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Luxury in Motion
Traveling, this time of year, can be stressful. To ease any anxiety, we offer a meditation on luxury in motion. Perhaps the mere act of imagining yourself in a Poltrona Frau-outfitted locomotive will assuage the angst of your reality.True to its name (poltrona is Italian for armchair), Poltrona Frau has been synonymous with luxury seating since its founding in 1912, when Renzo Frau opened a leather workshop in Turin specializing in handcrafted Chester armchairs. Flash forward a c . . .
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A Toast to History
Cocktailing is an American invention, born of prohibition and the corresponding liberation of the modern woman. No longer bound by Edwardian ideals, she embraced her individuality and independence by going out to private soir es and lounges in progressive attire: A short sheath with a matching hat and gloves. Donned only in the early evening, this stylish frock sassy for the early 20th century was later dubbed a cocktail dress by Christian Dior. By the . . .
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Material as Muse
We can count on one hand the number of times we have been awestruck by a museum exhibition. Not to say we dont find many shows extraordinary; quite the contrary. But as exhibition designers, we apply a critical eye to the method by which masterworks are presented to the public. So when we find ourselves standing speechless in a gallery, we want to share the sensation with others. Such was our experience at Picasso Sculpture, on view now at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.The landmark s . . .
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Beauty in Utility
Eloquent design can electrify even the most mundane objects. Consider the pill box designed by Pauline Deltour for Puiforcat. A simple square of polished silver, the etched lid ends in a smooth circular clasp an artful reinvention of a prosaic piece.Deltour considers this design (and the collection it belongs to) a game of round and square, a dynamic begun by Art Deco visionary Jean Puiforcat at the early 20th century. As a fourth-generation master silversmith, he introdu . . .
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Alpine Esprit
Mountain winds. Local livestock. River water. The steps by which Arpin makes its wool sounds more like a fairy tale than a manufacturing process. Such is the esprit de corps of the centuries-old brand: Yes, the wool Arpin produces is some of the finest in the world, but the proud story behind the brand is what makes its ruggedly sophisticated identity standout.Tucked in the French Alps, Arpin epitomizes every aspect of the alpine lifestyle, from its respectful use of natural resources to its p . . .
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Into the Wild
We live where we do amid the wilds of Wyoming to better connect with our muse Mother Nature. This geographic choice can put us at a remove from the design world a remove we bridge with our passports. And yet sometimes we dont need to travel to find ourselves in synch with global currents, as is the case with this years MAISON&OBJET fair, closing today in Paris. Themed Wild a concept conceived by Fran ois Bernard of the MAISON&OBJET Observator . . .
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A Mindful Meal
Spaces graced with Sempre designs feel like living, breathing environments. Be it our Jackson showroom or a Parisian pop-up, Sempre infuses interiors with respect for natures imperfect, profound beauty.And now, for perhaps its largest design challenge to date, the Belgian design house is imagining its own restaurant in Moscow, Russia. In an exclusive preview of the space, project manager Aline Verschraegen offered a tantalizing sketch of the concept, slated to open this spring (just in . . .
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Crystalline Muse
Glass is solidified breath. Paul ClaudelGlass epitomizes the transformation of imagination into form. What begins as mundane materials become, through dramatic interaction, a solid art a magical metamorphosis.For centuries, this alchemy has drawn collectors to Saint-Louis crystal (of which we proudly count ourselves; Saint-Louis is our latest Exclusive Line). And now, Strasbourg artist Capucine Vandebrouck joins this lineage of fascination with her solo exhib . . .
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Dyed in the Wool
To say a luxury legacy brand has a spirit animal may seem like a silly notion, however such is the case for Loro Piana: in 1984, the venerable textile house (and one of our Exclusive Lines) initiated a partnership to save the endangered vicu a from imminent extinction. Why is the vicu a synonymous with the spirit of the storied Italian brand? Indigenous to the Andes mountains (thus the national animal of Peru), the small camelid a petite relative of the llama and wild ancestor of the dom . . .
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Lights, Camera, Design
Tonight, as the spotlight shines on the red carpet, we celebrate the quiet stars who make the magic happen aesthetically. The Best Production Design category awards ambidextrous talents skilled at art direction and history, set production, interior design and architecture. Last year, production director Adam Stockhausen and set decorator Anna Pinnock won for the quirky fantasia The Grand Budapest Hotel. This years nominees include: the brooding Cold War interiors of Bridge of Spies &ndash . . .
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