Last night I attended the Young Collectors Night preview of the upcoming Christie’s Interiors auction hosted by Elle Decor. There were lots of boldfaced names in the house as well as plenty of amazing furniture, art and one-of-a-kind decorative items. Below a few photos I took from the event including a few my favorite pieces. (Please forgive my poor photography skills!) You can view all of the lots here on the Christie’s Interiors web page. The sale is March 4-5 and you can register on the Christie’s webssite to bid live online if youre interested in acquiring any of the pieces.
Atmosphere
Atmosphere
Probably my favorite thing in the entire place. A gelatin silver print of a film that shows Joseph Beuys and Andy Warhol. This was taken in New York in 1979 and it’s signed and numbered by Joseph Beuys.
A gorgeous giltwood reclining Buddha. ( I told you I had a thing for Buddhas!)
A photograph titled “Black Female Torso” by the late, renowned fashion photographer Herb Ritts, who has created some of the most iconic images of our time. The piece is signed titled, dated and numbered. Below the photograph is an Italian bronze cast figure by Vincenzo Gemito. It dates back to the late 19th century.
This year I watched the entire broadcast of the Oscars and I actually thought the show was pretty entertaining. Rather surprising given that this year’s show almost didn’t happen due to the writer’s strike…not to mention the fact I that always find the Oscars to be such a bore. Usually I just watch the pre-show red carpet coverage and then tune-in to the last half hour to see who wins Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Picture. I’m very pleased this year’s Oscars surpassed my expectations!
Anyway–One of Sunday’s more memorable Oscar moments, in my opinion, didn’t involve the actual show itself but rather a riveting commercial that premiered during the broadcast featuring one of my favorite fashion designers ever-Diane von Furstenberg. The commercial was for American Express and is part of their “Are You a Cardmember?” campaign which in the past has featured everyone from Kate Winslet, Tina Fey and Beyonce, to Tiger Woods, Martin Scorcese and Al Pacino. Truly one of the most amazing ad campaigns I’ve ever seen…both on TV and in print. And what a great choice to add DVF to the mix! I cannot tell you enough how talented, how chic and how fabulous I think this woman is!
The commercial was directed by Bennett Miller who garnered an Oscar nomination in 2005 for directing the film Capote. It features scenes of Diane outdoors surrounded by trees interspersed with scenes of her working alongside her team in her design studio on the Fall 2008 collection which she presented earlier this month during NY Fashion Week. The shots of the trees along with the close-ups of the prints on some of her garments reflect how Diane and her designs are influenced by the world around her. Her voice over, which narrates the commercial, is meant to inspire confidence in women while illustrating what it means to be an AMEX card member. Such a great commercial! Click play below to watch and enjoy!
Sidebar: This photo was in Sunday’s New York Daily News. It’s a shot of DVF with the gorgeous model Chanel Iman before her Fall ’08 show holding a sign that was posted backstage. Signs like these are displayed back stage at shows to set the tone of the show and convey to the models how they should walk. I LOVE that she’s all about confidence and being yourself. DVF, I heart you!!!
The uber chic Susan Cernek from Glam.com (see my previous “Sartorialist’s Subjects Revealed” post) has a fabulous blog, GlamChic…one of my favorites and a daily must-read. Susan is currently in Paris covering the shows and earlier this week while walking the streets of the 6th arrondissement, she spotted samples of Francis Ford Coppola & Charlotte Gainsbourg’s personalized stationery in the window of an oh-so-haute engraving shop and today she blogged about the encounter. Click here to read her endearing and comical post where she also reveals her slight obsession with style icon Sofia Coppola. Enjoy!
I was browsing CB2′s website last night and came across this $99 floor lamp that seems to be inspired by design legend Mariano Fortuny.
CB2′s “Photography Floor Lamp”
The authentic Fortuny reflector lamp, created in 1907, sells for $5,000 at DWR and other retailers. As you can see in the photo below, it is BEYOND gorgeous but unfortunately its hefty price tag makes it unattainable for most of us. Although it’s clearly not as stunning as Fortuny’s, the CB2 version isn’t a bad option if you want to achieve the look but don’t have an extra $5K sitting around to spend on a floor lamp.
The Fortuny Lamp. Photo via DWR
You could also just purchase a basic lighting kit from a photography equipment supplier.
This one is from B&H Photo in New York. It comes with a tungsten floodlight, a reflector and an adjustable stand..and it’s only $39.99! Leave it as is for a more industrial feel or coat the stand in a bronze metallic paint to glam it up…and voila! You’ll have yourself a chic, authentic photographer’s lamp!
Since the subject of Kanye West is fresh in my head (see my post from yesterday) I thought it was appropriate to discuss his very cool, ultra modern Hollywood Hills home. Many of you may have already seen the home featured in the August issues of Harper’s Bazaar and Interior Design. The 4,200 square foot, three story home was designed by Desiderata Design out of LA. It’s look is very stark and minimalist and has an almost gallery like feel with its open floorplan, white walls, walnut floors and impressive art collection. In the Interior Design article, Desiderada design principal Don Stewart says Kanye wanted his house to look like “a cross between a museum and a Louis Vuitton boutique.” Kanye’s works of art include antique architectural remnants, sculptures, modernist paintings by Takashi Murakami and pop art such as Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s soup prints as well as one of a kind works by pop artist Burton Morris. Kanye’s design style is a bit modern for my taste…I’d much rather live in the chic Paris apartment featured on All the Best the other day…but I still think his home is fabulous and I really respect his taste. His home is much more sophisticated than I could have ever imagined…the only thing I saw that screams “I’m a flashy rapper” is the fox and chinchilla throw and pillows on his bed. I’ll give him a pass for that! Check out the photos…
L: The home’s sandblasted glass front door. R: The home’s entry. The French walnut floors are gorgeous! A painted bronze sculpture of an Hermes shopping bag by Jonathan Sigler really stands out here and a pair of 19th century carved wood architectural pieces adorn an otherwise bare wall. Stacked Louis Vuitton trunks help fill up the space.
Kanye’s living room. An acrylic on canvas painting, “Time Bokam-Missing in the Eyes-Red”, by Takashi Murakami hangs on the wall. The sofa and rug are by Rodolfo Dordoni and the coffee table is by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia. A relic from an 18th century mantlepiece adds interest in the corner.
L: The kitchen. The backlit square shaped piece on the wall is Kanye’s kitchen cabinet. The island, designed by Norbert Wangen features a sliding stainless steel top that conceals a cooktop and sink. out A Lolli e Memmoli chandelier hangs above. I love the walnut stools here. (Does anyone know who makes them?) R: The dining room. I really like the Mario Fortuny floor lamp in the corner. On the ceiling is a Sistine Chapel-like acrylic painting by Ernie Barnes which was commissioned by Kanye. Called “A Life Restored”, the painting features a lifeless body being carried by angels and symbolizes Kanye’s miraculous recovery from a nearly fatal car crash in 2002.
“A Life Restored”
L: Prints from Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Can series hang in Kanye’s kitchen. A vintage Louis Vuitton trunk from the 1870s sits underneath. R: A framed silk screen of Andy Warhol’s signature in the background and a telescope with brass detail in the forefront.
Wests bedroom features an Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia bed topped with those red fox and chinchilla fur bedspread and pillows I mentioned. An lamp by German lighting designer Ingo Mauerer sits on the bedside table.
Kanye’s travertine tiled master bath. Another gorgeous Loli e Memmoli chandelier is seen here. Not sure how I feel about the fish tank at the end of the tub. Kind of reminds me of “Scarface”! On the left is a beautiful croco embossed leather chair by Peter Kapff.
In Kanye’s office a leather Eames swivel chair sits behind Maurice Calka’s boomerang desk. A Russell Young silk screen is propped against the wall and Takashi Murakami pillows are piled along side the desk. These are the same pillows Kanye featured on his blog.
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