Designers that inspire me…
“Everything is designed. Few things are designed well.” Brian Reed
As a designer myself, it is only natural that I have a love and appreciation for designers; from fabric designers to wallpaper designers; furniture designers right through to other interior designers, sculpture and, not forgetting, fashion designers. When contemplating my favourite designers to share this blog with you, I quickly identified common themes that my favourite designers all encompass. Read to the end to find out what they are…
My favourite fabric designers
“A love of linen and attention to detail first fired my desire to create beautiful fabrics.” Bernie de Le Cuona
Although I don’t discriminate when it comes to fabric designers, I certainly have my favourites. The first that comes to mind is de Le Cuona. Bernie de Le Cuona is originally from South Africa and is greatly inspired by her travels, very similar to myself (also a big lover of linen and attention to detail). I absolutely love her fabrics: I would wear her fabrics if they were designed for clothing. I love the colour palette. So dreamy, and has a romantic quality.
Another favourite of mine is Dedar fabrics, which is a family-run fabric house in Italy. Very much like all of the fabric designers that I love, it is because of the overall sophistication and quality of the fabrics they produce. It’s quite hard to explain as it’s more of an instinct, a feeling. They’re very tactile, beautiful to touch, yet stylish. I particularly resonate with their use of colour, their colour palette would be my personal preference.
My favourite wallpaper designers
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Maya Angelou
Some fabric houses like London-based Andrew Martin, also create wonderful wallpaper designs too. If I was to pick one of my favourite wallpaper designers it would be Cole & Son, they do amazing wallpaper. They recently collaborated with South African ceramicists Ardmore, and drawing inspiration from the colourful and quirky ceramics, have created a unique collection of wallpaper that celebrates African traditions and culture (think exotic flora, majestic fauna and native animals of Africa).
My favourite artists
“What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul.” Joseph Addison
The sculpture that I have always loved is the Swiss Roberto Giacometti. Another, less known for his sculpture, is Michelangelo. He was a talented artist across a number of disciplines; painting, drawing, sculpture. With art, I find that I am drawn to the extraordinary. Henry Moore is another favourite of mine for that very reason.
My favourite furniture designers
“The details are not the details. They make the design.” Charles Eames
I’ll start with India Mahdavi, a very interesting woman who designs amazing furniture with a refreshingly unique use of bold colour. I love her work; it’s very colourful, pieces are sculptural and artistic, adding an interesting dimension to any room. We used her chairs for our dining table setting in the Longueville project.
Charles & Ray Eames furniture is another favourite designer of mine. Their work is timeless, comfortable and stylish. The true design masters are those that understand that the function of design is not just to look aesthetically pleasing, but also to function perfectly. For example, an Eames chair is comfortable; the brilliance in the design is that it can do what it is supposed to do while being beautiful to look at.
Other designers that I appreciate are Christian Liairge who is a French interior designer who produces beautifully designed, amazing furniture. Kelly Wearstler is another designer that I admire for her ‘out of the box’ thinking. She expertly mixes fashion and furniture, creating quirky and over-the-top pieces with huge proportions and very unusual details. Based in LA, we have used her lighting, fabrics and wallpaper for past projects, but are still waiting for the opportunity to use her furniture.
Not all of my favourite designers are international, we have some excellent homegrown designers right here in Australia. Some of my favourite Australian lighting designers are Christopher Booth and Articolo, who are both Melbourne-based designers but are popular (and available) internationally.
Interior designers that inspire me
“The function of design is letting design function.” Micha Commeren
Interior designers from France have had a definite impact and influence on my own thinking. I admire Joseph Durran for their timeless elegance. They take properties and homes that are full of architectural history with stunning pressed ceilings and cornices, old timber flooring… then expertly introduce contemporary furniture and it works effortlessly. Two other French interior designers that inspire my own work are Thomas Pheasant and Pierre Yovanovitch.
And finally, my favourite fashion designers
“Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way to live.” Gianni Versace
As much as I love designers, when it comes to fashion I don’t buy a lot of highly branded clothes, I’m quite content shopping locally and selecting the tailored options when I find them. That being said, I am very fond of Camilla and Marc, an Australian brother and sister designer duo.
I also really like Dries Van Noten; a Belgian designer, his clothes are unique, but wearable.
When it comes to key pieces like bags and shoes, I am most drawn to Celine, Loewe, Valentino, Marni, Balenciaga and Aquazzura. Or reinforcing my love of French designers, my favourite pair of glasses are designed by Anne & Valentine.
What do my favourite designers say about me…
You probably picked up some themes yourself if you’ve read this far. My South African heritage has had an influence on my taste and love for design/designers, alongside a love for European design. This is even evident in my own home, where you will find a stunning French armoire in one room, and animal print fabrics in another.
The one thing that all of the designers I admire have in common is that along with their wonderfully unique and timeless designs, they all have function and form, complemented by style. The colour palettes that they use are all colours that I would personally choose for my own home or wardrobe.
If you think that you would like to work with Marylou Sobel on your next interior design project then please call the studio on (02) 9360 5881 or contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you.
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