Showing posts with label Brizo Fashion Week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brizo Fashion Week. Show all posts

July 15, 2013

Memphis Bound


On Tuesday I'm heading to Memphis, courtesy of Brizo Faucets.  Brizo has decided to bring all the alumni of the past "Blogger19" groups to Memphis for a reunion.  This is going to be 2 fun-filled days that will include a tour of their Jackson manufacturing facility, product technology training, a tour of St. Jude Children's Hospital, a celebration dinner event honoring the relationship between Brizo and St. Jude, and so much more.

I'm looking forward to seeing all the Blogger19 friends I met last February when Brizo sent me to New York for Fashion Week, and to meeting the other alumni as well!


To see who's going, and to follow what they're tweeting, check out this site:

February 22, 2012

Brizo Fashion Week - A Faucet is More than Just a Faucet



For my 2nd post following my recent Brizo Fashion Week trip (the first post being here), I want to dive into what I thought was one of the most intriguing parts of the whole trip - the design inspiration behind a faucet.  Did you ever stop think about what must go into the design of something as simple as a faucet?  It's mind-blowing! The whole process of design, engineering, marketing, etc. can take a couple years, so it's important for the design team to stay ahead of current interior design trends.  (Isn't it brilliant that they've worked closely with fashion design, since fashion often dictates future decor trends?)  While the process itself - conception, 3d mockups (they can print actual 3d faucet forms!), revisions, engineering, focus groups, etc.- is overwhelming, I was really blown away by how the designs originated.  The Brizo team looks everywhere for inspiration, and once you hear the origin of each faucet concept, you look at it in a completely different way.  I want to highlight a few of my favorites using various images I found online:

Vuelo -  Spanish for "flight", the Vuelo is "Inspired by the elegance of a gliding swan"

(image source)





Virage Virage is French for "twist".  The Virage collection was inspired by the beautiful iron work we found throughout Europe. It was everywhere – gates, balconies and door hardware – and it was stunning,” - Judd Lord, Director of industrial design for Brizo


photo via akhnatonsjournal

image source unknown






RSVP - "Drawing on the influences of Art Nouveau, RSVP features a sensual design that follows the curves of a woman’s silhouette."


images by Rene Gruau, an Art Nouveau style fashion illustrator.  "Gruau’s women are glamour and high-society, femininity and sensuality" - swingfashionista







Belo - Portuguese for "beautiful", inspired by Nambe vases



Talo (with SmartTouch) - Inspired by a bluebell flower



Baliza - "means 'beacon' in Portuguese, and as its name suggests, the clean, simple lines of the collection were inspired by lighthouses and their iconic nautical beacons."




And, how cool is this?  The Baliza kitchen faucet has a coordinating towel hook accessory, so you can hang your wet dishcloths / towels over the sink without draping them over the neck of the faucet!






Floriano - I have to throw in the Floriano, even though we didn't discuss this one at Fashion Week, it is the first faucet I ever bought for myself, so it will always hold a special place in my heart.

(image source)

Floriano - a wilted tulip

After learning all of this, you'll never think of a faucet as just a faucet.  It's a work of art.

(All faucet images courtesy of brizo)



February 20, 2012

Brizo Fashion Week - Location Location Location


As you all know, I recently attended Brizo Fashion Week, courtesy of Brizo Faucets.  Over a week later, myself, as well as the other 18 bloggers that composed the "Blogger19" are still talking about how amazing this trip was.  

I'll be spending some time this week (and next) highlighting various parts of the trip, starting with:

1.  Location

The Eventi Hotel, just a couple blocks from the Empire State Building, was perfect!


My room:
waking up to this view every morning was breathtaking

gotta love Carerra marble!


beautiful door hardware
 
green wallpaper in closet (and wild robes!)

reading light

another great light fixture

Around the hotel:

our meeting room (isn't the ceiling fantastic?)

outdoor area, as seen from Bar Basque (TV screen played random images or whatever big NY sports game might be on)

great details like light fixtures and wallpaper
 

 
See more about the hotel on some fellow Blogger 19 blogs: 





January 25, 2012

I'm Going to Fashion Week!

Jason Wu runway image via Condo Blues

For the last couple years I've been reading about design bloggers going to New York City for Fashion Week courtesy of Brizo Faucets, and I've been jealous.  A glamorous all-expense-paid trip full of fashion, design, and a LOT of talent?  Who wouldn't be jealous of that?  Well, guess what?  In a couple short weeks, I'm going!  Thanks to the recommendation of Paul Anater over at Kitchen and Residential Design, Brizo has invited me to be one of the 20 designers/architects/bloggers attending Spring 2012 Fashion Week.  In googling around a bit, I've discovered the names & profiles of some of the other guests, and I have to say I'm truly humbled.  I'm going to be surrounded by some incredibly talented and successful people, and I can't wait to soak it all in.  I realize I'm likely a last-minute add-on, but I just don't care.   To be associated with this group of people in any way at all is flattering beyond belief.


Floriano, image via www.brizo.com


This is such a great opportunity, and though Brizo is paying for the whole thing, they are NOT buying my support.  I've always loved their product and their philosophy.  I was first introduced to Brizo back in DC, and I immediately loved the Floriano faucet, simply because it was so different.  (In fact, I bought it for my own home as soon as I had the chance.)  I wish I could find the brochure from that time, because I distinctly remember the marketing literature featuring fabrics with this faucet design, and fashion mixed with faucets throughout the piece.  Since then Brizo has expanded beyond brochures, and they've partnered with designer Jason Wu.


images via www.brizo.com

Brizo sponsors Jason Wu's runway show at Fashion Week, and Jason Wu designs collections for Brizo.   Design is art, regardless of the medium, and I think that's represented perfectly in this relationship.

image via www.brizo.com

And now I get to see it all in person.  Wow!

image via www.brizo.com

I'll have a lot to share with you all in a few weeks after what will have been an amazing experience!