 Special Section - April 2008  |
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Snapshots of Chic My voyage from Javits to Fifth Avenue dots a trail of urban design, offbeat color happenings and the tales behind textile muses Out From The East
It felt like I entered an Indian village festival in Mumbai. Hanging sarees and a henna tattoo artist painting the hands of visitors set the mood for the debut of the Mendhi Collection, a collaboration between Décor by Beader’s Touch and Obac International. I delighted in the showroom set up of Mendhi because it tied in cultural elements that added value to the piece. Hand-pieced fabrics Pretty In Pink
At first glance, these oversized pillows atop oversized ottomans appeared too busy for my taste. Yet after a few strolls around the Handmade section at NYIGF, the Suzani Collection from Better Living commanded my attention. The intricate embroidery of floral motifs, zigzag and check patterns meld to form a stylized ethnic look that is a bit neo-traditional. The mellow tone of fuchsia is on trend with the move towards livelier colors. It’s striking against accents of yellow, navy, hints of olive and blots of black. How Literary!
Chocolate and red sound and look sweet together. I found this color combo most engaging in the Dafne ensemble from Signoria Firenze at the Gift Fair. It offered a textural illusion in its printed seasponge motif. The pores of the sponge appear to be in motion, reaching out of its Egyptian-cotton canvas to touch the onlooker. Dafne is named after an Italian opera that tells of Apollo falling in Red Is For Love
Oh, Donna K, how I admire thee! In the spirit of St. Valentine, red graced the master bedroom of Donna Karan’s latest collection, Wild Flower Field. The richness of red saturated Wild Flower’s densely populated floral print, quilted pillows, ruching details, Euro style embroidery and Chrysanthemum quilt, all made of cotton. I experienced a sensual reaction to this bed. I wanted to fall into it because it embodied energy, passion and excitement. Fruit Anyone?
I hope coconut husk might inspire Bev Hisey for her next rug introduction at the summer NYIGF. Her latest venture, The Melon Collection, interprets the scarring of cantaloupe skin into carved, jagged lines that run and interlock across New Zealand wool. I admire the way Hisey takes a simple element and places it abstractly in a medium. Looking at the mossy lines atop a blue ground, I could also picture Melon as coral reef floating under the sea. A New Urban Outfitter
As expected, Croscill’s mélange of traditional, high-end and modern collections were all bedroom worthy. Yet, I found its latest venture, the Croscill Cotton area, most refreshing with its relaxed, clean, urban fit. It’s very simple, woven of 100 percent cotton with pintucking effects and can mix and match with any Croscill collection. Not a lot of fuss, but plenty of style value. A Slice Of Holland
Dutch designer duo Scholten and Baijings defined Accent on Design at NYIGF with a neon-esque color scheme for home accessories. Represented by Wabnitz Editions, the Scholten and Baijings line of blankets, throws and cushions tapped into my affinity for bold shades with its vivid melon, pink and chartreuse scheme. Blended merino wool and cotton enhance the touch and interrupted shifts of color, fading in and out of each stripe pattern. Hypnotic Plum
I expect plums, lavenders and rich, regal hybrids of purple and blue to gradually settle into the top of bed. The palette seems to ignite something visceral in our senses. These Purple Potion decorative pillows—found in Textrade Inc.’s new 7 West showroom—have an attractive wildness about them. Made of cotton on a white backing and garnished with a graphic willowy nature motif, Purple Potion could add punch to a white easy chair or raise the intensity of a black leather sofa. Either way, it’s very versatile, very much me. Resources
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