Two weeks ago, The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC held their Annual Gala.
Guests at the black-tie event dined within the museum among the Phillips’ masterpieces, then headed to the After Party at the Italian Embassy. We were honored to be a part of the spectacular event; each table was set with a stunning display of flowers and a matching Fortuny table runner.
The Gala was designed by Barry Dixon, who was also an honoree, along with Lidia Bastianich and Roberto Coin. All proceeds go to The Phillips Collection’s award-winning arts education programs, which reach 180,000 students and educators each year.
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“(Fortuny) is remembered as a Renaissance Man, for his versatile mosaic of
talents,
but it is the specific category of textiles and garments that guarantees
his
immortality. Any of these, taken from one of his magical ateliers,
stands on its
own, offering us a window into another world.”
Caroline Milbank, Fashion Historian
From ancient Greco-Roman art to Christian churches to Gaudi’s Parc Guell, mosaics are a form of art that has been used for centuries. It involves the arrangement of small pieces of a certain material, most commonly glass or stone, to create a design or picture.
A famous mosaic of ancient origin is The Beauty of Durres, an elliptical depiction of a woman’s head surrounded by flora and fauna. Discovered in 1916 in Durres, Albania, the mosaic decorated the floor of a private and luxurious restroom during the 4th century BCE. Luxurious, indeed.
The Beauty of Durres - Durres, Albania
In the Nea Moni monastery, built in the 11th century on the Greek island of Chios, mosaic panels have survived, depicting evangelists and scenes from Christ’s life.
Mosaic panels in Nea Moni - Chios, Greece
Mosaics took on a new form during the 20th century, when Catalan architects such as Antoni Gaudi created patterns from shards of broken tiles. This technique, known as trencadis, can be seen in Gaudi’s Parc Guell in Barcelona.
Parc Guell - Barcelona, Spain
This brings us to the debut of our Fortuny mosaics, both the first patent in fabric mosaics and our company’s first patent since Fortuny passed in 1949. Handmade in Italy with 1- or 2-cm fabric tiles, they are customizable in pattern, color, and fabric. If you’ve been to the New York showroom recently, you may have noticed these mosaic panels:
Mosaic photos by Steve Freihon
Fortuny mosaics can be used for panels, wall coverings, and floors - and we even have a client who’s thinking of using it for a headboard. We’re excited for the possibilities of these mosaics and can’t wait to see the beautiful designs they’ll surely depict.
"Unlike the hardness and resistance of the traditional material of a mosaic,
which have always been selected to weather the elements, Fortuny has turned
the concept of a mosaic into something soft and warm, while still maintaining
the same benefits of being a mosaic and the many opportunities
it presents to clients with what they can do to it.“
Pietro Lunetta, Fortuny Design Director and Mosaics Creator
Read more about them in Interior Design magazine.
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Today we have a guest post from our own Catherine Vergara: Il ragazzo La famiglia Salute!
Who becomes our legend most (with apologies to Mr. Peter Rogers and his iconic black glama mink ad campaign)???
In honor of Avner Lapovsky's big birthday, we want to say how grateful we are that "la forza del destino"* took Avner the "ragazzo"** from his homeland to the design world of San Francisco, to Sloan Miyasato and Fortuny! Avner and Fortuny's wonderful shared history is a rare partnership based on mutual love, respect, and trust.
These pictures of Avner with the Fortuny family in Venice and America are treasured mementos of wonderful experiences.
Avner, Happy Birthday! We love you.
xoxo,
Guest Blogger, La Contessa Catherine Vergara
* destiny
** boy
This week, we have a special guest post from Paul Vincent Wiseman of The Wiseman Group, based in San Francisco.
Describe your style in three words.
Paul: My design approach is always relative to the nature of the project at hand. Exceptional style has to be grounded in a sense of place and context; connected to the needs and wishes of the clients; and timeless in its quality so that it will nurture the soul and bring enduring pleasure.
Pan-Asian style, one of several styles at which The Wiseman Group excels
Traditional style
Modern style
What first pulled you to interior design?
Paul: The biggest single influence on my decision to become a designer was world travel. After I graduated from high school, I immediately went abroad. For the next several years I traveled as much as possible. I turned 18 in Athens, 21 in Tasmania, and 25 in Paris! The beauty I experienced moved me profoundly and stirred my creative energy.
Paul traveling as a young man
Has your style changed since then? How so?
Paul: The biggest change in my style has been a steady shift toward simplicity. For example, I am enchanted by the simple beauty and refinement of primitive art objects.
The Wiseman Group-designed residence in Hawaii with primitive art objects on display
What are your earliest visual memories?
Paul: I grew up in Walnut Grove, a community on a small island in the delta region of the Sacramento River in northern California. It’s an agricultural area, and the quiet beauty of pear orchards always surrounded me. The flowing river, with its flora and fauna, was a constant source of entertainment and visual pleasure.
Delta farmland in Walnut Grove, CA
When I first traveled abroad in 1971, Istanbul made a strong visual impression on me. The camel caravans were still coming through at that time. There were incongruities like dancing bears juxtaposed with older-model American cars. It was all very exotic, and I remember thinking, “I’m not in Kansas anymore!” Versailles amazed me as well, but in a totally different way, of course. Perhaps the most profound visual moment of my early travels was when I walked into the Pantheon in Rome. I entered that amazing 2,000 year-old space, pierced by the central beam of light, just as an organ recital began. I cried tears of awe.
Façade of the Pantheon
Pannini painting of the interior of the Pantheon
What are your favorite places where your work has brought you?
Paul: I had the pleasure of traveling with clients in Indonesia where we stayed at two Aman Resorts, Amankila and Amanjiwo. Amankila is a secluded seaside resort overlooking the Lombok Strait. Stilted villas surrounded by frangipani and bougainvillea offer incredible views of the jungle and water. Amanjiwo, which overlooks Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist sanctuary, is in the rural heartland of Central Java. It is located in one of the most scenic parts of the country, and is situated in a natural amphitheater within view of four volcanoes. Staying at a supremely tasteful resort hotel chain in a beautiful area of the world while traveling with wonderful clients made for a very special experience.
Amankila Resort
Amanjiwo Resort
When was your first encounter with Fortuny?
Paul: When I first opened my interior design business in San Francisco, I only had a few clients. I decided to work part-time at Winfield Windsor Antiques in Jackson Square. Winfield was previously head of W. J. Sloane Furniture Company. He really knew the furniture business and had exquisite taste in antiques. He was a wonderful mentor. The shop was across the street from the Fortuny showroom. I loved the fabrics and convinced my very first client to use “Granada” in a yellow with silvery gold color way. I’ve used Fortuny fabrics numerous times since. They are quintessentially luxurious!
“Granada” in yellow & silvery gold
Do you have a favorite Fortuny fabric?
Paul: I’m a Seven on the Enneagram – I like options! My favorite Fortuny fabric is the one that works wonderfully for the application I am using it for. For example, the classic patterns are exquisite in traditional environments, while the primitive patterns look perfect in places like Hawaii.
Traditional application of Fortuny in Paul’s pied-à-terre in SF
What was the Countess like?
Paul: La Contessa Gozzi invited me to come to Venice in 1985. She wanted to meet me because I had sold more Fortuny fabric than anyone else in the States that year. I took the Orient Express from Paris to Venice. She treated me to a personal tour of the Fortuny compound and gardens on the island of Giudecca. I was allowed only a peak through a small window at the factory. She was very protective of their production secrets. No decorator I know ever got in! Later that day she sent the Fortuny water limo (complete with Fortuny pillows) to pick me up at the Hotel Gritti Palace where I was staying. We had drinks at her home where she showed me her closet filled with her Fortuny dress collection!
La Contessa in a Delphos gown
After drinks, we went to dinner at Harry’s Bar where we talked about our mutual passion for design. She was dressed elegantly in Chanel and was wearing gorgeous jewelry. At one point she quipped, “The older you get, the better the jewelry has to be.” The whole time we were together she exhibited the mannered refinement of her East Coast background while being earthy and friendly at the same time. By the way, she drank me under the table that night!
The whole experience with La Contessa in Venice was fantastic and spending the day with her was one of those special moments in time one never forgets!
Two weeks ago, Mickey, Maury and I flew out to Berlin for the Leaders of Design Conference. Rounded Corners was a sponsor this year. You can check out the apps we made, here: iPhone & iPad
We left beautiful 70° weather in New York, so we were all a little shocked at the abundance of snow, flying into Berlin! It felt a little bit like our trip to Paris.
We stayed at the Hotel de Rome, in Mitte – right next to Berlin’s town hall and a stone’s throw from Museum Island. Read: historic, beautiful buildings everywhere.
From left to right: St. Hedwigs-Kathedral, Hotel de Rome, Jura Bibliothek
The Holocaust memorial
The Bauhaus Museum
We were close to Kreusberg, too.
Which tends to get a little crazy:
That's a Beer Bike!
On the second night, Mickey overheard someone speaking Italian outside our Hotel. Being an Italian company, we were instant friends, and the next day, he gave us a tour of a few of his unfinished lofts around the city.
After one failed attempt, I made it to Museum der Dinge (The Museum of things) on Sunday.
This museum is incredibly cool, and I took lots of pictures, so we'll save those for a later post (stay tuned!).
Afterwards, I visited the historical department store, Wertheim.
I took the long way home, and walked through Tiergarten – Berlin’s central park.
And finally, on the very last day, the sun came out!
Auf Wiedersehen --
Arden
The Bauhaus Archive/Museum of Design in Berlin
Arden returned earlier this week from her trip to Berlin for the Leaders of Design Conference.
Next week on our blog, she'll share the details of her amazing trip. Until then, check out the Leaders of Design Council iPhone app and iPad app that she and Rounded Corners created.
Schönes Wochenende! (Have a good weekend!)