This morning was just another day in New York City for a transplanted Westcoaster. As we were walking back a mere 15 blocks from a presentation by Elle Magazine (good discussion on types of consumers and how they are shopping and buying) to our office , a number of interesting sightings captured life on the streets of the Big Apple: The first was a policeman on horseback blocking off a street - it is UN week with many world leaders visiting; As we passed, the horse began a snort and loud neigh as if it knew to say good morning. The next was a woman in flats who at a red light decided to change into her heels while waiting for the crossing signal to change. No stopping, no sitting, just flats off, heels on! We then passed another woman who sneezed, allowing us to offer a “bless you” followed by a quick “thank you” reply in the half second it took us to pass one another. All along we had the opportunity to categorize passersby according to the descriptors presented by Elle at the talk we just heard. Finally we made it to our street corner where our friendly fruit merchant was nowhere to be seen, only his fruit stand and fruit were there but he was not. As the trustworthy souls that we are, we simply helped ourselves to our normal selections and left the money where it is normally collected. I thought I came here for the fashion, design and culture which by the way isn't bad. But with all the quirky and fun happenings here each day, I’d have to agree that I love New York and the people in New York and do not wonder why people are inspired by this incredible city everyday.  

- Alyssa

Image provided by www.freefoto.com

Again on the island of Symi in Greece.  This time walking the streets.  We were struck by how wonderful close up details were.  Individually or in combination stairs, walls, doors and windows looked like modern abstract paintings.  They were both painterly and graphic at the same time.  Here are just a few of our favorites:

- Meg and Steven

Rumor has it some celebrities are getting wrapped up in Echo! Check out the link below to see the latest trendsetter echoing our style:

http://www.instyle.co.uk/instyleuk/package/general/photos/0,,20215706_20215481_20498222,00.html

- The Echo Team

While our new book, Color At Home, is already selling well across the country (and some hot spots globally), we can’t help but continue to notice and photograph great paint color when we see it.

Recently while exploring the coast of Turkey and some Greek Islands we pulled into the main harbor on Symi,  (also called Yialos) as the late afternoon sun was drenching the coast.  We were instantly surrounded by these shimmering stucco or cement homes and buildings climbing from the water up the surrounding hills.  The neutral colors were a settling anchor to the pops of vibrant tones of blue, yellow, green, orange and red.   

Even the outdoor cafes use color as a playful backdrop to the fresh tastings. 

More to come. - Meg and Steven

In celebration of our 85th Anniversary, we decided it was the perfect time to launch a new advertising campaign. We challenged ourselves to develop an innovative concept that was both true to Echo and intriguing enough to encourage the reader to take a second look.

Echo has always been about print, pattern, color and design. Therefore it seemed only natural to take photographs of some of our favorite Echo products and turn them into kaleidoscopic patterns that could be a part of our collection. We are very happy with the way our advertisements turned out and are excited to finally share them with you!

Astute readers may have noticed that Echo uses the word “scarfs” as the plural of “scarf”, rather than the more common “scarves”. We choose to do so because “scarfs” is an important part of Echo’s history. When Edgar and Theresa Hyman started Echo in 1923, they used “scarfs” not “scarves”. This was the spelling used in advertisements and our letterhead (see below). We use “scarfs” to maintain a connection to our long and rich heritage.

Furthermore, “Scarfs” is a correct and acceptable plural. In fact, it is the original plural form. From the Oxford English Dictionary:

“Scarf, n. Pl. scarfs, scarves. … The original plural form scarfs has never gone out of use; but from the beginning of the 18^th c. the form scarves (on the analogy of halves) has been common…”

While “scarves” may be the more commonly-used spelling, “scarfs” is equally correct and Echo scarfs are anything but common. We are a company that simultaneously looks to the future and the past, creating fashion forward products while staying true to our roots. Echo was founded as a scarf company, with the goal of making beautiful scarfs. These days we create a range of accessories and home products, but we haven’t lost sight of that original goal or that original spelling.

Hey Echofans,

Here are some cool links to help fight the summertime blues.
On the New York Times website, Bill Cunningham has a interesting video about scarfs. He’s trying to figure out why people are wearing them in the New York City heat.

Meanwhile, over at Sicka Than Average, there’s a nice blog entry about our Political Party Scarfs. Plus, as an added bonus, you get a neat explanation about where the Democrat Donkey and the Republican Elephant came from.

Enjoy! -SAM

My husband Paul and I visited Greece and Turkey this July. We saw so many incredible sights:Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes or Istanbul… I couldn’t decide which place I wanted to write about more! I decided on Ephesus in Turkey as it is one of the greatest ruined cities in the Western world.

Ephesus is a Greek city that has survived many eras. It was first built in about 1,000 B.C. It soon rose to fame as a center for the worship of Cybele, the Anatolian Mother Goddess. The city we see today was founded in the 4th century B.C. by Alexander the Great’s successor, Lysinachus. But it was under the Romans that Ephesus became the chief port on the Aegean. Most of the surviving structures date from this period.

One can walk through the Library of Celsus, the theater, the temple of Hadrian, the Gate of Hercules, the Colonnaded Street lined with Ionic and Corinthian columns. The architecture was mind boggling; it was all so well planned and executed, even though it was created in ancient times. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea! -Dot

One of my tasks as an Echo Summer Intern is to help launch and contribute to the Echo Blog. Since this is my first ever experience blogging, our “What do I Blog About?” brainstorming session served to open my eyes to the young/hip/current internet social scene, which I seemed to be missing out on thus far in my 21 years. Ironically enough, only a few days after I became blog-educated, I came across an article in the NY Times which discussed one of our ideas for regular posts to a T. The article, which was printed on the front page, was entitled, “Forget Gossip Girl; the Buzz Is About the Clothes.” In sum, the article discussed that while the show doesn’t have the highest ratings on television (only targeting a narrow teen – young 20s audience), the on-set wardrobe has a tremendous effect on the retail marketplace. The show’s fashion forward and cutting edge style attracts the attention of avid shoppers with its trend setting abilities as well as designers with its product exposure. While some designers take inspiration from the show, many others take in profits. “The series has become a profitable showcase for certain designers. ‘Do you like my new Nanette Lepore?’ a character inquired in one episode. Ms. Lepore, a New York designer, reports that ‘within days after one of our dresses appears, the store gets calls.’”

While we discussed most of the story’s content in our meeting on Friday, what surprised me about this article was its location in the paper. Gossip Girl style was front page news along with articles concerning the G-8 Summit, rising oil prices, and the political unrest in Zimbabwe. This placement, to me, is proof that fashion, even to intellectuals who regularly digest the NY Times, is important enough in everyone’s lives to be a headliner. It exhibits through the purchasing fervor of items on the show that having that “new Nanette Lepore” will make someone’s life better and more exciting. I think that this article, and Gossip Girl, in particular give accessories added exposure and relevance. Since the characters on the show are required to sport preppy school uniforms daily, they are forced to express their fashion personality (and the depth of their wallets) through accessories. Scarves, handbags, gloves, tights, headbands, and wraps spice up their drab uniforms and make them outfits that are runway worthy. In this way the show demonstrates the importance of accessories, an idea we at Echo can definitely get behind! - Gillian

Things that make me go whoa:

This exhibit from BMW’s museum in Munich.

(courtesy of Cool Hunting.)

714 steel spheres, held in the air by nearly-invisible strings, which are motorized so they can be raised and lowered. Somehow out of that, the artist creates very convincing motion as well as the silhouettes of famous BMW designs from throughout the company’s history.

This is just one more example of the way new technology is driving art and design into new, unseen terrority. Another one of my favorites is Daniel Rozin’s Wooden Mirror. The amazing thing is that this type of work is only going to become both more commonplace and more sophisticated. I don’t know about you, but I’m psyched.

-SAM