of the things that constantly gets my motor running is Chinoiserie; the West's interpretation of Chinese design as decorative elements.  Simplicity and opulence are hard notes to strike in tandem, but to me, that's Chinoiserie.  Imagine how tittered I became when I saw that for Fall 2011, Ralph Lauren showed a heavy dose of Chinoise with his Deco inspired collection.  As always, his sleek menswear inspired suiting and stunning frocks were present, but they were tempered with a nod to a different era ripe with streamlined elegance and exotic dreams of far away lands.  Have a look for yourself.

- Ian
 

Elegant simplicity in jade with a
plunging neckline.

 

The tiny bag done in calf hair with
carved stone embellishment.



 

Classic men's suiting for trousers with a cropped jacket.
I love the drama of the portrait collar and the femininity of
the charmeuse blouse underneath.



I was crazy for this look for one big reason,
the fur trimmed vest over the tweed jacket.
So unexpected and dramatic.



That beautiful embroidery just adds another
layer of texture and dimension.  And
I love the carved pendants too!



Is it wrong to want this printed dinner jacket to be made for men?
It makes me want to host an eclectic dinner party where
I bring guests back from the dead for one night of rousing conversation.

I'm crazy for this Bordeaux color, and
Laurens limited palette in general. 
The wholecollection was
as much about texture
as it was color.

Bordeaux again, fur trimmed. 
I'm a sucker for velvet,
and the silk variety plays
with light like no other. 

Lauren has started a line of semi-precious jewelry to compliment his
seasonal collections.  I love the organic simplicity of the Chinese
ornaments and the way they have been scaled to become these
showstopping earrings punctuated by faceted jet drops.

The sleeve of a one shouldered dress embellished with dragon embroidery.
So beautifully rendered and so thoughtful to create a Dolman sleeve so
the image would be uninterrupted.

A gown with a minimalist simplicity that transcends centuries and
remains ageless.



The illusion panel of a cocktail dress shows off sensuous
Asian embroidery.



Flying My Freak Flag - The Introduction to Mrs. Kennedy.

It's now official.  I am 'that guy'.  I'm 'that guy' who sings along to whatever is on his ipod with no concern for his dignity.  At the gym.  On an elliptical. 

I will say, in my defense, that I only lip sync, and head and arm movements in the style of Beyonce, Usher, or any other artist I choose to goof to, male or female, are limited to times when there is no one around me or when I am at the back of the room and no one can see me directly.  But, the fact of the matter is, I am 'that guy', and there is Security footage to prove it.

You could say I have a freak flag that I am not afraid to fly.  I was once, sadly, without one.  When I was younger, I used to be almost paralyzed with thoughts of what someone would think of me if I did something I thought was out of sync with the collective societies approval.  Oh the embarrassment of being dropped off at the mall by my Dad in his big yellow Chevrolet that sounded like a wheat thrasher! (but then you realize how lucky you are to have a ride at all).  Oh the humanity of not getting those shoes that everyone has! (how lucky I was to even get new shoes at all). There comes a point in your life where you stop caring so much about what people you don't know think about you, you get out of your own way, and you start focusing on more important things that make you happy.  Given that I can hold my own with a rousing renditions of 'Single Ladies' and '9 to 5', I'd say I'm obviously at that point.
 

President and Mrs. Kennedy, with guests, at the first State
Dinner they hosted.

Over the course of my career as a Designer and an Educator, I have stumbled upon some amazing personalities; true icons of style.  People who have done nothing but fly their freak flags high and proud, and it's their brazen individuality and flagrant nose-thumbing that has cemented their positions in history.  Because I love trivia and people of style, chiming in with random bits of information that will hopefully inspire you to be nothing but who you are seems like a good idea. 

So, for our first jaunt into quirky and stylish history, we have a bite sized morsel about Jackie Kennedy.  The epitome of style and culture during the 1960's and throughout her life, Jackie was not without her sly twists.  During her relatively short time as First Lady, she hosted quite a few State Dinners.  Beautiful antique china and crystal was used, and of course delicious meals were served.  But Jackie wanted to keep the magic of the evening exclusive to the White House.  When a guest requested a specific recipe that was served that night, Mrs. Kennedy obliged graciously as any good hostess would, but not before tweaking the ingredient list just enough to make the dish fall flat when the guest tried to make it for themselves!  She'd increase the salt or or onion or remove an ingredient entirely, keeping the magic of the meal wrapped tightly in White House mystique.

- Ian

Jackie photographed during her 1962 televised tour of the newly refurbished
Executive mansion.  Mrs. Kennedy did an incredible service to the home
by restoring its historic interiors.



Just because I love this photo.  Jackie the socialite
before a beautiful Japanese screen in the 1950's.



Interiors on Film - The Women



L to R : Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford,
Rosalind Russell.



The Women has got to be one of my favorite films; I can watch it over and over and be entertained as if it were the first time and not the tenth.  I'm speaking of the 1939 original with an all star, all female, cast headed by Rosalind Russell, Norma Shearer, and Joan Crawford, not the rehash with Meg Ryan and Annette Benning.  I refuse to see the updated version because I feel it would anger and upset me since the George Cukor directed original was perfection. 

For those who are unfamiliar, the story is a simple one of adultery and situational comedy; a New York wife and mother discovers through Beauty Salon gossip that her husband has been stepping out with a department store perfume girl.  Humiliated and depressed, she flees to Nevada to get a divorce.  While there, she is introduced to a variety of colorful women, all with man trouble of their own, who will inspire her to fight tooth and nail to get her husband back, if that is what she really wants.  Of course the story ends well with the happy reunion of the estranged couple and the ousting to the trollop. 

What makes this film stand out, besides the acting, writing and beautiful Adrian costumes, are the beautiful 'contemporary' sets designed by MGM's Cedric Gibbons; and for a design junkie like myself, wonderful interiors can make up for a multitude of sins, not that The Women has any.  Gibbons transports us from chic salons and glossy city apartments to Colonial country homes and nouveau riche man-traps without leaving the comforts of a sound stage in Culver City, Ca.  While I adore beautiful locations, there's still magic in conjuring an exotic land or beautiful boudoir in an airplane hangar or a studio back lot.  Gibbons most definitely has that movie magic we all love to crave, and the few images I could dig up from this iconic film illustrate that talent beautifully.

- Ian




Sydney's Salon, where our story opens.  The film had wonderful nods to surrealism
in it's costumes and sets, as seen here with the trompe l'oeil landscape walls
and the hand holding the crystal ball.  I also love the sweeping staircase, for
purely selfish and decadent reasons.

One of Adrian's many costumes with Surrealist influences (if you need a hint, it's the three
disembodied, stylized eyes).  Designers like Elsa Schiaparelli were finding
inspiration in artists like Salvador Dali at the time.



Mary Haines' (Shearer) City Apartment.  Two things infatuate me with this interior.
One -  That Blackamoore Cachepot.  In the film, it's seen overflowing with flowers.
I wonder what happened to it?  Because I really, really, want it.



Two - The liberal use of quilting.  Not only is the furniture done in
quilted fabric, but look at the drapes!  Floor to ceiling box quilting.
It's genius.  Total genius.  I want to replicate it for a project.

  

The Haines Country House.  I know it's a set.  I know it's synthesized reality.
But I really want to have a Colonial home with a powder room large enough to
have a Sheraton desk, a Ladder back chair and a floor to ceiling built in
corner cabinet to display my collection of cut crystal decanters (which I am also,
currently, without).  And dig that wallpaper!  It's fab!



Apparently, this look became known as 'Hollywood Colonial'.  Think Mr. Blandings, or
even the season where Lucy moved to Connecticut.  Beautiful early American and Georgian
architecture mixes with 20th century furnishings to create the look. 



The Kitchen in the Country House.  Utterly charming with its painted brick and
frilled curtains.



You know a Set Designer was responsible for this work.  A lovely
painted stair, dark wood floors, pictorial wallpaper (loving that) and a
striking bay window configuration at the foot of the landing.



Crystal's (Crawford) man-trap of a bathroom.  Imagine what the rest of the home
looks like!  As garish as it is, I am fascinated by that glass bathtub with it's
wave base.  And check out that lyre shaped towel holder!



A view through Crystals bath and into her Boudoir.  Look at the sliver of bed!
The serpentine bed spread trimmed with tassels is really rather nice.  I love the telephone
stretched to Crystal's bath tray.  You can tell she'll be marinating for a few hours. 
And that silk head rest is killing me!



The Ladies Lounge, home to the films final showdown between Crystal and Mary.
Deeply tufted furnishings, fringes, mirrored tables and a city view create the mood
of late Deco opulence and feminine beauty.  I also love that Gibbons has created
opportunitues for grand entries in all of his sets with architectural elements emphasize
the theatrical qualities of his interiors.



Details of the Lounge are incredible.  The doors are silver leaf!  With crystal knobs!
The vanities are Chinoiserie in inspiration, but the legs are Lucite and the tops mirrored!
The wall mirrors are topped with a Pagoda crown!  How utterly decadent.

Missoni for Target - The Aftermath.

And we're done here.  Most Target stores looked liek this
hours after the doors opened.

I just have to ask one question.  Just one.  Are you people insane?! 

Like much of upwardly mobile middle class America with some knowledge of fashion, I saw the Missoni for Target commericals on TV and waited with eager anticipation for that slow boat to pull into the dock.  And even though they offered guys a paltry selection of products to purchase (one grandpa sweater and a few ties?  Bitch please.) I still dropped in my local Target to see if there was anything marvelous.  It was as if it never happened!  Displays were barren, the signs still hanging from the ceiling like a flag above a desolate battle ground.  Not one stitch of Missoni left for anyone, anywhere.  Not one dish, throw, or candle.  What happen?, you may ask; well, I'll lay it on you.

Screen shot from the National commerical.

Missoni for Target looks.

Keep in mind my conjecture is often times closer to reality than most people like to admit, so let's just call the following scenario fact for the sake of argument.  Ahem.  Crazy people laid in wait outside their chosen store at an unholy hour of the morning.  When the doors open, a scene which I can only imagine was akin to the running of the Bulls in Pamplona ensued.  Greedy people with stubby little fingers careen their red carts toward moderately priced goods of Italian design and questionable origins and converge on it like jackals. 

Elbows are thrown, unwatched carts pillaged, stink eyes given.  Inevitably someone brought their brood of cranky kids and most likely they were miserable little wretches the whole time (note to the unaware - don't bring the kids to the bloodbath!  It messes up your game and angers the opposition.), and I shudder to think what they did to those poor people in the red shirts.  I know Target isn't union but I'd hope they have a nice medical package.  After the carcass is stripped, the gluttons cash out and make their way back home, fat with their spoils.



Really Target? Missoni at your disposal and you give men a Gramps sweater? 

 One would think that the lucky few who purchased the limited run of pieces would be happily wearing them and showing them off to their unlucky cohorts, but the story doesn't end there.  It ends on eBay, where, at 10:03 pm Sunday September 18th, there were over 700 pages of Missoni for Target products, all marked up to almost double the retail price found at the store.  Again, I must ask.  Are you people insane?!  700 pages?!

The pieces sold at Target are barely worth what they retail for; it's all acrylic and rayon blends, nowhere near the quality of the real McCoy found at Saks or Neimans.  Yes, I know the price point is way beyond that of Target, but with a name like Missoni, you're purchasing design, heritage, and above all, quality.  A true Missoni will last a lifetime.  Targets version will be pulled out of shape and unravelling before the month is through.  It's the Missoni look at Target prices, but it will not become a cherished and envied heriloom like the real deal will.


The bike, which would have forced me to think of actually
riding it, though it would probably get stolen the first time
I left it locked outside Starbucks.



Now that eBay is littered with the collection, we finally have the variety we were promised (it was the largest designer tie in for the store, some 400 items) but how many people will be desperate enough to shell out $1,600.00 plus shipping for the Missoni emblazoned bike that originally cost $400.00?  Or over $100.00 for some $39.00 pumps that are worth $20.00 at best?  I'm thinking not many, but I could be wrong.  But I don't think I am.

- Ian

P.S. - Rumors of a second shipment abound, but who knows when it will arrive or what will be in it.  Odds are, there will be another repeat of the early morning stampede.  So, either gird your loins and join the fight, or save your pennies for an authentic Missoni from Saks on sale.

Nostalgic Style for New Technology.

My Dad passed away last year and I had to clean out his house.  I had to go through all his stuff and try to make sense of it all...what goes to the shredder, what third notice in the pink envelope should I be worried about the most, what died in this room?!  Of his amassed possessions, a few obvious piles grew.  The dumpster pile, the shredder pile, and the 'could this possibly be worth anything at all to anybody?' pile.  The latter was a very small pile; if you knew my father you'd know why.

The pile was comprised mostly of things he collected, and by collected I mean amassed, not curated.  Do not for one minute think my father curated anything short of the mold in the shower.  He loved his swap meets and garage sales like a Kardashian loves a staged wedding.  The fruits of his labor left me with a unique assortment of old television picture tubes, propane tanks, and old TVs and radios.  In the end, they were all donated or dumped, with a few of the radios being sold on ebay...or in this case, released back into the wild to be purchased by someone like my Dad.

There's no denying the appeal of those old classic radios; the kind people in farm houses used to gather around to listen to a variety show or adventure series.  The kind that used to send George and Gracie or Little Orphan Annie bounding across the state for New York to Los Angeles and all points in between.  They're ripe with charm and nostalgia and frankly, some really lovely design too.  But what do you do with them?  You can't have them fixed, they're completely obsolete, and all they really do is sit around and collect dust, right?  In my travels, I was happy to find something to disprove this thought. 

A company called 3Ryan Radios has come up with the genius idea of refurbishing vintage radios (form the 30's through the 60's) and turning them into ipod docks.  How brilliant!  You just pick your favorite from their one of a kind selection which ranges from Bakelite table top styles to wooden floor models the size of a refrigerator, and away you go.  Talk about character pieces and conversation starters.  These are perfect for hipsters and old timers alike and help us all recall a simpler time when technology was a little more beautiful.

- Ian

Click to visit 3Ryan Radios.

Louis Vuitton and L' Art Nouveau

An image from Vuitton's Fall Winter 2011
campaign.  Red Guard goes S&M, with lovely
accessories.

 Sometimes, it's hard to imagine that there really was, at one time, a man named Louis Vuitton.  In the era we live in, luxury fashion houses are owned by multi-national conglomerates who sometimes change designers as frequently as they change color stories; seeking to steal the limelight for a few seconds more to gain just that little bit of extra publicity.  With this m.o., many brands have lost the identities of those who founded them in favor of a more flashy and faddish existence. 

Of course, Vuitton hit pay dirt by employing Marc Jacobs to reinvent the classic motifs and silhouettes of the house for a new generation of consumers, but as with most things, we tend to focus on the current incarnation and willingly let the foundation of the past fade into a foggy memory.  We are left with the salable superficial beauty of the modern age, but we have no idea of the path we traveled to arrive at our destination.  True identity is often lost, in it's place a few epithets and a coveted logo that make up nothing more than a designer headstone in a grave yard of sentimentality.

The exterior of the Vuitton home shows an eclectic mix of
modest profiles and elaborate ornament indicative of the
Art Nouveau movement.

One thing, however, remains constant when it comes to discovering the true character of anyone; the home.  Nowhere else can we see the exquisite beauty of everyday life so well.  All that is human is on display for all to see in the sacred inner workings of the home.  Case in point, Villa Vuitton in Asnieres, just outside Paris.  The family home of the Vuitton's couldn't be further from the homogenized glossy commercial model of the Louis Vuitton boutiques that populate the up market shopping districts throughout the world, and that's an incredibly beautiful thing.


In 1859, Louis Vuitton purchased a plot of land just over an acre in size in the riverside village that was once the haunt of Monet, Manet, and many of the Impressionist painters during the 19th Century.  Vuitton would build a factory on the site, which would remain the companies sole production facility until 1977.  The whir of sewing machines and the sight of delivery trucks bearing freshly milled timber and leather for luggage would be commonplace.  The facility is still in use today, producing Vuitton's trunks, case goods and custom orders.

The Vuitton home has as much Art
Nouveau decoration on the outside
as it does on the inside.

 Vuitton also chose this plot of land to build his family home, which was occupied by his descendants until 1964.  The Villa dates to 1869; previously Vuitton and his wife Emilie occupied an apartment on the top floor of the factory.  Never one for overwrought extravagances, Vuitton aimed to build a dwelling that was 'homely and comfortable' where he could raise his family and also supervise production at the factory next door.  The modest aspirations for his home were just as well; during the Franco-Prussian War, army officers temporarily took over the Villa.


Vuitton's son, Georges, had a different idea for the design of the home.  After his fathers death in 1892, Georges called on Louis Majorelle to redecorate the Billiard Room and Salon in the most luxurious and up to date style, Art Nouveau.  A style truly fit for a luxury brand of that era and the family that built it.   Majorelle, along with Louis Comfort Tiffany, Rene Lalique and Emile Galle, was one of the leading proponents of the Art Nouveau style which dominated the Decorative Arts from the 1890's through the early 1900's.  It is this incarnation of the Vuitton home that is still seen today.  The home is dramatic and beautiful; compelling with it's intricate leaded glass windows, soft ethereal colors and incredibly ornate plasterwork, but for all of its jaw-dropping qualities, it is seen not as a show piece or a museum, but a living home, designed with comfort and family in mind.

A view into the Billiard Room with beautiful cove ceilings and stunning
leaded glass windows.  I am in love with those understated but dramatic
pendant fixtures above the pool table. 

The characteristic sweeping whiplash curves and fantastic organic motifs fill the space with an almost dream-like effect.  The leaded glass windows and interior are decorated with motifs that incorporate irises, poppies, nasturtiums, chrysanthemums, and clematis.  Columns are formed from florid leaves and flowers, and ceilings are ornamented with delicate tendrils of hand sculpted plaster.  The kitchen, also done during this time, is said to have had handmade tiles bearing the famous LV monogram, which was designed by Georges in 1897.  Georges' widow, Josephine, was the last Vuitton to live in the family home.  After her death at the age of 103, the house was gutted and converted to storage space and offices and the original furnishings dispersed among the family.


An alcove off the Salon is defined by the intricately carved columns and is filled
with eclectic furnishings such as the Beaux Arts settee, mahogany table and a bronze Crane.



A bay off the Salon houses a circa 1900 English cane furniture suite and
majolica style planters. The leaded window panes are dynamic with their
pencil thin whiplash curves and borders of leaded glass flowers.

A most exquisite chandelier of gilded bronze
and frosted glass leaves springs down from a whorl
of plasterwork tendrils on the Salon ceiling.
Matching sconces can be seen flanking the fireplace.

 In 1984, a decision was made to renovate the Villa and turn it into a museum chronicling the development of the Vuitton brand.  The Billiard and Salon were reconstructed through the use of old photos.  Plaster friezes and moldings in floral forms were remade, and a copy of the immense turquoise ceramic mantelpiece was installed.  Furnishing, purchased at auction, were selected to recreate the spirit of the original Art Nouveau interior; Louis XV bergeres, Beaux Arts settees, mother of pearl inlaid Chinese tables, Majorelle lamps, bronze sculptures, art pottery planters, and oriental carpets contribute to the eclectic, exotic, and sensual feeling that Art Nouveau is known for.

The Villa Vuitton stands as an emblem of the company's origins; a modest family home built by a proud patriarch and entrepreneur, then embellished by the heir apparent as the company grew.  Beyond the established brand image, the home is more than just a status symbol, it is the people that make it a home.  It's slamming doors and creaking floors and cracks in the plaster.  A home tells volumes about it's family, all we have to do is be ready to observe and listen.

- Ian

Hand painted details add charm to the entire room,
as this fragment of a white Lily frieze indicates.
I'm also smitten with the elegance and simplicity of
the egg shaped brass knob.  Given the exuberance of the
interior, this detail is restraint at its best.

The stunning turquoise ceramic mantelpiece was
recreated and installed.  Note the marvelous upward
sweep of the wainscot panels and the shield shape
of the mirror.  Epic drama on a residential scale.
And look at the art pottery hearth!  J'adore!

Dorothy Draper, Off the Collar.

The Draper Necklace at Mizrahi's F/W 2011
show.  I'm also smitten with the dyed to match
pooch.  No need to dig out the lint roller!

I eagerly anticipated the departure of Isaac Mizrahi from the realm of Target.  He was far too good for the likes of mass marketing.  True, it gave him the opportunity to dress a broad spectrum of women and give style to any income bracket, but it was heartbreaking to see a wonderful design executed in a lack luster fashion via poor craftsmanship and sleazy fabric.

Since departing the land of the red bulls eye, Isaac has returned stronger than ever over the past few seasons with incredible designs that are undeniably fresh, making the traumatic plug pulling by parent company Chanel so many years ago seem like a case of drastic short sighted decision making.  Case in point his witty, irreverent, and inspired homage to decorator Dorothy Draper, rendered in white enamel and rhodium. 

Part of his Fall 2011 collection, the Baroque collar (which also has matching earrings that I haven't found yet but they can be seen on the last photo of this entry), provides a graphic and delicate foil to his bold swaths of exuberant intense color, a Mizrahi signature, and his sculptural and voluminous silhouettes of the season.  

The Draper Necklace is available at Saks
and http://www.saks.com/ for $880.00.

The Draper necklace, as it is called, looks to be inspired by Drapers work in the 1940's for the Palace Quitandinha, in Brazil.  At least it does to me.  The dangling shell, the central lattice cartouche, and the scrolling volutes all appear in her designs executed in white plaster and wrought iron and carved stone throughout the resort.  The necklace is also done in bright white, another Draper hallmark. 

These calling cards are not found solely in her work in Brazil; Drapers penchant for the Baroque and her desire to render everything over scale (I often refer to it as 'bombastic') can be seen in every installation she has ever done.  Subtle and nuanced were not in her vocabulary.  Draper was a full on assault of the most decorative kind. 

I am sure this piece will fly off the shelves, especially with so many decorators out their (many of whom I went to school with) pledging their allegiance to the United States of Draper.  While this trinket won't give them any more talent or skill, it will at least help them keep Draper close to their hearts.  And as for Isaac, I can do nothing but commend him for his tongue in cheek salute to one of America's most notable decorators.  

- Ian 

The trellis cartouche above the doors is very similar to
the one seen on the necklace.  Also note the stark
white trim.

One of th  many fountains at the Quitandinha, the
scrolling volutes and the shell motif echo those found
on Mizrahi's design.

The leafy acanthus scroll arms of this wall sconce recall
the scrolling leaf forms seen at the neck of the piece.



The matching earrings shown with a pink dress.
I think it's smart to keep the necklace and earrings
apart.  No one wants to look like a Showgirl.