Piero Fornasetti was a regal and dapper peacock born in Milan, Italy in 1913. He was an artist and visionary who loved illusion and decoration. He collaborated with various architects and designers on everything from furniture to dishes.
Mr. Fornasetti’s production of everyday objects and furniture is probably one of the largest of the 20th century—over 11,000 items.
Above left: Mr. Fornasetti standing in front of a wall of Themes & Variations plates. Start collecting the plates here. Above right: Fornasetti wallpaper inspired by the wall of Julia plates. Order some here.
Most people are familiar with Mr. Fornasetti’s enigmatic face of Julia, part of his Themes & Variations series. He supposedly found this classic female face while glancing through a 19th century magazine and created 500 variations of her features on different everyday objects, including the eponymous plate.
Detour Design recently launched the first of three titles, of a limited edition animated collection (see sample above) interpreting Fornasetti's Themes & Variations. There are 7 tracks of purely visual animation that loop or play individually on your flat screen television. Each Blue-ray disc, in this edition of 3,000, comes in an elegant lacquer box with a hand numbered, engraved card. Buy one of these compelling animated artworks here.
Mr. Fornasetti was intrigued by various themes including: hands, nature, playing cards, man, woman, the moon and sun.
Above left to right: Magazine cover illustration, sun chair in white, sole fabric, sun cube, a sun chair in gold. Above left to right: The printed word as a theme from the 1950's—table-cloth, napkins, plates, cutlery, even the flowers pretend to be newspaper, porcelain paperweights imitating hats made of newspaper.
Mr. Peacock prefers the original vintage Fornasetti items, however, there are many authentic licensed reproductions available too. Here are a few of Mr. Peacock’s favorites:
Mr. Fornasetti collaborated with Gio Ponti (another design genius) on decorating many furniture pieces. Mr. Peacock’s dream Fornasetti piece would be one of his TrumeauChests—vintage or reproduction, it doesn’t matter! I love Fornasetti’s two-dimensional architectural interpretations on these three dimensional Ponti pieces! Buy one here.
This Fornasetti Rug and Tapestry(above left to right) would be brilliant in Mr. Peacock’s living room. More information here. Art critic, Philippe Daverio, tours Piero Fornasetti’s Milan studio/apartment (originally designed in 1930) and chats with his son, gentleman peacock-Barnaba Fornasetti. The video is in Italian. Even if you don't understand Italian, this video tour offers a rare visual glimpse into the world of Fornasetti. Barnaba is perpetuating the Fornasetti workshop tradition, continuing the production and reviving the most popular pieces, creating new ones, renewing hand crafted production, in collaboration with industries which manufacture under license.
Above left to right: Decorative panel from the 1950's, a self portrait, a phallus drawing from a collection of around 100 from 1945.
Mr. Piero Fornesetti is a peacock icon of formidable talent who brought his dreams and creative genius through the design and decoration of everyday objects. There are numerous Fornasetti books available here. His timeless works of art are a celebration of fantasy, illusion, and the imagination. Thank you Piero Fornasetti!
Is the world making you feelblue? Don't fret, we have a new President and spring will be here before we know it. In the meantime these indigo blue goodies will give you some inspiration: (click image to enlarge) 1)This indigo beauty is made in the same factories as the famous Goyard luggage. It’s made with premium Japanese Denim and saddle leather and would be a very chic weekend bag for quick getaways or even just a short trip to the gym. For more information click here.
2)These two-tone blue and white socks are reminiscent of a Missoni sweater. It’s very fashionable now for men to bare their ankles, but Mr. Peacock still appreciates a nice pair of socks. Get a pair for yourself here.
3)Men have an unlimited choice of black and brown belts, but how often do you see a nice blue belt? Leave it to Marc Jacobs to offer this economical ($32) navy blue leather belt. This belt is also available in “natural”—which would also look great with jeans. More information here.
4) Mr. Peacock is swooning over the authentic 1930’s retro styling of this Sugar Cane Work Shirt made with premium 9-ounce Japanese selvage denim. It’s all in the details and this shirt has plenty of exquisite details including: a double-button tab collar, triple stitched seams, ventilators at armpit and upper shoulders, octagon-shape bakelite-style buttons, and a red selvage edge on the darts at shirttail seams. It sure beats any of the faux retro styling offered by chain apparel stores—and the price is a true value for a shirt of this quality. Order information here.
5) The humble and iconic blue and white paisley bandana is elevated to a new level with this silk version by Rogue’s Gallery. It would look fantastic, worn casually around your neck with your workers shirt (see item #4). It’s on sale too—buy one here. If you prefer one without any words or branding, you can get a similar one here. Or you can stick with the real deal here. Careful, don't style it like a Crips.
6)Mr. Peacock would be tap dancing on the stars in these Lanvin shoes made with dark denim and black leather. These denim & leather oxfords would look equally nice paired with more denim (ie... jeans) or with a nice pair of dress slacks. Order a pair or two (Mr. Peacock wears a size 10)here.
7)This pair of enameled black & white magpie pin badges aren’t colored blue, however, these little birds would look fantastic pinned on an indigo denim jacket. Order a pair here.
My maternal grandmother’s sister, Mildred, turns 95 years old today. Aunt Mildred has outlived her sister, her spouses, her friends and all of her cousins—and she's also outlived her own children and spouse's too. Aunt Mildred currently lives on a farm in Ohio, where she’s lived on and off throughout most of her life. She's still sharp as a tack, but she can no longer manage to live there by herself and it's very lonely too. Above: A 1950's holiday card with a photo of the farm in Ohio.
Mildred's granddaughter, Cherie, and her husband, have a very large house on 4 acres, so they're moving Mildred to live with them at their place, where she will have her own entire floor in their house. My cousins are going to sell the farm, which has been in the family for generations.
Above, left to right: Aunt Mildred in the 1930's, Mr. Peacock (wearing a jacket in black watch plaidwith a red bow tie) with my mother and Aunt Mildred in the late 1960's.
Aunt Mildred was living out West for a while when Mr. Peacock was a toddler and would babysit me—to help out my mom. I wasn’t really a bratty child, but being a Gemini, I was a handful of constant energy and curiosity. I wanted to taste, try and touch everything I could get my little hands on—and I still do. I had my stomach pumped after “trying” a bottle of pills, my sister Carmella watched me eat a grasshopper once and I’ve had too many stitches and scars to even mention here on this blog. To top it all off, I was like the “boy in the plastic bubble” as a child and allergic to almost everything—animals, chocolate, grass, et all. So babysitting me wasn’t always a simple matter. Aunt Mildred is a very calm, petite and elegant person—and she's had the same basic look and style for at least 50 years (whereas my grandmother always desired to be more hip and change her look with the fashion of the times). Mildred was very crafty too, and always had her projects displayed in her house and would tuck little porcelain animals inside the pots of all of her houseplants. All of these "things" were very enticing to Mr. Peacock. Aunt Mildred would never raise her voice at me—she would calmly say to me, “No, no…” If she saw me trying to climb on something she would say, “No, no.” If I would try to get my little hands on her porcelain animals, “No, no…” “No, no…” “No, no…”
Above: This t-shirt illustrates what Mr. Peacock constantly heard from his aunt, when she would babysit him...no, no. One time when my mother came to retrieve me and go home, she told me to say goodbye to Aunt Mildred and I blurted out, “Bye Aunt No-No.” They both laughed and it became her nickname from that day on. I continued to call her Aunt No-No until I was an adult. We recently chatted on the telephone and she asked me if I remembered what I used to call her as a child...and I immediately said, “No, no…” and we both laughed.I've received a birthday and holiday card, with a check enclosed from Aunt Mildred—every year since I was a child. So Mr. Peacock would like to wishAunt No-No a very Happy 95th Birthday!
I’m usually schlepping an overloaded tote bag on the subway to meet clients and it gets a complete workout. I think I would feel like I was babysitting a small child if I used this chic Intrecciato Tote,and need to keep an eye on it wherever I went. I prefer something more utilitarian that’s durable, but still has a nice silhouette...but in the meantime, I can dream about this Bottega Veneta tote bag.
This Filson tote is a brilliant bag—it’s durable, functional and smart looking. You can buy one with or without a zipper top. Order one hereor here. I would use either of these bags this spring and all the way through summer. Above left: I love the navy canvas, with brown leather trim, on this bag. The detachable web striped handle adds a preppy touch and the leather bottom adds durability. You can buy one here. Above right: This blue nylon bag with black leather trim has just enough of a color blast, without being overbearing or too feminine. The bag has a detachable strap, so you can use it as either a tote bag or satchel. More information here.
Above left: This whimsical "Superhero Coal Bag," has quirky line illustrations of superhero gear printed on tarp cloth canvas. Don’t worry, it’s reversible, so if you’re feeling in a solid traditional mood, you can flip it to its solid black side. Above right:Mr. Peacock has always been fond of L.L. Bean tote bags, especially the styles with zipper tops—you can’t beat them for the price and durability. When you're traveling, you just zip it closed and toss it in the overhead bin. You can buy this olive drab Hunter'sTote Baghere, with either an embroidered deer, trout, turkey, or wood duck. I love leather totes, especially after you "break them in" and they get a rich patina. These two bags aren't cheap, however, they would last for years. Above left:Mr. Peacock loves typography, and these embossed numbers on this beautiful leather tote are irresistible. I also like the adjustable buckle-style handle. You can buy one here. Above right: This clean structured, moss colored tote, by Phillip Lim, comes with a detachable canvas shoulder strap. Click here for more information. Although, I admitted I prefer a utilitarian tote bag, these two luxury tote bags are tempting. Above left: This Saint Louis tote, by Goyard, comes with a matching portable small wallet—perfect for glasses or an iPod. It's made for a ladies, however, in a dark color palette, this simple structured tote bag could also be appropriate for a gentleman. Click here for more information. Above right: This large flat leather tote, by Rick Owens, is very chic—with its zippered pockets and embossed ridge-like details on the front and back panels. If you really want to splurge, you can buy one here.
This past autumn, Mr. Peacock was using a fine wale cotton corduroy tote. This bag was given to me ages ago and I sewed on a blue jay patch I found at the flea market. It has been a very durable bag...and it’s washable too.
Richard Haines,aka Designer Man, is a talented peacock based in New York City who designs custom menswear for private clients. He’s worked with some of the best in the fashion business—Calvin Klein,Bill Blass,Perry Ellis and Sean Combs. He originally moved to New York to be a fashion illustrator and has come “full circle” to sketch for his clever blog, What I Saw Today. Each nuanced and subtly detailed sketch captures the essence of what caught his creative eye, and in turn inspires the blog viewer. Mr. Haines uses his knowledge of fabric, shape, and color combined with his love of illustration to document what he finds interesting and inspirational—whether it’s a guy he sees wearing a bow tie in Union Square or the latest cover of Dazed & Confused Magazine.Mr. Peacock also adores his series of interviews with "interesting guys without pants."All illustrations by Richard Haines.
Mr. Peacock: How would you describe your style? Richard Haines: I'd call it refined American. I'm happy to say I've finally gotten it down to a uniform. Uniqlo 000 jeans, a navy or black v-neck sweater or cardigan, and a heather t-shirt, or white button down if I'm 'dressing up'—and always a pair of killer shoes to finish it off!
MP: How old were you when you realized you were a peacock? RH: I distinctly remember being in kindergarten and seeing a kid who had a pair of shoes that I really loved. I think they were saddle shoes. I can still recall that feeling, as bizarre as that sounds.
MP: Who or what has influenced your style? RH: My father was a huge influence. He was an officer in the navy and went to work in a uniform every day. Other fathers were off to work in their grey suits and white shirts, and my father was in a deep navy blue double breasted 'great coat' with epaulettes and the works...I still remember his summer uniforms—crisp white cotton with brass buttons. This stuff made a huge impression on a budding designer/illustrator.
MP: Who is your style icon? RH: For men? Thats' tough...I would say the bands that came out of London in the early 60's. That narrow silhouette, pointed shoes, English shirts...I can never get enough of that. There's a picture of Mick Jagger taken by David Bailey and he's wearing a window pane shirt with a tab collar. I'd kill for that shirt.
MP: What do you generally wear when you're working? RH: I'm in a uniform no matter what I do. I don't change the look—can't be bothered at this point of my life. After spending so much time of my life designing and being around clothes, it's a relief to have it down to a science—a clean palette.
MP: What's your favorite item in your wardrobe? RH: I have a couple of 'safari-ish' jackets that I had made when I was consulting for a men's company in the Middle East. I've sketched myself in them—that's how much I love them. I also had a vintage Rolex Oyster that fell off at the beach and vanished, but it's still too painful to talk about!
MP: Do you remember your favorite wardrobe item as a child? RH: It was always really changing. As I grew, it evolved. My favorite things were stuffed animals, then toys, then when I started drawing I lost interest in most other stuff.
MP: Do you have a particular item of clothing you're obsessed with now? RH: I take really good care of my shoes, so I have some amazing pairs. Stuff from Weston,Church, old Prada. It's all about a wooden shoe tree!
MP: Do you wear vintage clothes or only "new" clothes? RH: I prefer new clothes. I love vintage, love seeing people wearing it, and love using it as a design reference. But I'm not into wearing it. The cut never feels right. I did buy a tweed suit in London once and I wear the jacket. It's from the 30's or 40's and the tweed is so thick, and the silk lining feels like a cloud.
MP: Do you wear any jewelry? If so, what? RH: Just a Tag Heuer watch that I love. And when I worked with Puff Daddy last year everyone there had some kind of bead bracelet so I do that—kind of a 'buddhist' look.
MP: Tote bag or satchel? RH: Tote! I need easy access! And it's not like I'm an attorney (although sometimes I wish I was) and carry a lot of papers. I carry some copy paper, a couple of pens and pencils when I want to sketch someone or something. MP: Facial hair or clean shaven? RH: I love facial hair on other guys—it's great on 24 year olds. On me, I look like I just got out of lockdown, so I go for clean.
MP: Any sartorial disasters you can share? RH: That's a book! When I was in my 20's I tried a lot of stuff—I was going to Paris a lot and trying to look French (a disaster)—typical stuff that is part of being that age. Then I realized I look good in some version of narrow jeans, a simple colored sweater, a cotton shirt, and great shoes. I've been working off that formula for years now—just changing the shape of the pieces.
MP: Any menswear trends you adore? or abhor? RH: I hate those t-shirts that have all the stuff printed on them—starting on the shoulder. They look like an Old English font that someone on acid played with. I don't think anyone over 25 should wear all that Abercrombie stuff—same with sleeveless shirts and tank tops. And those straw cowboy hats—people, no. And anything George Bush wears—those cowboy boots, baggy pants and ugly suits. Ugh. I can't stand seeing guys in suits and overcoats that are too big for them. If people got clothes that fit they would look about 1000% better! I need to stop!
MP: Do you design apparel items for yourself? RH: I used to make shirts for individual clients and I had tons of shirts—but I can't produce jeans so everything is pretty much purchased from stores. I do have a couple of the jackets that I mentioned earlier...
MP: What city has the best-dressed men? RH: I love the way guys in New York look. I think it has really evolved and men here embrace their love of making a statement about who they are through how they dress. That aside, I am constantly amazed and the natural chic that Italian men have. It's uncanny how well they look in clothes, how they understand fabric, cut, color. After that, no one knows how to wear a scarf the way Parisian men do!
MP: What would be your dream purchase? RH: A lovely little house in the country, and/or the bucks to pay from my daughter's college (she's 11)!
Mr. Haines was recently interviewed by Parsonstudents (see video above from lovedi at vimeo) about his blog and how he's inspired by New York City. The video was created by Parson students: Malinda, Kelsey, Dianne, Ashley, and Veronica.
Stop by What I Saw Today and take a look for yourself at Designer Man'sunique visual record of cool stuff. The compelling hand drawn sketches by the talented Richard Haines are filled with vitality, warmth and wit—which Mr. Peacock finds very appealing, especially in this fast digital age we live in. Thank you Richard!
Above: Mr. Peacock and his father sitting in front of the Palm Springs International Airport. Of course, I’m wearing plaid and my father is wearing all black and gray—note my rooster toy and my father’s alligator weekend bag on the bench, along with my overcoat.
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic golf tournament in California’s Coachella Valley.Mr. Peacock's father played in this golf tournament during its heyday of the 1960's.The Classic was televised for the first time in 1961, becoming a pioneer in bringing the tournament's excitement into the living rooms of golf fans around the country and a prime factor for popularizing the sport among the general public. The Bob Hope Chrysler Classic is well known for its celebrity pro-am and is part of the PGA Tour. For non-golfers, the PGA stands for “professional golfer association” and a pro-am is a tournament comprised of golf professionals paired with amateur golfers—and in this case celebrity amateurs. My father, like most golf pros, disliked playing pro-am tournaments because most amateurs aren’t very good players and the pacing of the game becomes very slow and tedious with poor players.
Here’s my father checking in at the airport (above) with his alligator weekend bag resting on the counter. His weekend bag was the real deal, genuine alligator—not embossed leather. It’s not politically correct today to wear alligator or crocodile, but it was the only “pattern” my father included in his wardrobe. Many of his bags, and most of his shoes (both golf and street), were either alligator or crocodile skin.
Above: He played with Danny Thomas (Marlo's dad) at the Bob Hope Desert Classic.
Mr. Peacock’s father played in countless celebrity pro-ams, but one of his favorite celebrity golf players was Willie Nelson(who’s an avid golfer). He played in at least 2 different pro-am tournaments with Mr. Nelson.
At the airport, with my mother (above)—dressed for traveling. I’m dressed in my overcoat with matching cap and my mom is in her trench coat with kid leather gloves, white-rimmed sunglasses, and scarf. We would accompany my father occasionally on golf tournaments—mostly the ones held at beautiful golf courses or celebrity pro-ams.
Above photo: Mr. Peacock(with chubby toddler legs), posing poolside by one of the pools at our hotel, with a rooster on wheels toy.
My parents and I would always have breakfast together on these trips, usually in the hotel restaurant. Although on this trip, I remember, we once ordered room-service for breakfast—because I wanted to try the cinnamon rolls on the room-service menu. During the first half of the day, my mom and I would watch my father play a round of golf—which is very boring for a small child. In the afternoon, she would always plan something fun.
Above photo: Renting a bike in Palm Springs—I’m dressed in all red with a plaid jacket and my mother is in some chic little outfit and white sunglasses.
We tootled around Palm Springs one afternoon on a rented bicycle that had an attached baby seat and a little wicker basket. My mother always owned a bicycle and loved riding bikes her entire life. Along our ride, we stopped off at a sidewalk snack bar (similar to the old-fashioned Lobster Roll Stands along the coastal roads on the East Coast) and got a fresh Palm Date Milkshake. I don’t know if it was the richness of the dates mixed with the ice cream or the bumpiness of riding in the baby seat, but we had to pull over during our bike ride and I threw-up. The next afternoon we hung out at the huge swimming pool that had an “island” in the middle.
As a child, I simply thought of these tournaments as part of my dad’s job. I believe golf icon and current tournament host, Arnold Palmer, won The Classic the year these photos were taken. I wish I’d kept a journal documenting all of my father’s tournaments, scores and prizes. He won numerous cars and prizes over his career, but unfortunately I don’t remember where my father placed in this particular tournament.
Piero Fornasetti was a regal and dapper peacock born in Milan, Italy in 1913. He was an artist and visionary who loved illusion and decoration. He collaborated with various architects and designers on everything from furniture to dishes.
Above left: Mr. Fornasetti standing in front of a wall of Themes & Variations plates. Start collecting the plates here.
Above left to right: Magazine cover illustration, sun chair in white, sole fabric, sun cube, a sun chair in gold.
Above left to right: The printed word as a theme from the 1950's—table-cloth, napkins, plates, cutlery, even the flowers pretend to be newspaper, porcelain paperweights imitating hats made of newspaper.
Mr. Fornasetti collaborated with Gio Ponti (another design genius) on decorating many furniture pieces. Mr. Peacock’s dream Fornasetti piece would be one of his Trumeau Chests—vintage or reproduction, it doesn’t matter! I love Fornasetti’s two-dimensional architectural interpretations on these three dimensional Ponti pieces! Buy one here.
This Fornasetti Rug and Tapestry (above left to right) would be brilliant in Mr. Peacock’s living room. More information here.
Above left to right: Decorative panel from the 1950's, a self portrait, a phallus drawing from a collection of around 100 from 1945.
