The Design Gap

Getting back to work after the Memorial Day weekend means a new job for Patrick Robinson, the designer of the current Target GO International collection. Robinson joins Gap Inc. today as executive vice president of design where he will oversee design of women's and men's apparel, accessories, and intimates.

If Robinson has a sensibility about design for mass retailers that his affiliation with Target might indicate, he may be able to help the troubled retailer compete in an industry that has shifted significantly since Gap's more prosperous days in the 1990s. The Gap has reported declining same-store earnings for nearly three years now. Results released by the company last week marked the 11th consecutive fiscal quarter that sales were down for Gap Inc.

She Wears Many Hats

Cousart-Ramirez/ JFX images

A few days ago, I posted about how Britney Spears has been wearing the good bird hat quite a bit of late. The great look of the Tracy Watts' straw panama, and its ubiquitous presence on Britney's head, made me think this one could be a possible pick for People StyleWatch's "I Really Love My...". And sure enough, there's Britney in multiple pictures with her good bird hat. Only she's actually featured for another accessory she seems to like as much as, if not more than her hat-- the 7 For All Mankind Small Doctor Bag.

Deep Pockets

top: Rachel Roy, FW 07; bottom: Oscar de la Renta SS 07

Times change. While pockets and lining in garments may once have been de rigeur and evidence of good tailoring, they're often optional now. In fact, when it comes to dresses, pockets are even seen as unfitting, literally. Detractors balk at the "bulk", and say that pockets ruin the line of the dress. On a well-made dress, however-- the kind most women would prefer to wear; pockets can be pretty and maybe even functional. Coco Chanel liked pockets. She believed they should be placed where needed. And she holds rank as the twentieth century's most preeminent fashion designer. That's got to count for something.

(via a dress a day)

More Matroyshka

Russian dolls on new letterpress cards from Egg Press at the Stationary Show.

(via design*sponge)

Love: Brick Walls

East Semi-Finalist, Apartment Therapy "Smallest Coolest Apartments 2007"

This Boston 520 square-feet one-bedroom semi-finalist in Apartment Therapy's "Smallest Coolest Apartments 2007" has me thinking about the character exposed brick can add to a home. Last summer, Dwell featured a Brooklyn town house which used the brick exteriors of the adjoining buildings on either side of the house as its own interior walls. The owners felt that the old walls that existed before they conceived of their home from "an abandoned, weedy lot squeezed between two old town houses" should be preserved because “Those two walls felt like they had so much history." Other carefully chosen elements of the house, like commercial railings and storefront windows, give the house a bit of an industrial feel which works well with the brick.

Fort Greene, Brooklyn home of Darcy Miro and Lars Weiss as seen in Dwell

I would love to live in a home with exposed brick like either of these two places. The Boston apartment also has a small section of brick wall in the kitchen. The kitchen is beautiful, and judging from the comments, many would like to have seen it entered in the "Small Cool Kitchens" contest as well. Its main draws are its appealing white/green color scheme, herb garden flanked window seat, and metal-finish pendant lighting. Bonus points for the LG washer/dryer and green Le Creuset cookware.

Trend: Matryoshka

Money bank Matryoskas by Maxim Velcovsky-Qubus Design

Matryoshka, or Russian nested dolls, seem to be a trend now. Like the traditional Matryoshka, that date back to the 1890s, the new designs that have been inspired by them are robust with beautiful patterns on their round forms. Only these new Russian dolls aren't necessarily wooden stacking dolls. Matryoshka can be found on melamine plates in Thomas Paul's new Folk collection, as well as on coin purses and money banks-- that still open.

Thomas Paul: Folk Dessert Plate Set

Fred Flare Russian Dolls Coin Purse by Bored Inc.

Good Bird Hat

There's the "Fashion Face-Off" and "Who-Wore-it-Better?: You-Decide" variety of feature in celebrity weeklies when two different celebrities are photographed wearing the same thing, but sometimes it's the same celebrity who's spotted wearing the same thing. Twice-- or more, Gasp! In which case, there are features like the People StyleWatch "I Really Love My...". Looks like Britney Spears and her good bird hat, one of my favorite pieces from the May 2007 Anthropologie catalog, would be a perfect choice for this one. And that's a good thing.

Anthropologie, May 2007

Inside the May 2007 Anthropologie catalog: Dresses and tunics in floral, ethnic-inspired, and a few ikat prints; details like embroidered necklines, crochet trim, and wooden beads; wide leg trousers; bags with rope handles; wicker wedges; canvas espadrilles; and raffia necklaces. All make for a look of relaxed island style.

For something a little different, there's also the good bird hat. A straw panama with a lovely bird embroidered on the side.

In Style Home/Naked and Angry

Old Time Tiley by Ray Fenwick

For those of us who love the look of wallpaper-- just maybe not always on the wall, the Spring In Style Home has some inspiring ideas. Framed artwork, folding screen, window shade, and bookcase backdrop are among the simple, inexpensive D.I.Y. projects in this issue.

The wallpaper patterns used by In Style to create these beautiful pieces are gorgeous. I'd first seen the patterns used for the window shade and bookcase back in April 2006 when they were released by Naked and Angry as part of their Series Two hand-screened wallcoverings. Of course, I loved them back then, but now I love them even more. Maybe that's my way of saying they've ascended to favorite status.

Parsley A by Kimberley Crofts