AMERICAN ECLECTIC
Culture
APOSTLE OF MODERNISM
Jean-Michel Frank was perhaps the greatest décorateur ensemblier of the twentieth century. Even today, his unique, understated oeuvre seems to have far greater appeal amongst design aficionados than many of his distinguished contemporaries. We explore the tragic, formative influences that led to his radical “renunciation aesthetic”, whereby, an inherent desire to instil beauty and order in the world around him, was, in part, a coping mechanism, or rather, a means by which he dealt with past trauma.
DARING TO BE CREATIVE
It’s only when we look beyond trends, taking inspiration from, but not holding those around us as a benchmark, that we truly find our own style; and for those working as artists or designers, it’s that unique approach, which, by no means, necessitates reinventing the wheel, that marks out those who are truly original.
The women who made the avant-gard3e
Through their unique, unerring vision, three women, Eugenia Huici Arguedas de Errázuriz, Tamara de Lempicka and Colette Aboucaya not only shaped a new generation, influencing everything from architecture to art and fashion, but were also patrons of the arts, commissioning works from leading figures of the day, contributing to a defining moment in modern history.
PEOPLE
Italian in Spirit
It might come as little surprise that for a recently completed townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Italian-born architect Achille Salvagni was influenced not only by the work of New York native Rosario Candela, but cites Jean-Michel Frank, who designed the now iconic Rockefeller penthouse, as a key source of inspiration. We caught up at his London atelier, to discuss cannibals from Fiji, bespoke London tailoring and the teahouse of Villa Albani.
Paris mismatch
Paris is often considered the de facto fashion and design capital of the world, yet, despite the city’s ton sur ton, classical inclinations, there are an increasing number of young designers, looking to follow in the footsteps of Yves Klein, by injecting a dose of colour into its uniform, tree-lined boulevards. As such, we spoke to Uchronia’s Julien Sebban, and artists Nara Lee and David Luraschi, who recently made their first foray into the design world, with a collection of flexible foam furnishings.
Radical Classicism
We spoke to up-and-coming American interior decorator Casey Kenyon, who, having worked with fashion designer Marc Jacobs, as well as Paul Fortune and Gachot Studios has a somewhat unique take on the world of interiors.
TRAVEL
At Sloane
Upon entering the burnt-brick hues of the hotel’s Neo-Greek lobby, one quickly loses all sense of the outside world, entering a richly layered mise-en-scène, a throwback to a golden age of luxury. Beguiled by its inherent charm, I met the designer, François-Joseph Graf, for a tour, after which, we discussed his influences and inspirations, the decorators he most admires, and more pressing concerns, such as where to get the best steak tartare and frog legs in Paris.
Atmospheric intent
“Hotel Château Voltaire is anything but a decoration,” explains Thierry Gillier, “It is a place of today to be experienced today by people of today.” With that in mind, we spoke to Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay of Festen architecture, not only about their design for this 32-room five-star Paris hotel, but also their likes, dislikes and, in the case of the former, a long-harboured desire to moonlight as a dancer.
Home Away From Home