Stylert Blog

Christopher Guy Harrison is a British luxury furniture designer who is well known for his elegant curves and for fusing classic with modern designs.

Christopher Guy was born in Britain and raised in Spain and France. His international background allows him to fuse design influences from around the world, creating furniture that transcends national boundaries.

Christopher Guy is the founder and head designer of the international furnishings brand Christopher Guy.  Originally known for a wide-range of decorative mirrors, the Christopher Guy brand grew into a collection of upholstery, chairs, dining tables, sofas, headboards and office furniture. Christopher’s signature design includes the patented Chris-X (pronounced kris-krôs) leg design.

In 1993, Christopher Guy formed Harrison & Gil. The company then expanded by offering a complete lifestyle and luxury furniture collection in 2005. It re-launched under the brand name Christopher Guy.

In 1999, Christopher designed and built a one million square foot workshop complex in Java in order to accommodate the 1,400 carvers, woodcarvers and specialist finishers that craft his designs.

Christopher Guy Design Lounge in Beverly Hills[edit] USA Flagship Design LoungeIn October 2009, Christopher Guy opened his 2,400-square-foot (220 m2) USA Flagship Design Lounge in Beverly Hills. The lounge, complete with plasma TV’s mounted on the walls for interactive viewing, showcases his newest collection of the year.

The British Interior Design Association awarded Christopher Guy the Outstanding Design award in 2004. The World Market Center Las Vegas and Las Vegas Design Center recognized Christopher Guy as the 2011 Design Icon on 27 January 2011. The Design Icon award celebrates modern-day design legends and gives them a platform to share their stories and inspire others. Past Design Icon recipients include Juan Montoya, Vicente Wolf, Roger Thomas, Vladimir Kagan and Larry Laslo.

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Some of the fashion world’s biggest fashion designers have created hotels that are as chic and cutting-edge as their clothing. Hotels by fashion designers are a great way of expressing the brand philosophy and the lifestyle that the designers see behind their clothes.

For those who aspire luxury and style retreats are able to allure an inspired hotel collection of designers such as: Philip Treacy, Christian Lacroix, Giorgio Armani, Versace, Polo Ralph Lauren, Julien Macdonald, John Rocha and many more.

The first hotel is from Irish fashion designer Philip Treacy. The designer is showing his interior design skills back across the Irish sea. Philip Treacy was born in rural Ireland and he returned home to design the the g Hotel. It is only appropriate that the hotel is located in Galway, a town known for its races – and the outrageous headwear paraded there on Ladies’ Day.

Philip Treacy who has been named British Accessory Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards a total of five times in his career, is widely considered one of the most influential hat designers in the world.

The milliner’s touch is evident throughout the hotel, not only in the artwork depicting iconic hats from previous collections that adorns the walls, but also in design flourishes like lamps, clocks and ornaments that often look like they might have been made from the same materials as Treacy’s hats.

The second hotel is designed by Christian Lacroix. Christian Lacroix has designed many dresses for Hollywood stars; among them, he is responsible for designing Christina Aguilera‘s wedding dress and in the 1990s was famed as being a favourite designer of Edina Monsoon in the UK.

Christian Lacroix has completed interior design work at several landmark hotels, including the Hotel Le Petit Moulin in Spring, 2005; the Hotel Bellechasse, right in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés (Paris), in 2007 (a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World); and in 2010 Le Notre Dame hotel just a step from the cathedral Notre-Dame-de-Paris.

Christian Lacroix opened in 2007 in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of the 6th Arrondissement. The Hotel Bellechasse is full of overt nods to 1920s when the quarter saw its heyday, with intellectuals like Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus congregating at nearby Café de Flore to discuss literature, philosophy and the meaning of it all.

The bohemian yet refined air of the faubourg was reproduced by Christian Lacroix within the hotel, because, says the designer, “a hotel must reflect the character of the locality it is standing in and should represent ‘a travel within the travel’ while giving its own interpretation of the town, the district, the street it is open to.”

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Fornasetti is an Italian lifestyle brand who established a totally unique style that got Fornasetti an extraordinary reputation.

All the pieces are simple in style, modest in appearance transformed into unexpected images. The selection of objects which he applied this style is astonishing. Just to mention a few of them, you can find the Fornasetti style on hats, coats, chairs, pianos, plates and even ocean liners. As he once said, these are “fashion items that will never go out of fashion”

The latest ‘Collaborazioni’ of Fornasetti has turned his attention towards home fragrance in combination with decorative objects. The first collection of Fornasetti Profumi per La Casa, celebrates the Fornasetti ceramic heritage in combination with both well-known and less familiar decorative images. Together they make up a desirable group of iconic objects and decorative pieces that are at once collectable and covetous.

To help realise this dream, whilst extending the Fornasetti legacy into the new arena Fornasetti collaborates with one of world-renowned master-perfumer Olivier Polge. Olivier is one of the leading stars of International Flavours and Fragrances (IFF) and creator of classic new fragrances such as Flower Bomb by Victor & Rolf, Dior Homme, Balenciaga Paris and many others.

Olivier Polge is the son of legendary perfumer Jacques Polge, he was born into a family that was in its everyday activity surrounded by the artistic, musical as well as the olfactory. Olivier is a long-time collector and admirer of Fornasetti and was thrilled to undertake the creation of the Fornasetti scent. Olivier and Barnaba travelled on a journey together in close collaboration, to discover the essence of Fornasetti. (source via Fornasetti.com)

The resulting scent ‘Otto’ (the eighth variation) is a sophisticated and unique scent that transcends time, season, gender and borders. Olivier made use of ingredients that are of personal significance to Barnaba – Mediterranean herbs that were found in and around the family home, woods often utilised in interiors designs or pieces of furniture created by Fornasetti. Other more ethereal ingredients – such as incense – conjure a latent spirituality or sense of dreamscape that is often present in Fornasetti graphic poetry.

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Retro style decorating brings us back Beatles, Bee Gees and rock ‘n’ roll. From the bright pinks and polka dots of the 1950s through the tie-dyed flower-powered 1960s and glitzy disco 1970s, retro decor can be eclectic and gaudy in color.

Just think back to the fabrics and textures during the 60′s and you’ll immediately get a sense of where your decor needs to go to truly capture the essence of retro style.

Retro style decorating is about combining a variety of shapes, textures and colors to create a look that’s as unique as the era that influenced it. Retro furniture is robust, durable and completely usable.

Everything is useful and functional. Furniture and accents have a purpose, such as black and white checkered curtains, a lime green or orange moon chair in the corner.

Retro color palettes can make a room feel outdated when paired with vintage furniture. Put your favorite retro color with your favorite modern color. Instead of using avocado green and orange try orange and bright white or avocado and brown. Paint will freshen up a vintage look and add a personal touch to the room.

Hang black-and-white images of classic entertainment icons on your walls for instant glamour. Frame vintage movie posters for a playful look. Choose fabrics and textures that reflect specific decades and reupholster antique furniture to make it ready for everyday use. Replace kitchen appliances with retro-inspired versions for a classic look.

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Anntian is a German label created by  design duo Anne Hilken and Christian Kurt. Anntian’s fabrics are eco-friendly and handprints which makes each piece unique.

Anntian is based in Berlin and was created in 2006 by graphic designer Anne Hilken and fashion designer Christian Kurt. They met in the most natural of ways and have the same feelings about and same passion for the world of images and a great love of nature.

Nature is a great source of inspiration for them. They work with their hands, which are like moulds that are used to create jewels, embroideries and fabrics. Thus everything comes out a bit imperfect as a result but not on purpose.

By combining both their passion in a collection of clothing that utilises surface pattern to give it a unique look – the combination of print with interesting and sometimes avant-garde cuts means the clothing has real standout.

At the start of each collection, the two designers create small paper sculptures with motifs that are later used on the clothes. The way they work is very artistic with social and functional uses.

A constructivist fashion that aims at creating clothing pieces that will last for many years. Pieces are comfortable and easy to wear. Each piece has its own story. Anntian is now stocked in some of the most directional boutiques around the world.

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Reiko Kaneko is a tableware and accessories designer who adds a Japanese twist to traditional English fine bone china. Born in Japan, the designer creates playful pieces like plates which appear cracked, melting candles and eggcups.

Reiko Kaneko was born in Britain but spent her childhood in Japan, influencing her products in an inimitable blend of English and Japanese style throughout the product ranges. She studied Arts and Design at Central St. Martin’s College. After graduating in 2007, she has established her design studio in London’s East End.

In 2009, she was shortlisted for the Elle Decoration UK Design of the Year. She has also won the Hidden Art Award for her unique ceramics and home accessories, which combine humour and style in a highly original way.

The collections are often produced by combining 3D modeling programmers with centuries-old expertise of makers in Stoke-on-Trent, England. The city is known world-wide as the traditional home of pottery which has moved recently their production abroad. Her love of ceramics has led Reiko to specialize in ceramic design and supplies bone china designs based around her typically British fine bone china tableware and home accessories with a Japanese twist.

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Moritz Waldemeyer is one of the most innovative and exciting designers of his generation. He has collaborated with many of the world’s top architects and fashion designers including Ron Arad, Zaha Hadid and Hussein Chalayan. His work is a fusion of technology, art, fashion and design.

Moritz Waldemeyer was born in East Germany in 1974. He moved to London in 1995 where he trained as an engineer at Kings College and completed his Masters degree in 2001. Since then, he has collaborated with many of the world’s top architects and fashion designers including Ron Arad, Zaha Hadid and Hussein Chalayan, next to working for a wide range of artists like U2, OK GO, Rihanna and Kylie Minogue.

Having worked as a research scientist at Phillips, Waldemeyer began his career in design engineering projects such as Ron Arad’s Lolita and Miss Haze Chandeliers both of which use interactive LED lights: Lolita displays text messages sent to it, Miss Haze allows the user to create an LED image on its crystal surface via a palm pilot.

Other prestigious projects he has worked on include Yves Behar’s Voyage Chandelier (2005), Zaha Hadid’s Z Island kitchen (2006), FredricksonStallard’s Pandora Chandelier (2007), Hussein Chalayan’s transforming dresses (s/s 2007 One Hundred and Eleven), video dresses (s/s 2007 Airborne), and laser dresses (s/s 2008 Readings).

ExhibitionsWaldemeyer has recently moved away from collaborative work, making a name for himself as an independent designer. He held his first exhibition, Electric Kid, at the Rabih Hage Gallery in 2006, showing a modern take on the roulette table, Ping Pong table and mirror all using LED lights and duPont Corian. His second exhibition, By Royal Appointment (Gallery Libby Sellers 2007) displayed a revolutionary chair that reads the colour of your outfit and projects your own personal aura of light into the space around yourself.

In 2007 Waldemeyer designed stage jackets with embedded LEDS for alternative rock band OK Go and created interactive mirrors for Selfridges’ Wonder Room. This Year he has also worked on a number of commissions, designing a chandelier for Microsoft Zune that reacts to music sent to it and raising £2000 at the ICA Charity Gala auction with Joyrider: two components that attach to the spokes of a bicycle wheel, emitting a fixed image of a smiley face each using a single LED light.

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Fatboy is a fresh, innovative company who provide the very best in stylish, fun and comfortable beanbags and other home accessories.

Depending on the colour, the Fatboy adjusts to the ambiance of your living room or bedroom. The beanbag can be used in many ways: As lounge chair in student digs, as relaxing possibility in your office, as “comforting” pillow for your kids or even for pets.

Jukka Setälä from Finland created the Fatboy beanbag in 1988. Dutchman Alex Bergman adopted the conceptin 2002. Since the launch on the Dutch market, the design of Fatboy the Original proved to sell itself. Within 5 years Fatboy the Original successfully conquered country until they decided to open a Fatboy USA branch in Texas in 2005, to enable theomself to answer the international demand for their a products. Now selling in over 35 countries and every continent it already became a lifestyle icon.

Filling material

Unlike the usual chair, the Fatboy bean bag confirms to the contours of your body for a natural, superb support in a wide range of positions as the inside of the bag is filled with little cylindrical pieces of EPS (Expanded Polystyrene Packaging) that are also fire-retardant for complete safety.

Nylon exterior

The exterior fabric is coated with dirt resistant nylon and all you need to clean the exterior is wipe it using damp cloth. The fabric on testing proves to be pretty strong and looks like it will not burst open as you rest comfy. Another good thing is that the nylon exterior, being water-resistant protects it from stains and spills. You can also just clean it using mild soap and warm water. A zipper helps keep the beads inside making the bean bag secure and safe.

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American fashion designer Vera Wang is perhaps the best known name in bridal fashion, her contemporary and simple designs have adorned many brides. She has expanded her range to include fragrance, skincare, home and jewellery.

Vera Wang has spent more than twenty-five years in the fashion industry. After her sixteen-year tenure at Vogue, where she was Senior Fashion Editor, Vera Wang served as a design director for Ralph Lauren.

In 1990, she ventured out on her own, opening a luxury salon at the esteemed Carlyle Hotel in New York City to showcase her bridal collection. Since then she has expanded her range to include fragrance, skincare, home and jewellery. Vera Wang’s fragrance and skincare ranges are like everything she designs; modern, elegant and sensual. The Vera Wang beauty range represents the playful, unpredictable, independent woman who treats everyday like an adventure. With high profile launches including the Vera Wang Princess and Lovestruck collections quickly recruiting a cult following, the Vera Wang beauty range remains as covetable as her bridal wear.

In 2002, Vera Wang began to enter the home fashion industry and launched The Vera Wang China and Crystal Collection, followed by the 2007 release of her diffusion line called Simply Vera, which are sold exclusively by Kohl’s. Vera Wang also has partnered with Wedgwood to create a breathtaking collection of fine bone china dinnerware, giftware and crystal stemware. Her visionary knowledge of weddings led her very naturally into the design of her collections for Wedgwood.

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Moooi is an interior design brand, founded by the famous Dutch designer Marcel Wanders. Moooi is a unique mix of sensual and baroque that meets clean and the modern style. Moooi creates timeless objects which express beauty and the uniqueness of antiques combined with the freshness of modern design. The brand offers interior that includes: lighting, furniture and home accessories.

Moooi was founded by Casper Vissers and Marcel Wanders in 2001, the company name means ‘beautiful’ in native Dutch language. In fact, the core strengths of the founders are very complementary and part of the reason why the company has been so successful. Casper is the marketing genius who has a very special eye for design. Marcel is the diligent and passionate designer who has a sense for business.

The pace at which the company has improved over the last couple of years has been particularly impressive. During this period, Moooi has expanded its boundaries considerably and opening of many showrooms and galleries in some strategic locations stands testimony of that. Some of the cities which have seen activity include Milan, London, Antwerp and Amsterdam.

The showrooms of Moooi are perfect for any design professional or connoisseur of good designs to enjoy an awe inspiring collection. There are perfect visual pieces at display indicating the potential of a Moooi product. Moooi showrooms, keeping consistent with their professional nature, open only upon appointment.

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