Put Amy Lau on Your Couch
If only we could all put the delightful (and gorgeous!) New York Designer Amy Lau on our couch for cosmos and conversation…
But now, with her funky new fabric line for S. Harris, we can import some of her taste and style into our homes.
Amy was in town last night to launch the line at the chic PS 7’s in Chinatown. She was there with Ann and Jim Lambeth, and the whole crew from J. Lambeth, which will represent her here at The Washington Design Center.
I’ve always admired Amy from a distance, ever since I saw her designs for two Kips Bay show houses in New York, and I blogged about her earlier this year. So it was really exciting to finally meet her, and chat about the influences behind these fabrics, the look of which is a signature of much of her work, as you can see below.
The new patterns are based on American abstract art, she told me, referring to the likes of Morris Louis,
Mark Rothko,
and Bridget Riley.
“We put art up on the walls – why can’t these fabrics start having a dialogue with the art?” Amy asked.
Her fabrics, with their blocks, dots, and wavy lines, will have a lively conversation indeed with any modern art collection. And beyond all the shapes and colors, the fabrics are meticulously painted with watercolors by hand and embroidered in her studio, which makes them feel just as good as they look.
David Klaristenfeld, vice president of S. Harris, described Amy as a life force. “She cornered me” at a luncheon, he said, and told him that his company, which owns Fabricut and Vervain, should be going in new directions with its designs. She was not to be refused. “I said, ‘Amy, why don’t you just tell me what you want, and we’ll do a line,’ ” he said, laughing in resignation. “Amy brought a completely new aesthetic that none of our designers would have ever thought of.”
She’s also bringing a new look to the J. Lambeth showroom, which is known mostly for its more traditional fabrics. “It’ll be really interesting to see how this is received. It’s very modern,” Ann Lambeth said.
Ann graciously pointed to Washington Spaces as evidence that there is a growing modern influence on design in DC. “DC is getting more modern, and we want to be a part of it,” she said.
As such, they are working on a new contemporary gallery within their showroom. And if Amy is any indication of what they’ll have to offer, I can’t wait to see it.
I’ll leave you now with pictures from last night’s party, which brought out a cool crowd of designers. Ciao!
Amy poses with Barry Dixon, who will debut his own line of green fabrics for Vervain – an S. Harris company – through J. Lambeth in January.
Ann and Jim Lambeth pose with their celebrity designers.
Designer Liz Levin, right, stands with her co-designer, Heather Safferstone.
Gloria de Lourdes Blalock, left, stands with Camille Saum.
Designer Sally Steponkus mugs with Jim Lambeth