Tag Archives: sara gilbane

We stopped into D. Porthault to look at linens for a client and fell in love. All of their prints are beautiful making it impossible to choose just one. They remind me of my grandmother’s beach house in the summertime. Classic and elegant- you can’t go wrong.

The Start of Something Good:

At the turn of the 20th century, Daniel Porthault opens a small lingerie boutique in Paris. In the Roaring Twenties, his wife Madeleine convinces him to expand into the undiscovered world of home couture. At a time when France and the world were sleeping on traditional white and ivory linen, Madeleine and Daniel introduce a new style of bedding ~ printed sheets. Inspired by her love of Impressionist art and the gardens at Giverny, and by her association with the fashion designer Maggie Rouff, Madeleine Porthault’s colorful sheets, adorned with dressmaker details, are an instant success… and D. Porthault is still here today with a countless number of chic fans ( Charles de Gaulle, Sir Winston Churchill, President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy, Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, the Duchess of Windsor – to name a few).

Photos from their shop at 470 Park Avenue:

Above: A selection of bed linens:

Top Left:

Bottom Left: Tresse in Grey and Blue

Middle: Tigre Turquoise Sham and Rubans bolster

Above: These bed linens were some of my favorite. All the flowers are hand embroidered in cornflower, navy, pink, and cherry red.

Above: A selection of hand-printed cotton terry towels.

Bottom Left: Bath Towel- Jete De Fleurs Blue

Bottom Right: Parrot Beach Towel

A few more bath towels- I couldn’t resist:

Top Left: Etoiles

Bottom Left:

Center:

Top Right: Poise de Senteur

Bottom Right:

Above: Contemporary table linens in confetti pattern ( shown in blue and turquoise) on white linen.

Above: This centerpiece must be seen to be believed. A safari right in the middle of your dining table!

A few of my favorite rooms with D. Porthault linens:

A Todd Romano designed room in blue- so much fun. This little room with a funny ceiling suddenly feels like the most special room in the house. As long as you ground the room with a solid bring in as many patterns as you like.

Rita Konig’s room in Domino- all soft and lovely with a soft punch in pink and orange on her D. Porthault euro shams

Howard Slatkin turns up the volume of his room with D. Porthault linens in blue. I love the mix of patterns in here.

Charlotte Moss used D. Porthault linens in her bedroom at the Kips Bay 2009 showhouse.

Visit the store or their new and improved website and get your fix today!

D. Porthault: http://www.dporthaultparis.com/www/

xo,

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Lela Rose- Spring 2010 in stores now!

February 15, 2010

sara

Fashion Inspiration Interior Design Shopping 1 Comment

From the moment I saw the first model walk down the runway I was hooked. Lela Rose’s Spring 2010 collection centers around the sun faded palette of Alex Katz and the splashes of saturated color seen at Venice Beach. Combining texture and blocks of color, silhouettes resemble sculpted surf wear while soft wave and cascade shapes bring an ocean feel to the collection. Wrapped skirts, seamed sheaths, and sport jackets are redefined through sunset tweed, matte stretch linen and daybreak printed cotton. Cashmere t-shirts and paneled cardigans in colors such as highlighter, grass green and watermelon bring an effortless balance of casual and luxury.

Lela’s pieces are just plain pretty. I find myself reaching for many of my Lela Rose pieces when I am searching for that perfect dress, fun top, or skirt that can pack a punch. The lines are always graceful and the details make her pieces modern and unique.

The above stripe comes in fuschia as well as navy blue and I got the skirt shown above as well as a tank top in the same pattern- I cannot get enough of stripes!

http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod53460008&eItemId=prod53450025&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid =&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml%253FN%253 D0%2526Ntt%253Dlela%252Brose%2526_requestid%253D15433

This top also comes in a dress. The acid yellow, grey, and seafoam blue look beautiful together. The geometric print has a modern edge. Perfect with white jeans or a skirt.

I love this dress! It makes me feel like a 1960’s barbie- in a good way. If you have purchased Kelly Wearstler’s new book the colors will look familiar. The fabric looks a lot like Kelly’s new office featured in Hue.

http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/65717

This fabric is simply stunning in person. It is very soft to the touch and the brush strokes resemble feathers. A totally modern take on classic black and white.

http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod53430023&eItemId=prod53430023&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid=&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml %253FN%253D0%2526Ntt%253Dlela%252Brose%2526_requestid%253D15433

The perfect dress for a garden party or for your rehearsal dinner. This fabric reminds me of my wedding dress ( more on that below).

http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod53430037&eItemId=prod53430037&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid=&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml%253FN%253D0%2526Ntt%253Dlela%252Brose%2526_requestid%253D15433

Tie-dye is big for spring and this dress fits the trend. It also comes in a flowing top. The colors are beautiful and the fabric is so soft.

http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/65719

All 3 of the above outfits jump out of the Alex Katz painting shown here. The skirt pattern is fun with greys, blacks, and blues. You could pair this with a simple white t-shirt and be ready for the day. The orange dress looked stunning on the model. Such a lady-like drape in a totally modern punchy color. I adore the emerald green dress with the tealy blue razor flutter edge. The body is one piece of silk but the detailed razor edge has several blue and green pieces on top of one another. These pieces flutter when you move. Amazing!

http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod53460009&eItemId=prod53450026&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid=&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml%253FN%253D0%2526Ntt%253Dlela%252Brose%2526_requestid%253D15433

http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod53430027&eItemId=prod53430027&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid=&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml %253FN%253D0%2526Ntt%253Dlela%252Brose%2526_requestid%253D15433

This neon yellow dress felt very 1960’s glam. The print and color are totally modern. It also comes in a floor length gown.

http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod53430032&eItemId=prod53430032&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid=&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml %253FN%253D0%2526Ntt%253Dlela%252Brose%2526_requestid%253D15433

Lela Rose’s aesthetic of adding whimsy to elegance through brilliant color and hand crafted details has brought a fresh point of view to modern American fashion. Lela was raised in Texas and went to school in Colorado where nature, its surrounding landscapes, and the sublime colors it offers have long been an inspiration. Today, Lela continues to draw from these early influences as she designs clothes for the modern sophisticated woman who embodies a spirit of effortless elegance.

After graduating from Parson’s School of Design in 1993, she went to work with two esteemed designs, Richard Tyler and Christian Francis Roth. There she honed her love of couture fabric as well as fanatic attention to detail. In 1998, Lela’s vision and passion compelled her to create her signature collection, Lela Rose. Through intricately designed and finely detailed separates, dresses and jackets, Lela has established herself as a renowned designer.

The Lela Rose collection is built on a design philosophy of creating hand finished clothes that exude a casual luxury and refinement. The beautifully embellished fabrics are the foundation of this innovative collection and speak to the elegance of its personality with a nod to the era of glamour.

In fall 2006, Lela Rose launched the Lela Rose Wedding collection. She expanded into footwear in 2007, partnering with Payless Shoes to create the Lela Rose for Payless brand of fashion forward shoes at an extremely affordable price. In 2009 Lela launched Lela Rose Bridesmaid.

With such incredible successes under her very stylish belt she is one to keep your eye on! You can find her pieces at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and Net-A-Porter.com among other stores.

Lela stitched my name and Jays along with our wedding date onto the inside of the skirt for a personal touch.

The V in the front of the dress was mirrored in the back. I wanted a very simple silhouette with a more organic material used on the bottom. The entire dress was made of a washed silk and the modern tatted lace was attached over it.

Bridesmaids dresses colors were inspired by the hydrangeas that were all over the property. She copied a dress that had gone down the runway for fall. She has now added a similar style to her Lela Rose Bridesmaid collection:

http://www.dessy.com/dresses/lelarose/lr102/

Lela even made the sash for my little flower girls dress:

An interview with Lela Rose and my favorites from fall 2010 to come soon!

xo,

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What’s In My Bookshelf

February 13, 2010

sara

Antiques Art Books Fashion Interior Design Travel No Comments

ThiThis post should be called “what isn’t in my bookshelf”. I am a collector of books, therefore our bookshelves are overflowing with every type of book. Aside from my collection of magazines ( every issue of House Beautiful, Elle Decore, House and Garden, Domino, World of Interiors, and Veranda), fiction and non-fictions books, and clients folders, I have a huge collection of books that I reach for when I need inspiration. The topics range from textiles, to architectural styles, to fashion, to artists, to table settings, to hotels, to interiors, etc. You never know what might move you. Each client requires a fresh eye and a different style.