There are an astouning of number of designers and brands who have branched off into home decor or design. From ages past we have names like Pierre Cardin and even Issey Miyake. Nowadays Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Kenzo, Christian Lacroix, and even non-designer shops from Urban Outfitters to Anthropologie to Zara have added curtains, sofas, and even napkin rings to their product lineups with some good, bad, and ugly (Armani Casa I mean you) results.
Unfortunately I got too excited before I looked at the price tag. These beautiful pillows will run you about $1300 US. A bit steep for a couple of throw pillows even if the back side is covered in leather. A bit of research turned up a few custom made Hermes scarf pillows (without the leather backing) for about half the price.
I imagine making your own wouldn't be much more difficult than making any pillowcase, if you keep in mind that you'll need to roll the edges of the scarf piece (the same way a Hermes scarf is stitched). For practical purposes I'd back any custom made Hermes scarf pillow with either silk or another dry cleanable fabric as Hermes scarves are dry clean only. Also, I'd copy Hermes idea and find a beautiful scarf that can be centered when the case has a pillow inside of it. There is usually a border around the scarf where there is no print and most scarves measure 90cm x 90cm (35in x 35 in) giving you a nice seam allowance.
Some clever scouring on ebay, depot ventes (charity shops), or vintage stores might turn up a good condition Hermes scarf cheap enough to make this project worthwhile or, you could use a Hermes scarf you own that may not be in pefect wearing condition. I've added this to my list of potential projects. I just need to find a scarf I can either part with or buy one especially.
Another one of my favorite brands, Missoni has been making home decor objects for quite some time and I've been drooling over a Missoni sofa for nearly just as long. Unfortunately the only Missoni sofa I really want belongs to the Missoni family.
I would settle for a Missoni throw/blanket, but I've rarely seen a design or color I really like. I've had it in my head for a long time to recycle old wool sweaters by knitting old sweaters together, but that's been on the DIY list for a very, very long time...sad considering I used to be a knitwear designer.
If you're looking for a handknitted blanket I would say ebay,etsy, and thrift shops are the best way to go. Make sure to ask specifically about the quality of the fiber if buying online and if it's used to ask about any holes, loose or unraveled stitches, and general condition.
Now one thing you can consider, especially if you love fashion is to frame a piece of vintage clothing. I've never seen it done with western clothing, but it's quite common in Korea and Japan to frame either paper versions or real life versions of hanbok (Korean traditional clothing) or kimono (Japanese traditional clothing). In the picture below the person has used a plexiglass shadow box with a matching plexiglass rod to hang the kimono. The interior is lined with white silk as a sort of matte board.
I never really paid much attention until I saw a Hermes exposition where they covered a sofa in scarves. Photos were interdit, but I kept thinking a little chair in my boudoir reupholstered in Hermes scarves would be a wonderful idea until recently when I fell in love with these:
Unfortunately I got too excited before I looked at the price tag. These beautiful pillows will run you about $1300 US. A bit steep for a couple of throw pillows even if the back side is covered in leather. A bit of research turned up a few custom made Hermes scarf pillows (without the leather backing) for about half the price.
I imagine making your own wouldn't be much more difficult than making any pillowcase, if you keep in mind that you'll need to roll the edges of the scarf piece (the same way a Hermes scarf is stitched). For practical purposes I'd back any custom made Hermes scarf pillow with either silk or another dry cleanable fabric as Hermes scarves are dry clean only. Also, I'd copy Hermes idea and find a beautiful scarf that can be centered when the case has a pillow inside of it. There is usually a border around the scarf where there is no print and most scarves measure 90cm x 90cm (35in x 35 in) giving you a nice seam allowance.
Some clever scouring on ebay, depot ventes (charity shops), or vintage stores might turn up a good condition Hermes scarf cheap enough to make this project worthwhile or, you could use a Hermes scarf you own that may not be in pefect wearing condition. I've added this to my list of potential projects. I just need to find a scarf I can either part with or buy one especially.
Another one of my favorite brands, Missoni has been making home decor objects for quite some time and I've been drooling over a Missoni sofa for nearly just as long. Unfortunately the only Missoni sofa I really want belongs to the Missoni family.
If you're looking for a handknitted blanket I would say ebay,etsy, and thrift shops are the best way to go. Make sure to ask specifically about the quality of the fiber if buying online and if it's used to ask about any holes, loose or unraveled stitches, and general condition.
Now one thing you can consider, especially if you love fashion is to frame a piece of vintage clothing. I've never seen it done with western clothing, but it's quite common in Korea and Japan to frame either paper versions or real life versions of hanbok (Korean traditional clothing) or kimono (Japanese traditional clothing). In the picture below the person has used a plexiglass shadow box with a matching plexiglass rod to hang the kimono. The interior is lined with white silk as a sort of matte board.
"I have traveled from 1979 specifically to pose in front of this kimono!"
In Part II I'll look at more apparel brands branching out into home decor with friendlier price tags.
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