Category: Articles

Founder of Old World Weavers Designer Doyenne Iris Apfel Has Died at 102

https://www.vogue.com/article/iris-apfel-obituary

Ahead of her time or his time in too many ways.

She has good taste in man, in design, in food and at last, probably of least importance,  in fashion.

On relationship and diet: “Apfel responds: “And I figured he was cool, and he was cuddly, and he cooked Chinese, so I couldn’t do any better.” (Above is also a lesson of fitness and health.)

On fakery and loss of authentic craftsmanship: We see her lambasting modern designers (“They don’t sew, they don’t drape, they’re media freaks”).

Aging or ageism: In 2019, aged 97, she landed a modelling contract with IMG. “I’m very excited. I never had a proper agent.”

On Slow Fashion (and Slow Home Deco): “I still wear the dress that I wore on my first date with my husband and that was 68 years ago. I get a lot of mileage out of my clothes,” she told Vanity Fair in 2015. Good quality and good taste are forever. (I never buy anything from fast fashion brands. I’d rather wear something old, with holes, faded, used but in good quality. )

On frugality and resourcefulness: “Another time, her mother gave her $25 to buy an outfit for the Easter Parade. “I bought a beautiful silk dress in pale peach, a straw hat, and a pair of pumps, and I still had money left for coffee and lunch,” she told The Guardian.

She built a great business with her husband for 55 years and started a 2nd career  in her 90s.

Thank you for giving us Old World Weavers and an inspiring life.

Your legend is a proof that America was, is and still can be a great country where one can get Russian immigrant, Italian Silk, Chinese food, American agent and some more, all within two blocks of NYC, where all the Old World Weavers of Seven Continents and Seven Seas come together to weave something new.

Decorating with a Budget?

Using high end fabric on light shade is a brilliant idea! Our eyes are naturally drawn to light and the center of the room. Its height also invites contemplative gazing. When the light is on, the beauty of the textile is also amplified and illuminated.

Here, merely one yard is needed for our client to make a statement: Scalamandre Watermark Moire in Ming Yellow.

2nd idea: use high quality textile—something you absolutely love to create a small “nook”. A small space that you will spend a lot of time often. Thus the beauty will be enjoyed more often. In this private retreat, you can disregard other family member’s opinion and simply go with what pleases, energizes and revitalizes you and you only.

Here is what our client did with some extravagant silk lampas. Merely 2 yards, full of colors, patterns, fantasies and textures, offers her a piece of heaven that nowhere to be found.

3rd trick: create a “wearable” or “carry-on” piece that you can use and enjoy in different rooms and occasions. A throw can be on the sofa, your reading chair, your table, your bed and even on your evening out!

After you get years of joy out of these pieces, full of our own creative energy, you will see so clearly how “affordable” and “economical” such projects are! Even half a yard, as a gorgeous table running, can make such an impact.

A Tiny Extra Will Save Your Day Down the Road

Every year we have clients coming to ask “this is discontinued and I need just such and such small amount but I cannot find anywhere!”

The chances of finding a discontinued wallpaper, fabric, trim with accurate identification information is very slim. Even with those information it is still very hard. This is from our 14+ years of experience.

You may have to find a creative way to repair that area. Or even replace all the wallpaper, fabric or trim if it’s not too costly. Unless your time has no value, pending two years watching internet is costly too.

1.Next time when you buy new wallpaper, fabric and trim, it is a good idea to have a bit extra for future repair. Because repair will happen. Same with tiles & paint!

2. Save the accurate information of the material: Brand, pattern name, colorway, SKU # and even dye lot.

Do not just put it on paper. Save it on your email or/and computer.

Experienced designers may know this. The rest of us (99%) learn this too late!

Why Drapery in Silk is a League of its Own

Because it catches light like no other fibers.

Because it reflects the colors in light with a higher level of saturation. Yes, you’ve seen red, pink, blue and green, but until you see red, pink, blue and green—-in 100% silk.

Even white and translucent—-look nicer in silk.

From House Beautiful, Sep 2015.

Dress in CLARENCE HOUSE LES OISEAUX ENCHANTES BIRD PRINT SILK ITALIAN RATTI GREIGE 1

By Erin Solaro.

Artist’s statement, “Fabulous silk and I had the perfect pattern, The Assembly Line’s Box Pleat Dress. Had to do a little careful pattern matching on the sleeves, which was a good exercise. Please forgive the wrinkles, I wore it before photographing it. Won’t work for another project (as you note, the pattern is very large) but I am sure you have other fabrics that will.”

“Are you a professional seamstress or designer?”

Erin Solaro, “No, self-taught. Do this as a form of political / culture protest: I reject fast fashion.”

CLARENCE HOUSE LES OISEAUX ENCHANTES BIRD PRINT SILKhttps://silkresource.com/store/?product=clarence-house-les-oiseaux-enchantes-bird-print-silk-italian-rat is one of the most stunning prints we’ve ever seen, but our client’s creativity brought its versatility to another level.

Lee Jofa LE CYGNE STRIPE on Chairs from John Jay & Alexander Hamilton

Antique chairs from estate of John Jay. Before that they belonged to Alexander Hamilton. Two of America’s Founding Fathers.

From our client, “The chairs were in terrible shape when I found them, but that meant I could afford them, and then afford restoration once I found someone I trusted to do the job. If the provenance is correct, they came from the John Jay house in Bedford, NY, and before that belonged to Alexander Hamilton. May or may not be true, but they are really beautiful and deserve beautiful covers.”

When every bit of things were precious and meant to last for decades and generations. A furniture should be used for at least equal amount of years that takes to grow the tree.

Restoration, giving a historical piece new life, is so rewarding.

Client already has the chairs restored but when they found Lee Jofa Le Cygne Leeda & Swan Silk Lampas, they had to redo the job—the neoclassical silk honors its history and also achieves aesthetic perfection. Merely 1.5 yards of Lee Jofa Le Cygne was needed.

Before and after