INTERMISSION: ICARUS RISES DIRECTED BY THOMAS GIDDING'S Via NOWNESS

Back at The Ranch

Howdy!

The Double RL Ranch outside of Tulleride Colorado is not your average ranch, No Sir it is not.

One of the many homes of Ralph & Ricky Lauren the ranch is set in a mere 16,000 acres of beautiful land. With a barn that's over 200 years old, Tepees hand painted by Native Indians, with Cabins named Little Bear & Elkmeadow and a 1960's Silver airstream trailer, the choice of accommodations is vast and charming.The Spirit of the Old West Americana that Ralph Lauren does so well, for me the Lauren Family got this so spot on.

Last August the Double RL Ranch was the perfect backdrop for the wedding of David Lauren and his bride Lauren Bush who transported everyone in time with the fantastic  traditional Old West/Meets Little House in the Prairie theme in Lauren style and yes of course the wedding dress was designed by Ralph.

Ralph and Ricky can you be my in-laws too?? xo

Photos Via Architectural Digest and Vogue

L'Apartement de Monsieur Lagerfeld

«Je voulais un appartement avec du verre et de la transparence partout …

Ici, pas de couleur, car je suis entouré de couleur en permanence. Je préfère vivre dans un environnement neutre.»-KL

 I wanted an apartment with glass and transparency everywhere … And there is no colour here, because I am constantly surrounded by colour. I prefer to live in a neutral environment.

Photos by Karl Lagefeld

www.admagazine.fr

www.karl.com/fr

Acrylicious

 Modern Acrylic Designs by Alexandra von Furstenberg

1970's Lucite Game Table via 1stDibds

Pair of 1950's Lucite and Wood End Tables via VandM

Lucite X Chair with Clint Greggory Cushion via VandM

Triangle Lucite Lamp with Zebra Shade by Clint Greggory via VandM

Set of Albrizzi Ice Buckets via VandM

1960's Lucite and Black Patent Leather Dinette Set via 1stDibs

Shades of red and pink Screens by Emmanuelle Moureaux

Kodachi Aroma Sticks Stand by Emmanuelle Moureaux

"There Is No Chair"  Red Chair Quan via Jia Moderne

1970's Italian Lucite Candle Holders via 1stDibs

Acrylic , there seems to be so many different types of names for this plastic , Lucite being my favourite,  something to do with the quality and colouring and how wears with time, that is why I leave the technical data to the experts.

What I do know is that here are so many beautiful ways to use this material as shown above, I always like Lucite/Acrylic for its light but yet durable quality. The way it reflects light and seems to be complimentary to finishes like brass, leather , wood to name a few, or Just with bold colours that offset strong lines in a modern design. It inspires me, maybe ill contact one of these designers to customize something for me.

Plastic is fantastic xo

Resources.

www.alexandravonfurstenberg.com

www.1stdibs.com

www.emmauelle.jp

www.jiamoderne.com

www.vandm.com

Fortuny Splendor

Photo via Fortuny

Photo of Mariano Fortuny by Fortuny

Photo by Ars Regia

Photo via Fortuny Blog of Showroom

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo of Pallazzo Fortuny

Photo via Apartment Therapy

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo via Architectural Digest Fortuny by L'Objet

Photo of Melagrana Marmalade via Fortuny Blog

Photo via Apartment Therapy

Photo via Architectual Digest Fortuny by L'Objet

Photo via Ars Regia

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo via Architectural Digest Fortuny by L'Objet

Photo of Pope Urban VIII and  Fortuny Melagrano via Fortuny Blog

Photo Via Kips Bay

Photo via Architectual Digest Fortuny by L'Objet

Photo of Cardinal Guilio Mazzarino via Fortuny Blog

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo of Fortuny Dress in Box via Metropolitan Museum of Art

Photo via Architectural Digest Fortuny by L'Objet

Photo via Fortuny Blog

Photo of Fortuny Delphos Dress via Fortuny

Photo via Ars Regia

The brilliant, enigmatic Mariano Fortuny was born into a family of renowned artists in Granada, Spain, in 1871. 

He entered the fashion industry in 1907, with the introduction of one of his most notable achievements, the Delphos gown, inspired largely by Greek sculpture.

He was truly a Renaissance man who made his own photographic paper, bound his own books, and designed his own lamps and furniture.  He created one of the first dimmer switches, invented a boat propeller, and made his own paints, dyes, brushes and machinery.

To Read and see more of this mans incredible talent look at the great Fortuny website,

The New collection by L'Objet will be intoduced  at Bergdorf and Goodman and Neiman Marcus from September.

http://www.fortuny.com/

Midnight at The Oasis

Sunrise on The Great Sand Sea

Meet the Flintstones 21st Century

Bedroom Adrere Amellal

Siwi Man Photo by C. Stamba-Badial 

Drinks by the Salt lake 

This was were I stayed in Adrere Amellal view of the lake all around

Drinks at the Fire pit 

i

Temple Amon

Adrere Amellal Bedroom

Dunes of The Great Sand Sea

Date Palms at Siwa

One of the many lounging nooks in Adrere Amellal

Locally  handmade Kaftans by the Siwi Women

The natural spring pool at Adrere Amellal

Illuminated "Kershef " Wall  a mix of rock salt & mud

Dinning under the palms Adrere Amelall

Sweet water oasis in the middle of the desert

Riding the dunes in the Great Sand Sea

Dinner in the middle of the desert

Dusk at Adrere Amelall

Magic dinning locations dotted around the property

Candle lit bed time

Sun setting over the dunes

“Oh that the desert were my dwelling place,

With only one fair spirit for my minster.

That I might forget the human race,

And hating no one, love her only.”

Lord Byron

In the  magical Great Sand Sea of Egypt's western Sahara on the boarder to Libya lies a diamond named Siwa. An Oasis filled with history and legends,such as the Temple  of the Oracle of Amun~ RA. Were Alexander The Great consulted the oracle in order to seek confirmation that he was the son of Zeus and the rightful ruler of Egypt. Or something like that.

I was invited  about 8 years ago to a wedding in Cairo by dear friends of mine. Included was a trip to Siwa a couple of days  before the wedding, staying at the amazing eco lodge Adrere Amellal. The love project of  visionary Dr Mounir Neamatalla a very elegant egyptian environmentalist. The words eco lodge dont always make me jump with joy, but a trip to the Egyptian desert I could not miss . 

When we arrived we all had a big smile on our faces as we took in the scene before us. The sacred white mountain towers over the property with views on  a vast salt lake , date palms  and in the distance the dunes of the great sand sea. Dotted around this setting are traditional buildings made by combining rock salt and mud called "Kershef", 40 rooms all furnished in locally artisanal furnishing, beds made out of palm with Egyptian cotton sheets and fluffy pillows. Bedouin carpets and beeswax candles everywhere  there is no electricity, no phones, no air conditioning or wifi.

Really a place to give in to the mystical call of the desert, at night they light up all the pathways with candles and dinner is served in the most amazing locations all over the property with the light of the stars as company. Date souffle served on silver plates and wine drank out of crystal glasses, the food was amazing, all the staff are local Siwi whose origins are Berber. On one night they came and played traditional Bedouin music , they danced like mad and so did we! When ready to retire, A member of staff would accompany you with a lantern to your room that glowed with candles, I would slip myself into the soft sheets with the breeze of the desert lulling me to sleep. 

Morning starts with a delicious breakfast over looking the lake and then preparation for a ride on 4 X 4 in to the Sand Sea so called because it was actually a sea, you can see fossils everywhere, as you ride over the dunes driven to mad perfection by the charming and hilarious locals its an exhilarating experience. They would stop and give you a board to surf the dunes if you wished or just sit and take in the unforgettable experience, everyday they planned a new surprise in the desert, which I would not give away as these surprises are truly special.

Once back at the lodge there are many more things to do, you can float on the lake or swim in the natural green pool under the palms, or for some you can go riding in the desert. There was also a trip into town to meet the local women whose embroidery is magnificent all supported by  Mounir Neamatalla and his also very elegant sister Laila, they produce kaftans, home furnishings and jewellery done by the local community. There is also a lot of history in the area and again I will not divulge too much here as to make you want to go and see for yourself but one of things is have swim in Cleopatra's Bath. 

 Thank you Dr Mounir for creating such a wonderful place and thank you my dear friends for letting be part of such an amazing journey. When are we going back?

  Adrere Amellal

Siwa

Photos via above websites & Flickr.

Kelly Wearstler's Vision

The lovely , beautiful and talented Kelly Wearstler. What can I say but this woman is a genius! Love her vision, how she mixes all different styles, colours and textures to create these magnificent interiors. Her choices are bold and always elegant, pieces are well curated and thought of. I chose the images of her more subtle palette of colours as she is more known for her bold and vibrant one.  Just want to show how versatile she is.

You will never get bored in any of the rooms Kelly has created, whether its a house on the beach or a mansion in Beverly Hills. Her talents are vast,  including all The Viceroy and Tides Hotels, has collaborated with Schumacher fabrics, Sferra Linens, Pickard, The Rug Company, Lee Jofa and Bergdorf and Goodman where she created the elegant Restaurant. There is also a section in the store where you can buy some of her great homeware.

It doesn't even end there, as a woman of eclectic and chic style herself I always wondered why she never designed her own line of jewellery and clothes, et voila her  first collection of clothes and accessories has been created. Today her online boutique launched, have a look, you can view all her work, shop and also read her blog where she takes you on her sourcing adventures where you really get to see how magical her eye is for great pieces and the way she views colour and details. You can also buy her pieces at Neiman Marcus and Net-a-Porter for accessories.

Lastly for the piece de resistance, I was recently in LA where I went to a hair appointment which was in the same building as her studio, I was so tempted to ring the door bell and run inside to be surrounded by all her talents.

Oh and her first stand alone store is opening around the Corner on Melrose (see below) Will go back to LA to hopefully see it open and do another post on Kelly as there is so much I could not put on one post.

Enjoy xo

Pictures via the following links ,

www.kellywearstler.com

www.tidesresorts.com

www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com

www.net-a-porter.com

Hermes Leather Forever

Celebrating 175 Years , Hermès Leather Forever Exhibition shows us the beautiful company's long relationship with leather. The show is divided in 12 rooms which represent various leather collections including Travel, equestrian, accessories and handbags. Bespoke items from history such as items commissioned by the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson and a winged saddle apparently commissioned by a Japanese band. Most exciting for me is the Craftspeople from the Hermès workshop in Paris who will be present at the show, demonstrating the art of leather-working.

There is more , Hermès created four one of a kind versions of its Passe- Guide Handbag  representing England , Scotland , Ireland and Wales as tribute to those countries. Christie's will conduct and online auction of the bags from 14th of May till 31st. All proceeds of the auction will be donated to the Royal Academy of Arts. They should make a special piece for the Her Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Hermès Leather Forever Exhibition

6 Burlington Gardens

London

W1S 3ET

8th to 27th of May 2012

10am to 6pm Daily , Late Night on Fridays till 10pm.

Admission Free

Sources via,

www.hermes.com

www.christies.com

www.parkandcube.com

http://www.nowness.com/media/embedvideo?itemid=2597&issueid=2220

INTERMISSION

Florence & The Machine LOVER TO LOVER

via Nowness

The Wapping Project

All Pictures taken by Vision Of Splendor on an Iphone.

Last night to celebrate a friends birthday I finally got to go dinner to The Wapping Project based in an old Hydraulic Power Station with constantly changing Art Exhibitions.

We were luckily to have booked on  a night that "Yohji Making Waves" Installation was on, by Yohji Yamamoto. Set in the 1890's Boiler Room filled with water you are taken around in a small wooden boat by their version of a Gondoliere as Yohji's Wedding dress Installation hangs Illuminated from the ceiling.There is such an ethereal ambiance that you feel enveloped in its cocoon, we so enjoyed that little trip.

Even if you are having dinner in a industrial space they manage to make you feel at home with their very warm service and the visual feast of architecture meets art. On old Tv's dotted around the vast dinning space Yohji Yamamoto's catwalk show video's were shown to tie in with Exhibition.

Outside there in a little patch of green sits a Garden Shed turned Bookshop where every Thursday evening an artist, author or poet is invited to give a reading or a performance.

There were other areas to explore but wanted to save it for a next time, where am sure it will be different again.

I loved every minute of it and will certainly return.

http://www.thewappingproject.com/

http://thewappingprojectbookshop.com/

http://www.yohjiyamamoto.co.jp/

INTERMISSION

CHANEL

PARIS ÉDIMBOURG MÉTIERS D'ART 2012/13

Linlithgow Palace, KIrkgate Linlithgow, West Lothian Scotland

Gorgeous clothes and setting but shame about the music.