Luster » africa

Color Theory ::: Indigo

Luster — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 08:30:22 +0000

Aboubakar Fofana’s Indigo ombre fabric tent made a big splash at ICFF in 2009, and then shortly after, he debuted a collection that was created for ABC Carpet & Home. All I could think about was how badly I wanted that tent, or even some of that fabric to make curtains.

I was reminded how much I loved it all over again when I saw Martyn Lawrence Bullard on Million Dollar Decorators shopping in London…

for these vintage Indigo textiles from West Africa to add to his Tastemaker sale at One King’s Lane. These are circa 1930 Mossi textiles from Burkina Faso. (The entire sale was sold out within 3 hours.)

Indigo dyeing is a centuries old craft, originally thought to have begun in India, and spread throughout Asia and Africa. Using ancient African weaving and dyeing techniques, Aboubakar Fofana has revived Mali’s nearly lost tradition with his collection that mixes old and new styles. I can never get enough of this color!

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Images: Section 1: top left, Remodelista, top right, Ranipink, bottom left, Adire, bottom right, Remodelista | Section 2: Aboubakar fabric | Section 3: left, Ellen Pompeo’s house designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Pillows and slipcovers by Caravane, France

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::: Vintage Postcards from Tangier :::

Luster — Thu, 05 May 2011 16:39:27 +0000

Look at these amazing vintage beauties from Tangier. There are no dates on them, only French phrases written below.

:::: Peter Beard ::::

Luster — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:08:24 +0000

I received this two volume coffee table book set of artist/photographer/illustrator Peter Beard’s work this past Christmas that has been incredibly inspiring and continues to captivate me. Spanning four decades, this tome chronicles his life and artwork in New York City, Montauk and Kenya through 784 pages of collages, photographs and interviews.

Born in 1938, Beard was raised in New York City, Long Island, and Alabama, and studied at Pomfret academy entering Yale University as a pre-med student. He quickly changed his major to art history, and after life-changing trips to Africa in 1955 and 1960, he returned after graduation and settled in Kenya on a property adjacent to Karen Blixen’s.

He began keeping diaries at a young age to chronicle trips, and throughout his lifetime, he has amassed these incredibly beautiful, fascinating accounts of life on two continents. I first found out about him this summer when I was reading I Married Adventure by Martin & Osa.

I don’t think I could ever tire looking through the pages and pages of handwritten diary entries, photo collages, hand drawn illustrations, clippings from the media, and photographs from Africa’s wild. Every time you look, you see something new.

Left to Right: A collage from 30 years in Montauk, NY. Beard working in his studio {for sale as of 2009}, on the lawn at Andy Warhol’s with Mick Jagger, Catherine Deneuve and Andy.

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Fore more, visit Peter Beard’s website. All images via Peter Beard 2008, Taschen

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::: Arabian Nights :::

Luster — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 06:49:28 +0000

The lure of magical Morocco never tires, and I am crossing my fingers that I’ll get there soon. I have always loved caftans, so I was excited to see this graphic, modernized black and white version by Temperley London. Morocco’s influence in home and fashion is still going strong, and with all the triangle/chevron patterns out there it’s refreshing to see them fused with ethnic influence.

I have always had this idea of hosting a 60′s style caftan party on a rooftop with floor cushions.

Style icons of 60′s Marrakesh: Yves Saint Laurent and Talitha Getty

Images: Ksar Char-Bagh hotel via Kiwi collection | Yves Saint Laurent in Marrakesh via Brooke Camille and Talitha and Paul Getty via Orkalia and Hippie Couture

Wanderlust ::: Zanzibar, Spice Island

Luster — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 04:00:47 +0000

I have long wished to see Africa, and every once in awhile I get my fix looking at safari websites in South Africa, Botswana, and Tanzania. I always forget that the incredible island of Zanzibar is just a short ferry ride away from the coastal town of Dar es Salaam on Tanzania’s East coast. What an incredible place to end a journey from the mainland.

This beautiful island is famous for Stone Town, the only ancient town left in Africa that still functions, it’s picturesque beaches, and long history as the center of the Spice trade route.

Images via Klindi Hotel | North Zanzibar

{Clockwise Left to Right: photo by Eric Laforgue, photo by Zanzibar Beach House Co, photo via planet ware, photo by Zanzibar Beach House Co}

Mnemba Island Lodge

{Clockwise Left to Right: image via Africa Diving Co, images via Lahita Expeditions, Matemwe via Asila Africa}

Images via Zanzibar Beach House Co

{Clockwise Left to Right:} Striped Cover up, terry lined African stripe sarong, gold and straw sunhat, chiffon dress/cover up, recycled plastic woven bracelets, leather trimmed market basket, streamline luggage, antiqued moroccan hoop earrings, embellished sandal, gold python passport cover, guides to zanzibar, wrap beaded bracelet

Safari with {Martin & Osa}

Luster — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Right now I am reading Osa Johnson’s I Married Adventure, the amazing true story of Martin and Osa Johnson’s fearless explorations of Africa in the 1920′s and 30′s. This hard to find title was buried on my amazon wish list for a couple of years, only remembered after recently seeing it piled on a table in a shelter magazine. After weeks of waiting, it arrived safely with a distinctly vintage book smell and the binding a bit delicate. The monotone zebra cover is so chic, definitely worthy of a place on the coffee table. The vivid descriptions are transporting me right to Africa with all its wild beauty and raw adventure.

jack’s camp

from Peter Beard’s collages of Africa

Ernest Hemingway via Hollister Hovey

luggage made by Hermès especially for Karen Blixen from Out of Africa

Manau and Teang moo by Carol Stevenson

This post is dedicated to my grandfather, James A. Rich, who in his own right was a fearless adventurer and would have been 101 today. He wrote this postcard to my grandmother in November 1943. Immediately following their marriage, he went to war not returning home for four years, and steadily wrote letters and postcards home to his new wife.