Jenni from DailyWorkit shared some great photos with us shot on a rooftop in New York City. 

Photos courtesy of Daily Workit and feature Echo's cheetah print infinity ring

Last week, on Thursday, May 20th, 6 paintings (including works by Matisse and Picasso) valued at $124 million were stolen from the Paris Museum of Modern Art. When paintings are stolen and we get past the obvious questions about how the theft was orchestrated and what was the dollar value, we're left with the enormity of the real loss: the fact that we, as a society, no longer have access to specific artistic works crucial to the art world and our history. These works are representations of techniques that became whole artistic movements illustrating cultural trends from hundreds of years ago. This isn't just stealing a diamond necklace or an expensive car.  These paintings, although valued in the millions of dollars, really are priceless in terms of our shared global culture. I remember the first time I saw Vincent Van Gogh's "The Starry Night". I'd seen photos of it over the years since it's such a popular piece -  but to stand where Van Gogh stood, with my face inches from the canvas, to see, up close, the lines of the bristles from the paintbrush, the texture of the swirling starlight, and think of Van Gogh moving the brush through the thick paths of paint, the year 1889 folded into 1996 and back again like a shockwave and then stood still. Everything went silent. I was overwhelmed by weight of the decades between his brush on the painting and me standing there looking at it. 

  Vincent Van Gogh "The Starry Night" -1889

Museums are stately shrines beautifully decorated and cared for, built for the sheer purpose of displaying these works of art for anyone and everyone to appreciate.  The Paris Museum of Modern Art happens to be a esteemed institution that is a part of the fabric of the city of Paris.  And yet someone just broke a padlock and a window, and without any respect to the time or talent it took to create these paintings, without any impression of the generations of people who have viewed it, the years that have passed, the hours of painstaking care by museum staff, just cut the canvas out of the frame, stuffed it in a bag and walked out. On one hand one would think the person(s) knew the value, otherwise, why try? But by knowing the monetary enough to want to steal it, why not value the intrinsic value?? Could you have brought a nice case maybe? Or better yet, take a photo and leave the painting on the wall. And then go get a job. 

2 of the paintings taken from the Paris Museum of Modern Art May 20, 2010:   Henri Matisse "Pastoral" -1905;   Pablo Picasso "Dove with Green Peas" -1912.

It's common knowledge that due to the high profile of these paintings and the ensuing publicity of the theft, that these paintings can't be easily re-sold.  Not to an art lover of course, which one would hope at least that they would go to.  But they are sold - usually as collateral for weapons or drug deals.  So these paintings are now out there being manhandled and thrown into the back of a van, merely pawns in a drug or weapons war for territory.  No one can legitimately buy these because that may implicate them in the crime just by sheer possession. However, maybe a drug lord decides he likes one of them and he puts it up on the wall of his sprawling estate.  HE can. Because, who's really going to report that he has them? He's a drug lord. I've seen Miami Vice. I know what happens to a narc. 

The art world does list the thefts in the Art Loss Register but most often, sadly the works are never recovered, often destroyed or left to languish, abandoned, unlabeled in basements or buried. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark anyone? In 1990, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston suffered one of the most expensive and embarrassing thefts of paintings that, to this day, have never been recovered. With new DNA testing advances investigators may be able to find some evidence to pursue these thieves, but the statute of limitations ran out 5 years after the crime.  THAT is a crime in itself.  That theft, as expensive in dollars as it was, also dealt a sizable blow to our art collection as a whole.  One of the paintings stolen was Rembrandt's only seascape, "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee" painted 377 years ago. Another was Vermeer's "The Concert" painted in 1664. This was one of only 35 works attributed to Vermeer and, yet despite that small portfolio, he is considered to be one of the finest painters of the Dutch Golden Age. Perhaps that is why 'The Concert' is now worth an estimated $200 million. Now it's gone. The worst part was that the theft highlights the easily avoidable and embarrassing mistakes of the museum's security who fell for the oldest trick in the book: "It's the police. Open up!"  Seriously, we protect our banks with 4 feet of solid lead, but the museum has a buzzer on the door?  The museum still displays the empty frames where they were left on the wall because Gardner's will expressed that the collection should remain unchanged. It did - kind of.  

Matisse said: "Expression, for me, does not reside in passions glowing in a human face or manifested by violent movement. The entire arrangement of my picture is expressive; the place occupied by the figures, the empty spaces around them, the proportions, everything has its share."

What do you think he would say about what these 'empty spaces' art theft creates? Does art theft inadvertently play a role in increasing the value of the paintings that are left behind? Are the 'empty spaces' left by art theft necessary to our understanding and appreciation of the art world as a whole?  Does the price of a painting change the effect it has on us?  Regardless, if we value these works simply for the sheer talent and vision in their creation it took to create them, and the emotional message they relate to each viewer from the artist, the holes left behind by art theft are truly priceless AND 'empty.'

"I do not literally paint that table, but the emotion it produces upon me. I am unable to make any distinction between the feeling I get from life and the way I translate that feeling into painting." -Henri Matisse

2 of the paintings taken from the Gardner Museum in 1990: Rembrandt van Rijn  "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee." -1633; Johannes Vermeer "The Concert" -1664

What is a Polka Dot? And what's it got to do with dancing?

Polka. Dot. 
We know that Polka is a kind of music and also a dance. And dot, well that's just a simple small round mark.  So what's one got to do with the other and why, when put together, do they refer to that pattern made so popular by I Love Lucy?

Polka comes from the Polish word “pulka,” meaning half-step, as in the dance.  The dance was first introduced into the ballrooms of Prague in 1835.  It was a Czech peasant dance in 2/4 time, developed in Eastern Bohemia (now part of Czechoslovakia). Depending on the region is is performed, polka music can have different influences giving it a more Latin or German (Oktoberfest) feel,  but most definitely all include the telltale accordion.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines “polka dot” as “Any of a number of round dots of uniform size repeated so as to form a regular pattern, usually on fabric.” The term itself first appeared in the mid-1800s (”Scarf of muslin, for light summer wear … surrounded by a scalloped edge, embroidered in rows of round polka dots,” 1857).  So, what does the polka dance have to do with polka dots? Nothing - just timing - and marketing. The polka craze, which lasted for several decades in the 1800s, was a pretty big fad so every industry tried to capitalize on it.  Fashion just started adding the word 'polka' to everything.  They had polka jackets, polka hats, polka socks, men's ties, you name it. Sound e-familiar? iDon't know. Then In the '50s and '60s the polka dot had a resurgence and appeared on swimwear (and pop music: 'The Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini'), Lucille Ball's dresses, dinnerware, handbags, ties, you name it. That pattern today can be considered kitschy but contemporary depending on the placement and color combinations.  Polka dots have graced high-end wedding dresses, invitations, pillows and bedding, handbags, umbrellas, scarves and dresses.  So you can wear the pattern even if you can't polka. 

Above photo (courtesy Country Living ) features Echo's Pin Dot Shirt Dress.

One of the great trends right now for summer is a military or utilitarian look.  Echo's Imperial Safari collection takes that look and updates it with inspiration from African and Colonial India. Elements of this style can be integrated into any outfit without looking overly military or as if you were actually on safari.  Think: casual world traveler meets crafty elements of the exotic bazaars and caravans of decorative pillows, spices and jewels.  

This look contrasts touches of military influence and soft femininity while pulling inspiration from the luscious patterns and textures of these distinct cultures. Contrasting khakis and earth tones are punctuated with pretty intricate beads, and animal and black prints on delicate fabrics.  Metallic effects on fabrics, delicately powdered with gold and silver give accessories fluidity and femininity. Colors range from earthen neutrals in browns and sand to sun bleached corals, chartreuse greens and watery blues. Animal prints like cheetah and snakeskin are great patterns on lightweight scarves perfect for summer. Organic fabrics like raffia, linen, hemp and ramie become utterly chic in this summer trend because of their versatile, breathable and sustainable qualities.

So you can update your summer wardrobe easily - and quickly - by adding a few key accessories from this trend.   A simple white tee, khaki capris and a passport are your starting point. Add gladiator sandals, bold chunky rings and a beautiful ikat pattern wrap.  Life is an adventure and you are a world traveler - unique and exotic. Take a little bit of the luxury of each country with you as you experience all this world offers.

When we tell people we work in fashion they often assume that we live glamorous, exciting lives.  Sure this is a somewhat skewed perception, but every now and then they would be right. Most recently, a group of Echoans took time out from day-to-day operations in Manhattan to experience one of our most vibrant markets, Tokyo, Japan.

If you were to read anything about Tokyo before you visit, you’ll likely hear it described as the definition of foreign – another world. We didn’t find that to be fully accurate.  Tokyo is an exciting city with many diverse neighborhoods each with a unique feel, similar to New York or London.  One striking feature was the contrast between new and old; the vibrant neon modernity versus the rich cultural architecture of centuries past.  A short walk through the city’s center provides incredibly modern buildings along side ancient temples.  The photo below is of the acclaimed and almost futuristic Prada building in Aoyama, only a few minutes walk from an urban temple tucked in among retail shops.

 Architecture isn’t the only contrast evident in Tokyo. The push and pull between modern and traditional is evident in cuisine, culture, and social interaction.  McDonald’s stands only a few feet from a traditional soba noodle house while a traditional kimono shop could be only steps from modern Japanese designers like Tsumori Chisato and Yohji Yamamoto, not to mention American standbys like The Gap or Ralph Lauren.

 The most exciting thing about our trip to Japan?  Visiting the specialty stores that carry Echo products.  Beams, héliopôle, and Free’s Shop are just a few places you can find Echo products in Japan. 

What’s hot in Japan? Here are just a few of the Echo styles that are flying off the shelves at Beams: our medallion print butterfly dress, terry handheld tote, strapless knit pantsuit, and the smocked spectator dress. 

For a list of countries where you can find Echo products, check out the “international” link at the bottom of the Echo Design website.

PS – Concerned about what to wear on the 13 hour trip from New York to Tokyo? Start with a wrap that will keep you warm (or cool) on the plane and on the street. I didn’t make it past ticketing before I started fielding compliments about my Echo rainbow stripe wrap.

I love your Ovation duvet and want to pair it with kelly green. Do you have a fun wallpaper suggestion from your line to pair with the green and chocolate brown combination? Thx! Kristen
From: Kristen
Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 1:54 PM
To: AskADesigner

Dear Kristen,

We are thrilled that you love our Ovation Duvet!  Do you already have the duvet?  I ask because the green accent color is much more of a bamboo yellow-green, and so I don’t think a true Kelly Green will work well with it.  We do happen to have a paper that I think is absolutely perfect with Ovation from the standpoint of both color and style, and that is our Grasscloth wallpaper– pattern #566-44519 in Willow.  Ovation is a very bold, exciting pattern and so I don’t think you need to put a lot of pattern on your walls.  This grasscloth is solid, but is textured and has enough strength, personality and richness to stand up to the bedding.  I also like that it is an authentic grasscloth, and therefore it has a little bit of an ethnic flavor which will complement the Ovation duvet.  If you decide to go with this combination, we would love to see a photo of your room!

Thank you again for your support of Echo.

Best,
Meg
Designer Director, Home
www.echodesign.com