Design as an Art Form

“Collecting Design” by Daniella Ohad

Collecting modern and contemporary design has become one of the most dynamic, influential territories in the international marketplace, a territory that stands at the forefront of style and taste. While at first it was fueled mainly by the fine art market, collecting design has emerged as a discipline in its own right; one that not only dominates interior design, but also attracts those who value living with beautiful things. The design market is now a global barometer of trend forecasting, signifying status and culture. Collecting design inspires scholarly analysis, art fairs, museum exhibitions, and monographs, and was cited recently by the Wall Street Journal as a lucrative avenue of investment. Although collecting design generates tremendous interest worldwide, a dedicated program was nowhere to be found. To fill the gap, I authored the first course exclusively devoted to collecting design, and it is open to everyone.

In the ten-session program, I examine the themes, periods, and styles with the strongest presence in the marketplace, including the American Arts & Crafts Movement, French Art Deco, American Modernism, Mid-Century Design in the US, Italy, and France, the Studio Movement, European Design of the 70s, and Contemporary Design. Each lecture is complimented by dialogues with dealers, collectors, curators, designers, and writers. I have the honor of sharing insights and candid advice from the world’s most knowledgeable experts. Together, we examine exhibitions, publications, auction records, relevant connoisseurship, major design fairs, and the stories behind the scenes. For information and registration: https://www.nysid.edu/academics/continuing-education-professional-studies/collecting-design.


Images courtesy Wright Chicago
Contributing Story from Daniella Ohad

Spring 2014 Ready-To-Wear Collection

New York Fashion Week: Day 1

RICHARD CHAI

The Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week in New York is a splendid time in the city. Editors, bloggers, models, and spectators brace the trip to the upper west side, all in the name of fashion. Fall is here, so we look towards the Spring Collection for 2014. So far, designers are serving a hot dish of black and white with a pop of color. The shows opened with a bang yesterday at Lincoln Center, and as usual BCBGMAXAZRIA spearheaded the event. On this blog post, we’re featuring eye catching looks from Richard Chai, BCBGMaxazria, Desigual, Marissa Webb, Tadashi Shoji, and Richard Chai.

Look for continuing coverage of the show throughout the weekend, into the following week. And don’t forget to check back periodically for the Mercedez-Benz live streaming videos.
BCBGMAXAZRIA
DESIGUAL
MARISSA WEBB
TADASHI SHOJI
All images courtesy Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Inside The Alluring Seaside town of La Rochelle, France

Gallic City: La Rochelle, France
Our Paris correspondent, and photographer, Sarah Boutinon-Tharse takes us on a wondrous journey to western France. La Rochelle is a city, and seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. Sarah not only enjoyed her time at the beach with her family, but during her holidays, she was intrigued once she discovered that this charming town became one of the French center for faience in the end of the 18th century. Bernard Palissy, French Huguenot potter, hydraulics engineer and craftsman, famous for having struggled for sixteen years to imitate Chinese porcelain, was born in the region and had some bearing in the development of French Faience. Follow Sarah on Instagram. She has a joyful and fresh eye for details, and a keen understanding of her beloved country. All of these attributes shine through her photographs.
















Sarah Boutinon-Tharse Photos
All rights reserved

Madison Avenue Glamour (French Style)

Maubousin is located at 714 Madison Avenue, NYC.
Art Design by Jay C. Lohman
MAUBOUSSIN
Shopping at the Upper East Side on Madison Avenue is a bit more picturesque then the streets of Monaco. And that’s a good thing because most Eastsiders like to obtain more mileage on their luxury goods. Madison Avenue is well known for its serious, veteran luxury brands, but over the past few years, many new comers have also taking residence. One such brand is Mausboussin on East 63rd Street. Since 1827, this French paragon in the jewelry world have been dazzling the world with their stunning, and at times, whimsical bijoux, and interior design choices. We happen to be quite impressed with the latest efforts from NY-based, Milanese artist, Jay C. Lohman. The look is artsy, refreshing and oh so French.













CHRISTOFLE

Last October, we visited the then newly designed Christofle – also on Madison Avenue. They have moved from their location near Barneys New York to East 70th Street. Although the store is a bit more smaller than we would of liked, its true appeal lies in the smart interior design by Stéphane Parmentier. It’s highly sophisticated, elegant, and like Mausboussin, very French.

Christofle is located at 46 Madison Avenue (70 Street), NYC






High End Weekly™ Images
All rights reserved

Artful Gifts with A Past

Sonia Delaunay’s fashionable gifts from The Met Store

Now is the the time to get a head start on your holiday shopping. After all, immediately following Labor Day comes a barrage of holidays, and if you love the arts, and have some of those hard to please artsy friends, we suggest you try the shopping experience from The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual holiday catalogue. Once we looked through its pages we were delighted to find merchandise collections inspired by and evocative of objects in the Museum’s vast holdings.

Like the previous years before, The Met has continued a tradition that began in 1870, their merchandising staff work closely with art historians, master craftspeople, and responsible manufacturers to assure that each of their publications, reproductions, and adaptations offers superior design, quality and value. These holiday introductions (and many more) are also available at store.metmuseum.org and in the Met’s retail locations: 1000 Fifth Avenue (within the Museum) and Rockefeller Center (15 West 49th Street).



Images courtesy The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Tennis Anyone?

Game of Tennis
The start of the US Open is a sure sign that summer is on its way out. Thankfully, it is also a fun time for tennis fans to see their favorite players, and enjoy two weeks of some of the world’s finest tennis under the sun. This spectacular game is not only fascinating, it is also an excellent way to stay healthy, stay focus, and believe in one’s abilities. The first time I visited the Louis Armstrong Stadium (currently named Arthur Ashe Stadium), I witnessed the magic of Stephanie Graf, and every year since, I’ve been intrigued by a new generation of tennis players who are taking their games to even higher plateaus. There is an art form to tennis, and that is why I decided to bring out some of these alluring vintage posters. They all spoke kindly and with great interest of the elegance, chicness, and originality of the game – the same way they do today. Thankfully, some things in life never go out of style.
Tommervik Tennis Player
Tennis Service Poster
Summer Tennis
Coche Sports
Cordes Pour Raquettes
Campus Tennis Team
via Amazon.com
Country Home: A Friendly Match
Jupp Wiertz Tennis Poster
Tennis Players
Men Play Tennis
Ram, 1930
Roland Garro Tennis Championship
Field Day
Tennis Dress Pattern making Illustration


Unless otherwise noted, all images are via AllPosters.com

This Week’s Featured Products

The Girls of Summer: Greg Lotus, Swimmer Cap, 2007,
Robin Rice Gallery: Now through September 15, 2013
Swimmer Cap by Greg Lotus emphasizes viewer eye movement through the use of hyper-realistic colors in vibrant swim head wear. A beautifully composed image that is influenced by fashion photography plays with a melodrama belied by the bright, animated color. Three young women pose in a retro gym, two of them distant and one up close captivating the viewer with intense regard that dares you to look further.

Dining Options: Dining table in jacaranda with blue under painted glass top. Designed by Joaquim Tenreiro Brazil, 1960s. Set of six “Cantu” chairs in jacaranda with tan leather seats. Designed by Sergio Rodrigues for Oca, Brazil, circa 1959.

Making a Statement: Flock Star Stripe black and white wall paper from Graham & Brown. Inspired by the ‘mad, bad and dangerous to know’ Georgian poets who broke hearts with their rock ‘n’ roll Gothic poetry, read out in Regency striped salons to an audience of impressionable, swooning young women.
Graham & Brown’s newest wallpaper collection, Casa Nova, an exclusive range of opulent wall coverings by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. Casa Nova is a deeply felt homage to the sensuality of hte decadent aesthetic behind some of history’s most luxurious designs.

Home Graphics: KnollTextiles, Summer of 2013 first collection of interior fabrics
designed by Alejandro Cardenas
Characterized by its lively colors and graphic, modern imagery, the collection consists of theree upholstery designs: Soon, Glider and Biscayne. The textile papperns have diverse influences; Soon was inspired by a song of hte same name by one of Cardenas’ favorite bands, Glider’s repeating lines and shapes represent the feeling of gliding over a landscape, and Biscayne is named after Key Biscayne in Florida.
Blue Magic: Simon Miller‘s limited run of indigo dyed beach blankets available at
The Surf Lodge in Montauk, NY. 
The indigo dyed, block printed beach blanket is made using hand-cut blocks that reference classic surf motifs. The plant-based indigo dyeing was done through Noon Studio using hand crafted and artisanal methods. The blanket will be available in the Surf Lodge shop, on their website (the-surf-lodge.myshopify.com) and in guest rooms through the end of September.

Note: Photographs above the bed are by Max Snow, Photo courtesy Billy Farrell Agency
Simon Furniture Design Credenza
“What Light There Was” Collection, New England 2013, is inspired by two years that Simon Lowe have spent in Providence RI. Having arrived from the Caribbean, Simon realised that light and space are precious wherever there is a long winter. He designed and made three tables, a chair and a door which celebrate light, air, movement, gesture and the space between things. Each was crafted from locally sourced, sustainable materials, with the use of an innovative combination of the most modern computer assisted fabrication and exceptional hand skills.

Nature’s Choice: Bamboo wall clock designed by J.P.Meulendijk
This big bamboo wall clock will catch your eye by changing shape when you walk around it. When you stand in front of the clock: the numbers are clear and visible. When you walk around it: numbers slowly dissolve, and seem to fall apart in little floating white balls. This optical illusion results in a striking and intriguing piece of wall-art. Inspired by “MOTION CAPTURE” technique used in movies such as “Lord of the rings” + “Avatar” click here to watch clock-movie

Greetings from The South of France

Abbaye de Senangue, France
Found our sea of lavender at the Abbaye de Senanque in Vaucluse about 1 hour’s drive south from our hotel in Crillon de Brave. The lavender is in the height of its bloom and the scent meandering through the fields is incredible. If one can deal with isolation and poverty vows, these monks have a good thing going!” Kevin Byrne

BON WEEKEND TO YOUR ALL!

Luxury Hotels That Live Up To The Hype

Luxury Hotels That Life Up To The Hype.2

Still looking for an elegant and luxurious home away from home while you travel with your family for the rest of the summer ?

Luxury Hotels That Life Up To The Hype.1 Luxury Hotels That Life Up To The Hype.4Why not try any one of these insanely beautiful and soignee hotels listed here? All of them stemmed from The World Top 100 Hotels in the United States and Canada, from The Robb Report.

Luxury Hotels That Life Up To The Hype.3

There are so many fine choices to look at, (from the Mandarin Oriental in Atlanta, The Four Seasons in Santa Fé, to the Waldorf Astoria here in New York).

Luxury Hotels That Life Up To The Hype.5

But alas, time only allowed for simply nine of which I’ve had the pleasure of staying in.

For the complete list, check out the article directly from The Robb Report. Hope you’re enjoying your time in the sun!