The ART of Clarence House...

or My Love Affair with the great fabric house as told in the new book- CLARENCE HOUSE : THE ART OF THE TEXTILE.

one of Kazumi Yoshida's "Sets" with 9 foot painted Flats (panels) that evolved into the textile Beekman Place

photograph by Francois Halard

 © François Halard and may not be reproduced in any way, published, or transmitted digitally, without written permission from the publisher

I approach each fabric design as though I were creating fine art...

Not all my paintings become fabrics, but all of my fabrics stated with original art. Kazumi Yoshida

Kazumi Yoshida, director of Clarence House since 1981, gives us all the magic of this venerable house-this year celebrating 50 years. in a glorious gift of the book- CLARENCE HOUSE :THE ART OF THE TEXTILE. Collaborating with Sabine Rothman, Style Director of House Beautiful and photographer Francois Halard, the book is a journey that looks back at the history of the House, the history of textiles & of ART, the evolution & creation of Clarence House fabrics and the Art of  Kazumi Yoshida. The prose of the book floats beautifully along with the glorious photographs of Halard with the fabrics of Yoshida telling their stories. Yoshida seems to embrace each creation and imbue them all the marked Clarence House flourishes. The fabrics are beyond replica-or document Exact -but adapted by Kazumi Yoshida's  uniquely Eastern eye & brush.

One of Kazumi's fantasy drawings of the original Clarence House townhouse
illustration from the book

 

crewel embroidered Jembala -the whimsical hand of Kazumi
& Jembala Print, on linen below

Founded in 1961, the Allure that is Clarence House was an intentional one.
The Master of Clarence House, Robin Roberts brought the luxury of European textiles to an East 57th Street townhouse in New York-allowing decorators to have hands on access to their likes in the States. The names Colefax and Fowler, Liberty, Pierre Frey, Lelievre and Canovas became bywords in the American decorating lexicon thanks to Roberts and his exclusive Clarence House.

" the Search for Grand Luxe"

Clarence House boasts the grandest of silks that Louis might have condescended to wear.
They are in essence fit for a King. These fabrics-long an allure for me- were created to do just that-to make us feel like Royalty.

Nouveau Bizarre, adapted from a late 17th-early 18th century design in the Clarence House archives, is named for a brief 5 year history around 1700, Kazumi says produced some of his favorite designs. Continuing, he says, "I gave it my own sense of fluidity and a new coloration that completed its success."

 Louis XIV dressed as a sun, Le Ballet de la Nuit:

Henri de Gissey, 1653

photograph by Francois Halard
© François Halard and may not be reproduced in any way, published, or transmitted digitally, without written permission from the publisher

Louis XIV on Horseback in the Battle of Cambrai

Jean de Saint-Jean. late 17th century

Fueilles de Chene

from the archives, one of the prettiest silks I've ever laid eyes on

Velluto Svorza in Green, 

I dedicated post to this fabric here

photograph by Francois Halard

© François Halard and may not be reproduced in any way, published, or transmitted digitally, without written permission from the publisher

Clarence House's Verlaine-at center

The book traces to fabric origins of some of Clarence House's most admired fabrics. Two I love, shown below, were found in the archives of ETRO-the Italian fashion house.

ETRO, 2009

Mosaico, above, & my all time favorite Clarence House fabric Dragon Empress, on the chair in my Library, below

When I first laid eyes on Dragon Empress in this Clarence House ad- I knew I had to use it somewhere in a house someday.

I did & I did again, & again.
First, in the color way below on a small slipper chair since sold to a friend and client.

The next time I used Dragon Empress it was for my Living Room, the room-now broken up and no more-but the chair remains (pictured below). Currently Dragon Empress, in its third incarnation & colorway, is on the chair the gilded chair in my Library.

I've always felt Clarence House presented some of the most arresting & exciting advertising images around.  Some of these ads are covered in the book.

Again, it is the allure of Clarence House.
Fabrics often appear as everyday objects-

things we use again and again -think Umbrellas!

 -or taking "Grand Luxe" & sailing away on a Summer afternoon-

& of course all done with great humor-
like a runaway packing in only the best.

This book surprised me-of course I knew I would be taken by all the images & they are fantastic, but the narrative is as good as it gets.
There is a Story here-
is it the Allure or the Art?
It's both-but more than that it's Magic-Alchemy, call it what you will- Kazumi has made it so.

Could I be more in love, after all these years?
I didn't think so-but I was wrong.
so wrong-
You see- Now, there is  CRISTOBAL.

Clarence House's spectacular Cristobal in red, based on 1920's documents, 

but I like to think maybe it's a little bit of

 Jean Dupas, 1924.

this 

 Balenciaga, 1955.

& that.

  Picasso's Jacqueline, 1954.

the book at RIZZOLI here
how I feel in love here
the photographs of Francois Halard used with express permission from Rizzoli.
photographs of the book are my own & textiles are from my Clarence House fabric Library
.