People in Denmark are reportedly the happiest people in the world. Some say it's their generous vacation policy, other say it's due to the high percentage of people who ride bikes. I think it's because they figured out how to capture the rainbow.  All references to Skittles aside, this art installation, Rainbow Panorama by Olafur Eliasson, is a circular structure that allows people to move through and experience views of the surrounding area through the colors of the rainbow.  Eliasson says,  “Your rainbow panorama enters into a dialogue with the existing architecture and reinforces what is assured beforehand, that is to say the view of the city. I have created a space which virtually erases the boundaries between inside and outside – where people become a little uncertain as to whether they have stepped into a work or into part of the museum. This uncertainty is important to me, as it encourages people to think and sense beyond the limits within which they are accustomed to moving”.

The Rainbow Panorama installation, on top of the ARos Arhaus Kunstmuseum in Denmark, made me think about the famous saying: 'looking at the world through rose colored glasses.' As we move into a new year, are we coloring our view of ourselves? Other people? Our world? And if I look through the green section of this panorama, can I help the world truly become a healthier place? If I spend time in the yellow section, can I share more happiness? 

Yes, the colors of our accessories are chosen based on seasons and trends, but we also choose them because we believe the right color at the right time can change your mood.  A color can bring back a memory or be integral in forming one.  Here's hoping you find your rainbow in 2012! Live colorfully :)

In 2005 “The Gates,” designed by the famous artist Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude, filled Central Park’s 23 miles of pathways with 7,500 saffron colored portals. Echo was asked to make a scarf to coincide with The Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibit of Christo’s drawings of this project.  Sarah Frank, one of Echo’s senior designers, created a magnificent scarf that was technically difficult to achieve. The scarf has 22 screens showing an actual Christo drawing, a sketch of the elevations and an astonishingly close reproduction of the actual fabric. We are very proud to have been asked to produce this scarf, and know that in some way we were all involved in a part of history and this once-in-a-lifetime project.

Christo has just received clearance to pursue his next project, tentatively titled "Over the River."  His works often need government approval due to the local environmental, economic and aesthetic impact.  This is an intentional side effect, he said in a recent New York Times article: "Every artist in the world likes his or her work to make people think. Imagine how many people were thinking, how many professionals were thinking and writing in preparing that environmental impact statement.”

 "Over the River" will be an installation suspended over 5.9 miles of the Arkansas River in Southwest Colorado. As with "The Gates" Christo will use panels of fabric, in this case 8 panels in blue.  Some of the reasons for concern as a result of the installation would be the effects on the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep native to the area, as well as potentially hazardous tourism access via a narrow canyon highway. Christo's sketch of the final work is below and his site provides a great virtual tour of a recent exhibit of more drawings from this new project as well as from his drafts for "The Gates." 

La Fete National - Bastille Day 2011 - Happy Anniversary France! As we watch France celebrate it's Independence Day, we can enjoy seeing the same three colors that adorned our cities and parks just last week for our own festivities.  It's nice to share not only love of country, but love of color and celebrations the way both countries do!  

If you're landlocked, bound by buildings and asphalt, your only escape (if temporary) is in your imagination.  In between the throng of the traffic and the rush of your day, sometimes if you close your eyes, when the wind blows, you can smell the salt in the air and imagine the spray of the surf cooling your face.  Hold that thought until you call the airlines and book a flight to Bermuda!  Either way, the best summer wardrobe incorporates items that can work city bound or surf side.  The right beach swim suit cover up can double as a breezy, summer dress and a pareo is so versatile that it works as a skirt for the beach, a wrap for the office, and you can even tie it into a roomy summer tote bag. Just remember to shake out the sand before you start that board meeting.

We're loving this trend for the summer season: big floppy hats. They are glamorous and functional - all at once.  Hats, in general, impart a specific message and a feeling for the wearer.  Think about it. You walk a little differently with a cowboy hat on, right? A Fedora has a classic look all it's own (Read our blog post "The Fedora: It's French. It's Dramatic. It's Class")  But the beauty of a big floppy hat is that it looks great on everyone.  It adds instant drama to any outfit and it provides shade. And mystery. Just like your favorite pair of sunnies, you can tip this hat just so and angle it down over your eyes for a little beach intrigue.  So, when planning a seaside vacation, be sure to pack your beach bag carefully - and include the one most important item that will protect your lovely skin and showcase the beauty you are.

Echo's Bold Stripe hat as seen in Lucky Magazine;  Echo's Braided Floppy Hat as seen in the NYTimes.com Spring Trends Slideshow.

Hi, I just purchased the Abstract Palm bedding set with the euro shams and decorative pillows. My bedroom has yellow walls. The furniture is white. What type of valances would you recommend? Any thoughts on artwork would be appreciated. Thank you!

Dear Nancy,

Thank you for purchasing our brand new Abstract Palm bedding. I first want to get a sense of the overall mood of your room. Is it “sunny vacation” or more of an “ethnic tropical?”  I can see both working very well, and though I could make slightly different suggestions for the two looks, I will offer up possibilities that will work for either.  I don’t know if you could or even would go in this direction, but I love the idea of shutters or blinds for this pattern.  They work in both white or dark wood, and both lend a sophistication and distinctive  personality to the room.   If you prefer fabric, I would opt for either a gauzy ivory linen, or even a kind of chunky textured burlap in ivory or a neutral that matches the color of the shams and decorative pillows.

As for the artwork I find that the best art is art that reflects your personal style, your interests, your travels, your life.  The options are so endless that I will just throw out a few that come to mind, but of course you will be the very best curator for your own room!  For a more global vibe, ethnic “artifacts” can be exciting – hand carved masks, bowls, textiles, even interesting garments or accessories hanging on the wall.  These don’t have to be fine or expensive to be dramatic.   For the “sunny vacation” look you can go with tropical prints, or a series of palm leaf botanicals, travel posters, or flea market flower paintings.  And never forget about the decorating possibilities of framed photographs.  Personally, I find it best to go with one of two styles of decorating with art – choosing a theme or subject or category and  creating a collection of like pieces, or going the opposite with a wonderful eclectic Collector’s gallery of varied, but very personal pieces.  Most of all…don’t take it too seriously and just have fun pulling it all together!

I hope this is helpful.  Let us know if you have other questions.  Enjoy your Abstract Palm bedding – and please, send us a photo of your finished room!

Meg
Design Director, Home
Echo Design Group, Inc.

                                                                                      

As you may notice, we have quite a few batik pieces in our spring and summer collections this year. The pattern is quite popular in fashion (scarves, swim suits, beach dresses and coverups, umbrellas, etc.) as well as in all kinds of wrapping papers, wallpapers, bedding, fabrics etc.  Since print, pattern and color is our mantra, the process of creating a batik pattern as well as the pattern's rich cultural significance presents an especially wonderful and powerful story.  In October of 2009 the batik pattern was officially recognized by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization as an 'intangible world heritage'.  Indonesia also erected the first and only Batik museum in 2006 to preserve and chronicle the method of creating a batik pattern as well as to honor the people responsible for continuing such amazing handcrafted art.

Batik can be defined by many different patterns but the look is quite immediately identifiable much like a hawaiian shirt. However, Batik holds more of a global cultural significance because it appears in the traditional and ceremonial dress of many countries, foremost in Indonesia but also in China, Japan, Africa and India.  The batik method can be seen in textiles and art as far back as Egyptian times but a batik pattern always utilizes imagery meaningful in that culture. For example, Chinese batik uses the phoenix, Japanese uses cherry blossoms, Indian uses peacocks and lotus flowers, African uses seed pods, etc. The word batik is from the (Indonesian) Javanese words amba ('to write') and titik ('dot' or 'point') which both refer to the signature lines and dots as well as the method of creating a batik pattern. Batik is basically a resist-dye process using hot wax in which one can either draw or write with the wax onto areas of a handdrawn pattern so that when the fabric is submerged in dye, these areas remain color free.   African batik uses flour and water mixture instead of the wax used by other cultures. Once the fabric is dried in the sun, the wax can be scratched or carved away to create a pattern. The process is repeated several times to create a more intricate design of layers of color and pattern. Modern production of batik designs does not use wax resist-dye method since it is such a time consuming process but also because the results are rarely colorfast. The batik patterns that Echo creates are designed in reverance of the traditional process but updated to endure multiple washing and wearabilty.

Most batik patterns signify status, lineage or honor religious iconography. In Indonesia, kebaya is the word for every day clothing and traditionally, batik was worn as a keybaya sarong but it is also on shirts and hats.  The Batik pattern on keybaya often carried a message. The symbols on an infant's batik sling are designed to bring the child luck. Certain batik designs are reserved for brides and bridegrooms, as well as their families. The dead are shrouded in funerary batik. A sultan would wear a batik different than his attendants: wider stripes or wavy lines indicated higher rank. Colors are also a very important part of the message.  Javanese traditional batik is made in the colors of indigo, dark brown, and white, which represent the three major Hindu Gods (Brahma, Visnu, and Siva). For special occasions, batik was decorated with gold leaf or dust. This cloth is known as prada (a Javanese word for gold) cloth. Gold decorated cloth is still made today; however, gold paint has replaced gold dust and leaf.

In Indonesia today a batik is worn by men on more formal occasions, even in place of a suit & tie. Batik is also considered formal attire for women as well.   In recognition of the UNESCO acknowledgement, wearing batik every friday is encouraged in all government offices and private companies.

We love the batik pattern for its complexity and for its history and we've designed our pieces with a fun, trendy and modern woman in mind. The exotic blend of the rich colors of the batik patterns are the perfect look for our well-traveled fashionistas - for vacation and for every day kebaya. Batik is more than your average pattern. We hope it inspires you too!

 Today Saturday March 19th marks the beginning of  India’s Holi Festival which is 2 weeks of celebrating  love, color, and overall the triumph of good over evil.  Holi is a celebration that lasts 16 days in the towns of Vrindavan and Mathura and Santiketan and signals the beginning of spring and the birth of new life. As is with most of the Indian culture the festival arose out of stories of religious figures fighting and overcoming evil –both on the level of waging huge wars to save humanity as well as on a personal level dealing with making the right choices.  Perhaps as a result of this being a thoroughly devout culture this festival has come to symbolize the freedom to lose all inhibitions, play, dance and laugh. India has its troubles and manages through a depressed economy but the joy and happiness in these pictures is pure, bold and real.

The literal translation of the word 'Holi' is 'burning'.  Huge bonfires are lit on street corners and people run, dance and laugh through the streets throwing brightly colored powder and water on each other. Holifestival.org describes that the meaning of the word Holi and the significance of the fires is based in the legend of Hiranyakashyap: “Hiranyakashyap wanted everybody in his kingdom to worship only him but to his great disappointment, his son, Prahlad became an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana. Hiaranyakashyap commanded his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. Holika had a boon whereby she could enter fire without any damage on herself. However, she was not aware that the boon worked only when she enters the fire alone. As a result she paid a price for her sinister desires, while Prahlad was saved by the grace of the god for his extreme devotion. The festival, therefore, celebrates the victory of good over evil and also the triumph of devotion.”

The tradition of covering everyone in the beautiful colored powder started again from a legend, this one about Lord Krishna who applied color to his beloved Radha and other gopis.  These magnificent colors signify the new blossoms of the spring and perhaps even more true to the inherent meaning of this celebration, the powder is made from gulal which includes fragrant flowers and some spices chosen for their therapeutic and emollient qualities such as turmeric or haldi, flower extracts, sandalwood and mehndi.

We've often discussed the meaning of color - for use in the home, in accessories and how color effects each one of us differently. Color has the power to create a mood and can change it as well (see the post here).  We find ourselves drawn to certain colors for reasons only we may - or may not even know. Colors can increase your heart rate or they can soothe and calm. This festival pretty much exemplifies what every culture feels at the beginning of spring - the explosion of blooming flowers and bright skies is a wonderful gift after the dormant months of winter. Even though personally experiencing this festival would be a life changing moment, we can recognize the underlying message of joy, rebirth and take notice of the amazing power of nature no matter where we are or what religion we believe in.

Ireland may not be known for its contribution to modern fashion and couture, but instead the culture's input can be seen more in the foundational basics of texture, patterns and materials.   Celtic - as a style, language and a culture actually combines Irish and Scottish influences and since both are seaside nations with pasts marked by tumultuous religious exploration, Celtic usually means things made of wool, in colors representing the countryside and weaves and knits resembling fishing / maritime knotting and religious iconography.   

The most symbolic is the classic Fisherman sweater, identified by the telltale cable knit wool.  Often hand knitted by the fishermans' wives, the sweater was made  using unscoured, undyed wool that retained its natural oils (like lanolin) therefore making the sweater water resistant. A fisherman's tools are few but meaningful.  The cable or rope moored his ship when in port, lashed canvas sails to the mast and provided strength in his net.  Therefore the cable knit is said to be a wish for safety and good luck.  Another type of stitch on variations of the fisherman sweater is the basket stitch, which represents hope for a plentiful catch.  Lastly, to be a true Fisherman sweater, the stitch must be symmetrical from the center on both front and back.  This symmetrical interweaving can represent all the convergence of all paths in life which conveys a somewhat religious connotation. 

We love the versatility of wool - especially for scarves.   Wool can be used from not only sheep but alpaca and goats and can be woven many different ways.  The characteristics of wool differentiate it from hair because of the way it's clumped together.  The wool from an alpaca wool has long strands or fibers.  The diameter of a strand determines it's softness.  For example, Merino is a very fine gauge or diameter so it is extremely soft.
Also, a strand of wool has scales.  That's what causes some wools to be itchy.  Merino wool is much softer because the scales lay flat. Another popular wool is Mohair which is actually goat hair. Angora can either be from a rabbit or a goat.   And contrary to popular belief the word pashmina is not a style of wrap, but the contents of the wrap.  Pashima is the wool made from the hair on the chin of a cashmere goat. 

Regardless of time and place, our wardrobe still needs to satisfy our basic needs for warmth and protection. The colors, patterns and textures we choose beyond those needs can become symbols of our family, our identity, our religious beliefs - basically our 'fashion' as an individual or part of a community.  We've come a long way from needing a sweater to protect us from the elements while battling waves aboard a fishing vessel in the Irish Sea, but it's grounding to recognize how our ancestors mined and multipurposed everything the land gave them.  

January and February mark two very impressive snow festivals. In January, Harbin, China, holds it's annual International Ice and Snow Festival.  The Sapporo Snow Festival, starts in February and runs for 7 days in Japan's Odori Park, the grounds at Satoland, and the main street in Susukino.  These festivals showcase amazing talent and truly have become celebrations not only of snow and ice, but of color - with brilliant lights and fireworks displays.  January and February are beautiful winter months, but there is a poetry and a quiet brilliance to December. Take a look back at our post from last year.