Archive for category Friends
Staying at the Oriental
When you stay at the Oriental in Bangkok, you just never know who you are going to run into. I’ve been here for the past couple of days and on this trip I met Thomas Britt, a legendary designer whose quirky personality and extravagant and layered design has carried him through many years in the interior design industry and the darling of Architectural Digest.
With his distinctive raspy voice, he related stories of his career over lunch at The Veranda overlooking the river – stories of his travels in India and the Maharani of Jaipur which offered a great and unexpected insight into one of New York’s grandest designers.
Preston Bailey – Celebrations
My dear friend and event-planner-to-the-stars, Preston Bailey, last night threw a party to end all parties at The Armory on 27th and Lexington to launch his latest book, Celebrations, and it was quite the place to be seen. The invitation, featuring Preston in all his magnificent-ness, described the dress code simply as ‘Hot’ and the scene did not disappoint. Entering the Armory was a feast for the eyes and in Preston’s usual style, nothing was left untouched. With just 48 hours in which to dress a huge space, Preston and his team draped the walls, created breathtaking fake trees, a flower-covered entryway and, most impressively, built a ‘printing-press-runway’ where projected images from his book scrolled from the ceiling. It was absolutely breathtaking.
The food was spectacular, the dessert tables stacked high and wide and the drinks (named the Celebrations Mojito) flowed. The party moved to the next level when four models with strategically placed flowers (and not much else) started strutting the runway before Preston made a short speech and introduced the two star performers for the night - Gloria Gainer and Martha Washington. Their performances sky-rocketed the crowd and there was just no stopping the fabulousness. To see more photos from the party, click here or visit Preston’s blog.
Congratulations Preston! You’ve done it again.
VW Home Roundtable Event – Preston Bailey
Preston Bailey and I have been friends for almost as long as I’ve been in this business. It’s been so wonderful to see him follow his own path and becoming as successful as he has become. At the recent VW Home Roundtable Event he shared with guests how he got to be this successful by following his own ideas and doing things his own way.
He truly is Mr Fabulous!
VW Home Roundtable Discussion – Amsale
Here’s Amsale talking about how she got started in the wedding dress design industry – and you know she’s made it big!
Check back tomorrow for more from this event.
VW Home Roundtable Discussion – Michael Bruno
Many of you have asked me to share the video clips of the roundtable discussion we has at VW Home on October 7th and I am happy to oblige! Here is Michael Bruno, founder of www.1stdibs.com, talking about how he got to be successful, doing things his own way.
Part 2
Be sure to check back tomorrow for more clips from this informative evening.
Style and Substance
I went to Bergdorf Goodman last night to attend the launch party of “Style And Substance – the Best of Elle Décor” by editor-in-chief Margaret Russell. Beside it being a design-studded event – and Margaret looking her movie-starrish self – the book is truly a compilation of so many different, wonderful design spaces that it is a must-buy for anybody who’s interested in design. The book is divided into sections like Living Rooms, Dining Rooms, Kitchens, etc, which is great for anybody who’s doing a room and need some design inspiration.
Bravo, Elle Décor, bravo!
Friendship
Last night I had dinner with my friend Tim Corrigan. When we first met he was into real estate, but always lived with great style and individuality – whether it was in Europe or New York or when I met him in Santa Barbara. Since then, he has become one of the top designers in LA with clients literally all over the world. But it’s not his talent that makes him shine, it’s his wonderful personality, his social concerns and his California-easy appeal.
It’s hard to find people whose conversation, point of view, and interests become so intertwined with one’s own. We do very different designs. Our lifestyles are so completely different, and we don’t see each other very often as we’re on different coasts. When we get together, however, time flies. Being the day after I had dinner and spent some time on him, it makes me reflect what a good friend is and what it constitutes.
They say blood is thicker than water, but I say a good friend is hard to find.
Doris Leslie Blau
Through the years I have always bought my antique rugs from Doris Leslie Blau and a while back I created two designs for them – both rather aesthetic in concept. One is a Chinese Poem woven into a rug and the other is a pattern created from pictures I took in Iran – I was so taken with the play of light that comes through the patterned windows.
We’ve just added these two designs to the VW Home website and I thought I’d share these images of the rugs with you. Also, be sure to visit their website and have a look at their rugs, which are quite extraordinary. As I said, they are the only people that I buy antique rugs from.
Dinner
I don’t want you thinking I’m writing this to name-drop, but on Sunday I had dinner with Margaret Russell of Elle Décor.
Out of context, one always thinks of these Editor-in-Chiefs as being very highfalutin and unreachable, but each time I get together with Margaret, I’m inspired to work harder and become more committed to the work that I do.
Her respect for designers and the work that we do is so evident and such a support for the industry. Anybody who works seven days a week to produce the best possible product truly deserves the admiration and support of the reading public.
SHOW by Ralph Pucci
Ralph Pucci is a dear friend and a long-standing client of this firm and he has just launched a beautiful book that features some of the most spectacular shows he’s hosted at his gallery over the past fifteen years.
Titled SHOW, the book melds art, furniture (you’ll spot some of my pieces in there), design and mannequins – which Ralph is probably most famous for – in the most unpredictable and imaginative ways.
Treat yourself and buy this book – it’s beautiful, and if you haven’t been to Ralph’s gallery in Manhattan, be sure to stop by on your next visit.
You won’t be disappointed in either.
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