Interviews
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ApArt Makes its New York Debut On The Upper East Side
ApArt – The story of how a private gallery made its public début in New York City
High End Weekly™: Tell us about ApART, your background in art and how it led you to launch apART?
Thais Marin, Co-Founder of apArt: The gallery started because my husband is an artist and creative from the advertising industry (Leo Macias, CCO of DDB Colombia) and I felt that is was necessary to have a space to share and showcase his artwork. One day we decided to buy a bigger apartment that would allow us to build an art studio inside the apartment. One day, as we were traveling to Berlin, we discovered Christian Boros and the way he would let people into his own home to view his art pieces. This brought us insight. We decided not only to have an art studio but instead build an art gallery inside our apartment and have people come into the apartment to see the art exhibitions. The successes then came when people discovered the art displayed in an art gallery inside of a private residence!
I grew up watching my mom paint and that inspired me with creativity. Plus, I always would decide to draw instead of watching TV with my brothers. That led me to a career in the advertising industry where I could use my creativity. I was once an account and interactivity professional in the advertising and marketing industry and handled several brands such as Disney. McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Avon, Embraer, Carregour, Extra, iG Internet, Bradesco Bank, among others on a global, regional and local level. I also worked on strategic campaigns involving global licensing with DreamWorks, Turner, Nickelodeon, Fox, Viz, Imagius, Televisa, Paramount, Mattel, Wild Planet, 4kids, LucasFilm, Marvel, Sanrio, Lego, Hasbro, DicComics, and WarnerBros. Recently, I’ve worked for The Walt Disney Company as a Sales Promotional manager where I improved my experience in marketing.
Being a multitasking, avant-garde professional, I wanted to go beyond creativity. So, I developed a creative art concept based on developing new artists, especially from the advertising industry. I built the first art gallery in a private apartment in Brazil, that is now is taking place in other cities such as New York and Bogota. Through this creative economy concept, I can be in closer contact with creative professionals, whom I believe may be able to inspire me in some type of way. Creative writing is another one of my passions, and I had published two young adult fiction books from a trilogy called “Wild Horses”, which have already been distributed in Brazil and Portugal.
From Left: apArt’s director Maria Ines Moraes, Marcello Serpa, Leo Macias, and the co-founder, Thais Marin. High End Weekly™: What makes your gallery unique? Tell us about your first show here in New York City.
ApArt: Besides being an art gallery built inside of a private apartment, another differentiation of apart is the artists. We celebrate artists! We present them to the world of art. We assist them until they are prepared to be a real artist. They feel so overwhelmed with gratitude to have this opportunity that they never imagined they would have. We prepare them for the conventional galleries. We believe the reason apArt is so sought after is that we’re doing business with generosity, we’re giving people a way to see art and experience it in an unconventional way. We’re giving them the opportunity to buy their first piece and to the artist the opportunity to sell their first art piece.
Another service that we brought to Brazil that turned out to be a huge success was the art rental. People become very curious about it, and to our own surprise, we’re the first gallery to bring it to Brazil. We plan on growing the art rental in New York as well.
The big challenges are to turn new buyers into future collectors and to make time for all the artists that deserve to have their work exposed. We believe the reason apArt is thriving is that we’re doing business with generosity. We’re giving people a way to see art and experience it in an unconventional way. We’re giving them an opportunity to buy their first piece and giving the artist the opportunity for them to sell their first piece.
High End Weekly™: Why New York?
ApArt: New York is a place where people really watch what is going on. We believe that by investing in New York we can help show people the message of art. Because apArt’s concept is to provide opportunities to new artists, specifically from the advertising market, we decided to have it here because it’s one of the most important areas for the advertising market. Also, New York is a great place for opportunities in the art industry!
From left: apArt co-founder, Thais Marin, and the director Maria Ines Moraes. High End Weekly™: What is the first artwork/artist that captured your attention?
ApArt: I use Instagram, and I believe it is a great tool to see art, to see great photos. I follow Marcello Serpa on Instagram and was surprised to find out that he’s an artist. I watched him my whole career and never realized that. His art has a presence and a great mix of colors that are very ludic. People look for this kind of art. Art that takes them to another world, another fantasy world. Marcello’s art is also very family friendly. We sold almost every piece and pretty much all the buyers have a family and children.
High End Weekly™: What type of art does ApART focus on? And what do you look for in an artist?
ApArt: Our main goal is to be recognized as the type of art gallery that prepares artists for the conventional galleries and builds more collectors. We look for art that represents the beauty, the beauty inside and out, and that really shows the artist’s soul. The artist should be a beginner in the art world but should have a passion to create inside and out.
High End Weekly™: When did you realize that the business of art was something you wanted to be the cornerstone of your life?
ApArt: Diane von Furstenberg once said, “Generosity is the best business if you do it, they all come back to you.” Everything that I heard that day from her was fitting to me and the path that I was on to develop apArt. All the work we do stand for the artists. To help them begin their career and aid them from start to finish, and then we let them free. Free to start their own path, but we never abandoned them. We follow them and keep selling their art as much as we can. We become fans.
High End Weekly™: Do you believe that smaller galleries can innovate in order to survive the age of “Mega-Gallery?”
ApArt: Yes, I do believe that. There are so many ways, one of them would be building new collectors. There is so much to be done.
High End Weekly™: When is your next show here in New York, and what do we have to look forward to?
ApArt: Our next show will be a Japanese one. We are looking to find artists that have an eye for Japanese art.
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Spotlight on Richard Rabel and his Sotheby’s Designer Showhouse Project
Interior designer Richard Rabel This is a first for HEW. We were so taken by Sandra Nunnerley, and Richard Rabel‘s recent projects for the 3rd Annual Sotheby’s Designer Showhouse and Auction, that we decided to interview them both. As was the case with Sandra Nunnerley, Richard Rabel also shown an exquisite, and particularly keen eye for art and design. No surprises there. The New York-based interior designer is well-known for filling his interiors with eclectic modern aesthetic of clean lines with a preference for infusing the design of his rooms with a tightly curated selection of antiques, 20th / 21st century masterworks and bespoke detailing. Richard also offers art advising services as part of his design practice.
High End Weekly©: Tell us about your inspiration for the room you designed at the 3rd annual Sotheby’s Designer Showhouse? How did it come about?
Richard Rabel: I’ve been fascinated with the late Italian Renaissance/early Baroque for a long time. Especially the interiors of palaces and churches – and particularly – the treatment of the walls and floors. The way marble, onyx, semi-precious stones, granite and faux treatments like marbelizing are combined and mixed to produce incredibly beautiful rooms astound me. How to bring that notion into the 21st century is what challenged me into doing what I did at the Sotheby’s Showhouse – combining cork, wool and linen in the walls and baseboards with a Renaissance patterned floor and a marbelized paper-wrapped pedestal in the center. Handsome, very chic, and completely modern.
Richard Rabel Gallery and Foyer. Photo credit Alan Barry Photography High End Weekly©: Was this the first showhouse you got to participate in? If not, how was it different from the rest?
Richard Rabel: This is the first Showhouse I’ve participated in.
High End Weekly©: Sotheby’s requested that you selected works from an array of their departments to furnish your room, including 20th Century Design, English & Continental Furniture, Ceramics, Fine Arts, Prints, Silver, and Photographs. How was this experience different, if at all, from designing for your clients?
Richard Rabel: Selecting from a pool of pieces consigned to Sotheby’s was the process de rigeur at the Showhouse. Placing art for clients is a bit different. If you cannot tap one source, you tap another. Being that it IS the Sotheby’s Showhouse, it was not in the cards to tap art from other sources.
High End Weekly©: As a designer, no doubt that you’ve worked with a number of artists to curate exclusive collections. What sorts of art (or artist) catches your eye?
An Andy Warhol photograph takes center stage at Richard Rabel Gallery and Foyer. Photo credit Alan Barry Photography Richard Rabel: I like working with artisans that are extremely detailed oriented. Mastery is in the details whether its bronze, ceramic or wood.
High End Weekly©: Are there any major design trends or ideas that influenced your design aesthetics?
Richard Rabel: Not really. I’m mostly influenced by my travel and the work of architects and other designers that I find compelling.
Richard Rabel Gallery and Foyer. Photo credit Alan Barry Photography The joy in my work comes from crafting modern spaces that achieve a stylish balance between function and form as a result of sifting a client’s wishes through my vision + experience. – Richard Rabel
High End Weekly©: Where do you look for inspiration?
Richard Rabel: Travels, interiors, gardens, architecture, fashion – in that order
High End Weekly©: Tell us, if you were to work on a high-end furniture line for young collectors, what would you call it, and what would be the inspiration?
Richard Rabel: I think I would call it The Modern Sybarite like the name of my blog. A Sybarite is one who enjoys and seeks luxury and the best of life, regardless of whether it’s expensive or inexpensive. It has nothing to do with money. It has to do with style, class and superb craftsmanship.
Details of Richard Rabel’s project for Sotheby’s 3rd Annual Designer Showhouse. Photo credit Alan Barry Photography High End Weekly©: What are a few of your more recent projects?
Richard Ravel: One fun recent project I finished recently was an adult “playpen” for a well-known New Yorker. Its sounds kinky, but it was actually an apartment for entertaining – pure unadulterated modern luxury and class. Currently I’m working on a gut-renovation penthouse in midtown New York with wonderful north, south and east views of the city and a wrap around terrace.
High End Weekly©: Where are your go-to museums and galleries?
Richard Rabel: It’s hard to say. I do love Museum Mile on 5th Avenue – the Museum of the City of New York, the Guggenheim, the MET, the Frick and the Neue Galerie. The Hispanic Society rocks. The MOMA is one of a kind. The New Museum in the Bowery sometimes has very good exhibitions. Then there is Chelsea and areas of the LES and Brooklyn for world-class galleries. It’s hard to miss museums and galleries in NYC. You really have to be living under a rock to miss them!
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Designer Spotlight: Sandra Nunnerley’s Keen Eye for Details
Sandra Nunnerley is the founder of the internationally recognized design firm, Sandra Nunnerley, Inc. W magazine has called Sandra one of the most fashionable designers in New York. Ms. Nunnerley is a widely published designer who has been featured on Architectural Digest’s AD 100 list, AD France 2016 Top 100 designers. Sandra Nunnerley is a woman widely known for her exquisite interiors, her conspicuous elegance, and ability to find key artists and artisans as she travels the globe to bring her clients the crème de la crème when it comes to design. As the famed designer develops a line of occasional tables for Maison Gerard and rug collection for The Rug Company, High End Weekly© recently spoke to her after her successful project for Sotheby’s third annual Designer Showhouse & Auction. The international auction house selected twelve interior designers and design firms to create one unique room within a home constructed within the fifth-floor exhibition space of Sotheby’s Manhattan headquarters.
High End Weekly©: Tell us about your inspiration for the room you designed at the 3rd annual Sotheby’s Designer Showhouse? How did it come about?
Sandra Nunnerley: Furniture as functional art is very inspirational to me at the moment and Sotheby’s had several functional art pieces that I was able to use in the Family Room I designed for the Showhouse. Two pieces were particularly interesting — the Rock Chaise by Studio Job (out of Antwerp – current exhibition at the Museum of Art and Design) and Zaha Hadid‘s “Gyre” lounge chair from the Seamless series (who sadly passed away right before the Showhouse opened) – they are great examples of furniture as functional art. It was exciting to create a functional Family Room around these two fantastic pieces and juxtapose their forms and shapes with other wonderfully designed pieces of furniture and lighting by Max Ingrand, Armand Jonckers, Oscar Niemeyer and art by Gerhard Richter, James Rosenquist, Robert Longo and Andy Warhol. I’m always inspired by the conversations that pieces from a range of periods have in a room.
High End Weekly©: Was this the first showhouse you got to take part in? If not, how was it different from the rest?
Sandra Nunnerley: I have done 3 Kips Bay show houses over the course of my career and my first for Sotheby’s. This one was different from the rest because Sotheby’s had an existing group of furniture and art and the 12 designers were asked to choose pieces from the existing inventory.
Sandra Nunnerley Family Room. Photo credit Alan Barry Photography. High End Weekly©: Sotheby’s requested that you selected works from an array of their departments to furnish your Family Room, including 20th Century Design, English & Continental Furniture, Ceramics, Fine Arts, Prints, Silver, and Photographs. How was this experience different, if at all, from designing for your clients?
Sandra Nunnerley: It was different because all the Sotheby’s inventory was divided via a lottery system among the 12 participating designers. The lottery made the design process a bit of a jigsaw puzzle and the experts at Sotheby’s who I have worked with for years were instrumental in helping pull together a cohesive room. Stacy Goodman, the head of Pre-Colombian art, Jean Fritts and Alex Grogan in the African and Oceanic departments lent pieces from their upcoming sales that really gave the room a point of view. Usually for my own clients, they are starting a home from scratch and I am the one responsible for sourcing all the items from a wide array of sources — shops, galleries, auction houses, etc. In this instance, Sotheby’s was the client who came to me with a lot of existing furniture and wanted to use it in a new and fresh manner.
High End Weekly©: Over the years, you’ve worked with a number of artists to curate some of the most exclusive collections for your clients. What sorts of art (or artist) catches your eye?
Sandra Nunnerley: It really depends on the client’s point of view and I enjoy working with lots of different art and artists. Right now I’m very interested in color field painters from the 50s and 60s, non-objective school, contemporary Chinese ink, photography, Outsider Art and Primitive.
An original sketch of Sandra Nunnerley’s Family Room for the Sotheby’s Designer Showhouse. High End Weekly©: Are there any major design trends or ideas that influenced your design aesthetics?
Sandra Nunnerley: I strive to create timeless environments that transcend periods…. “classic meets contemporary” … I love mixing traditional and modern periods with contemporary design. The interplay between modern and traditional fascinates me.
High End Weekly©: If you had to choose a favorite element of artists to collaborate with, what would it be?
Sandra Nunnerley: Recently, I’ve found that the artists and artisans working in Korea are very interesting. Kwangho Lee and Choi Byung Hoon.
High End Weekly©: Where do you look for inspiration?
Sandra Nunnerley: I’m always “looking” — going to art fairs, shows, galleries and museums. you never know what you’ll find or when you’ll see something in a new way. For me travel is also important — I love to discover new artists or modes of expression that are not well-known.
An eye for details: Colorful vignette, with a feature of Sandra’s latest book at Sotheby’s. High End Weekly©: Tell us, if you were to work on a high-end furniture line, what would you call it, and what would be the inspiration behind it?
Sandra Nunnerley: We are currently developing a line of occasional tables for Maison Gerard and I’m excited about our rugs collection that will launch this fall for The Rug Company. We are also working on a line of fabrics and a lighting line which are to be announced.
High End Weekly©: Congratulations! What are some of your other most recent interior design projects?
The Rock Chaise by Studio Job at Sandra Nunnerley’s family room at Sotheby’s Designer Showhouse. Sandra Nunnerley: A home in Palm Beach, a chalet in Aspen, a pied-à-terre in New York, a penthouse in Berlin, a residence in New Zealand.
High End Weekly©: Where are your go-to museums and galleries?
Sandra Nunnerley: Tate London, The Norton Simon Museum in LA – a great building designed by Frank Gehry with wonderful gardens – I like the fact that it is a museum which has a very strong point of view as a collector’s eye. For similar reasons, the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia is also very interesting as it is one person’s collection. The Met on a Friday night is always a great choice too.
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Hui Chi Lee’s Artwork: Calligraphy in Motion
Hui Chi Lee’s solo show “Lian: Lian” is now on display until May at Fitzgerald Fine Arts in Soho, New York. The big apple is a place where art meets culture, and no better places can this be truer than downtown Soho, the East Village, and of course, the Chelsea area. Back in March, we visited FitzGerald Fine Arts (a Soho gallery which showcase contemporary Chinese porcelain and ink painting), and had the opportunity to meet Taiwanese artist Hui Chi Lee. This was Ms. Lee’s first show in New York, where she presented a new body of hand drawn graphite pen and colored pencil works on paper, as well as a soaring site specific sculptural installation, entitled “Lian, Lian.’ The exhibit was filled with energy, and a modern spirit, which reflected her abstract paintings that can somehow be compared to “Calligraphy in Motion”. In part, her latest series is a true reflection on Taiwanese cultural traditions that can seem oppressive in contemporary society.
High End Weekly™: How was it growing up in Taiwan? And what were your early influences as an artist?
Hui Chi Lee: I essentially grew up in my mother’s design studio. She inspired my eye with every details from the fabric on the floor to the mannequins mounted high above. Her painstaking attention to detail never left me. Art and hand craft informed my desire to become a painter, artist and sculptor. “Lian: Lian”, my current show at Fitzgerald Fine Arts, is in homage to her and my large family.
Hui Chi Lee HEW: Your body of work is heavily compiled with metaphoric messages. Is that purposeful or is it part of your consciousness?
Hui Chi Lee: Part of it is a spiritual meditation on reincarnation, part and parcel of my culture.
The use of hair is metaphorical for long-lasting values and questions about life on earth.
The tension between the physical and spiritual realms, if you will.HEW: You currently have a show at FitzGerald, a contemporary fine arts gallery in Soho where you’re showcasing a new body of hand drawn graphite pen and colored pencil works on paper, as well as an impeccable sculptural installation, entitled “Lian, Lian.’. Tell us about this project.
Hui Chi Lee: The title of series “Lián; Liàn,” derives from a pair of Chinese homophones which, depending on the context, mean “to connect” and “to enchain.” On one hand, these large-scale drawings explore the tensions and dynamics within human relationships. On the other, they explore how these same forces may constrict or enchain humans when negative forces come into play. While this series is in part a reflection on Taiwanese cultural traditions that can seem oppressive,I believe it can be applied more broadly to the human experience.
Hui Chi Lee Hair and chopsticks are evident motifs in this series. In Chinese tradition, lengthy hair symbolizes longevity. Hair signifies the duration of a life span, an expanse of time of which we are often hardly aware. While we may acknowledge the finitude of life, time is envisioned as somehow endless. Humans favor stability and continuity. Thus, even when one’s comfort and status is threatened or entangled by a chaotic environment, ambivalence seems inevitable. Color is introduced here in a symbolic, metaphorical way. Red symbolizes both a warning and an awakening moment in life.
Hui Chi Lee HEW: Are hand drawn graphite pen and colored pencil works on paper an investment? By its nature, paper is fragile, how should collectors care for that type of work?
Hui Chi Lee: All of my work is 100% archival, from paper to plexiglass. As with all artwork, placing it out of direct sunlight is always a good idea.
HEW: This is another two-part question … Can you shed some light on what you meant regarding your earlier work “Moving Corpse and Walking Flesh” when you said “Regardless of differences between nations and social structures, the disproportionate emphasis on consumerism and a lack of consideration given to spiritual dimensions have placed a heavy burden on contemporary life. Humans seem trapped in a never-ending spiral of materialistic desires and endless wants, and our craving to consume now turns on the subject to consume the spirit”. Can this, in part, be also said about the current state of the art market?
Hui Chi Lee: I have selected the qualities we associate with mannequins—plastic and figure-like, but inanimate and anonymous–as a vehicle to prompt a discourse on these seemingly contradictory but connected conditions. The randomly amassed mannequin-like figures in these drawings lack self-determination and appear powerless, much like many vulnerable and immobile human beings in today’s society. I want to encourage the viewer to consider this human condition in a critical and holistic manner.
Hui Chi Lee’s “Lian” Lian”. The answer depends on the viewer’s own perceptions and projections. My work serves as a visual riddle for each viewer to decipher. The elements in each drawing seek to convey the imperceptible influence that an inherited tradition can have on one’s mentality, forming core beliefs that are difficult to break.
HEW: I understand that you are currently teaching applied arts at the North Carolina Appalachian University. What do you tell your students about the future of contemporary art?
Hui Chi Lee: My students are always working within the context of their generation. I encourage them to explore the world and their place in it.
HEW: When you travel around the world, what do you look for in these different cultures? What are your go-to museums, monuments, and galleries around the globe?
A recent installation by Hui Chi Lee, showing at Fitzgerald Fine Arts in Soho, New York. Hui Chi Lee: It is the moments that I least expect to happen that I become more inspired by. In short, it is in the small moments and details that we experience things in a new way. This is what I hope to capture in my new body of work.
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Tête-à-Tête with Design Talent, Darrin Varden
Interior Designer Darrin Varden New York-based interior designer Darrin Varden loves getting people together by designing spaces that are warm, rich with colors, undeniably sensual, and filled with metaphors and symbolism. With all his skills, his passion for design, and inventive vision, it was of no surprise that he was invited by The New Times and world-renowned luxury porcelain brand Lladró to fashioned an elegant dining pavilion with an opulent residential feel for DIFFA’s Dining by Design. High End Weekly™ recently met with the designer who is not only one of NY’s top design talent, but a charming gentleman as well.
High End Weekly™: You were invited by the NYT and Lladrò, the handmade porcelain company from Spain to design a table at DIFFA this year. How did you approach that project? And was the process similar to some of your residential projects?
Darrin Varden: My residential work is often inspired by and anchored with large-scaled fine art. I was putting a Claire Sherman painting in a home I’m working on and had just been looking at her work when I got the call for DIFFA. The painting I used as the jumping off point for this scene was her “Diagonal Tree” which put me in the mindset of the charitable component of the occasion, Design Industries’ Foundation Fighting AIDS. I saw these gorgeous, broken, fallen redwoods, once so strong, ravaged yet still beautiful, still imposing in their beauty, paralleling the destruction of AIDS on the landscape of humanity. The beauty of the memory of those we lost is juxtaposed against trees that are still standing, those for whom HIV is no longer a death sentence. It was perfect.
Top design talent Darrin Varden at the lavish table he created for DIFFA, the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS which is one of the country’s largest supporters of direct care for people living with HIV/AIDS and preventive education for those at risk. Once D.C. Moore Gallery said we could borrow the piece, I started thinking about a modern, organic look, similar to what Lladro is doing in some of their sculpture lines. And I got this little click in my head about The New York Times, our host, that old saw about ‘Black and white and re(a)d all over,’ and that became my color scheme.
I was so lucky with collaborating on custom chairs from Artistic Frame, which specializes in custom and made-to-order furniture. They partnered with me to create an elegant ebonized strié styled finish that just complements that painting. Everyone was so generous – we got custom upholstery fabric for the chairs in a deep red velvet by Stark. A wool sateen by Stark worked really well on custom benches of our own design, fabricated by Peruvian Touch custom workroom. The entire tableau is finished in a glistening frame, painted in Benjamin Moore’s aptly named Dinner Party red. We couldn’t believe that was the name of the color!
” Design is all about the people who will inhabit the spaces, not about the things in the space. It is about how people relate to one another within the space – especially a dining room”. Interior designer Darrin Varden
HEW: The stallion sculptures from your table design were graceful, yet very strong. Would you say that this description is synonymous with your design aesthetic?
Darrin Varden: Yes, in my work I very intentionally honor the masculine and feminine in everything. Those wild horses are like that – though graceful they’re also fierce and muscular. I love how Lladro used the matte finish on the porcelain, it has just the same level of gloss as a horse’s coat, smooth but not pristine. Those juxtapositions are what makes art.
HEW: I remembered your past projects, especially the one you did a few years ago at The Holiday House. Looking at your work, I see this fabric of togetherness which tells me that you like to bring people together. Is that right?
Darrin Varden: Design is all about the people who will inhabit the spaces, not about the things in the space. It is about how people relate to one another within the space – especially a dining room. You want to give people unexpected touches, a reason to come present to the moment and to each other. Great design, and the use of fine art within a design, can do that. It’s pretty exciting. At the same time, you want them to feel comfortable. I tend to call my living spaces lounges rather than living rooms for that reason.
Darrin Varden/DIFFA 2016 We often talk about ‘table-scapes’ in doing these events, but to your point about togetherness, I wanted to have an actual table-scape, with multiple levels and dimensions and a horizon line and a focal point that draws the guest out beyond the space and into their own imagination, which also creates conversational ice-breakers,” said Varden. That focal point, the large painting that centers the room, is given additional notice through the use of the backless custom benches, and by flanking it with two chandeliers rather than using one large chandelier in the center. This up-and-down table-scape keeps the eye moving through the design, and I also worked closely with floral designer Shula Weiner of Flowers by Special Arrangement to achieve his vision for a rich, tonal mix of deep wine and berry hues in various textures, a sumptuous field for the graceful black porcelain horses.
“When it comes to personal travel, I’m not a beachgoer or a sun worshipper. I’d rather go where there are museums or architectural or design oriented things I want to explore, like Barcelona with all that Gaudi”. Darrin Varden
HEW: How important is art to you, and your clients? Do you advised them on their art choice?
Darrin Varden: There are clients that I do advise but others are already collectors. In fact as my practice grows I’ve found that art collectors gravitate toward my interiors and become clients for that very reason. I sometimes go in to an initial meeting with Benjamin Moore fan deck and pull colors from their favorite art pieces to create the color scheme.
HEW: What do you love about design, why do you find it exciting?
Darrin Varden: Well you know, Vyna, “Changing the world one room at a time!” Seriously I do actually believe that transforming where a person lives and how they live can contribute to the transformation of people’s lives, at least in some ways.
For me the really energizing thing about design is that it’s always evolving. So as a designer I have to evolve with it, and to me, that evolution and growth is the purpose of living.
World renowned porcelain brand Lladró and interior designer Darrin Varden have fashioned an elegant dining pavilion with a luxury residential feel for DIFFA’s Dining by Design 2016. Starring Lladró’s porcelain lighting and sculptures and elegantly furnished by luxury residential design showrooms Stark and Artistic Frame, Varden’s sophisticated tableau is that of an actual dining room centered with the painting Diagonal Tree by artist Claire Sherman, on loan from DC Moore Gallery. HEW: What inspires you during your travels? Tell us about some of your favorite places to visit.
Darrin Varden: When it comes to personal travel, I’m not a beachgoer or a sun worshipper. I’d rather go where there are museums or architectural or design oriented things I want to explore, like Barcelona with all that Gaudi. I’m also a foodie so I like to go where I can dine adventurously. I love Greece, the ancient-ness of Athens and the Acropolis and the Parthenon, Delos with those mosaics from antiquity that I would totally put in a home today juxtaposed with a piece of mid-century furniture, that truly timeless aspect of design. And I love to see any place with great modernist and newer iconic buildings. That’s also why I love living in New York – I’m that design geek always looking up. When it comes to cities, I think a great benchmark for the future is Vancouver, a growing city, civically mindful in its growth and with a forward-thinking architectural and design point of view.
Photo credit: Alan Barry Photography. All rights reserved
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Tête-à-Tête with The Creator of Luxury Online Antique Marketplace RubyLUX
Tom Johnson Founder of RubyLUX.com RubyLUX.com was officially launched in October 2015 by antique collector, and entrepreneur Tom Johnson. The savvy ‘techie” brings a wealth of experience in the area of online luxury marketplace. Mr. Johnson’s career in technology spans over 33 years, starting with a position at IBM in their high-end computer graphics division in Kingston, New York. The impetus for establishing a website catering to the antiques and collectibles world grew out of Tom’s love of 1950s California Pottery, many pieces of which were acquired via the internet. Combining his passion for antiques and collectibles with his high-tech background, Mr. Johnson created Ruby Lane in 1998 and named the site in honor of his mother Ruby.
High End Weekly™: You created RubyLane in 1998, so what made you decide to launch RubyLUX now? What are the differences between the two companies?
Tom Johnson: It was always my dream to launch a higher-end version of RubyLane with exclusive luxury products and a high-quality established brick and mortar base. And so based on the success of the first site I believed I was on the right track. RubyLUX.com launched in October 2015 with 150 dealers and an average price point of approximately $2,500.
At Rubylane we host over 2,500 shops, feature 500,000 items and receive 2 million visitors per month with about $125,000 a day in sales. The average price point is roughly $200.
Furthermore, RubyLUX was born in response to the many dealers requests I received to offer them an alternative to the main player in this game, 1stdibs. They’ve been frustrated with the change of direction that site has taken in the last 2-3 years including a fee structure that keeps mounting, a commission structure that has been added and is arbitrary, a dealer roster that keeps expanding with dealers whose merchandise doesn’t live up to the site’s original vision.
RubyLUX doesn’t charge commission, does not get in between the dealer and the buyer. We focus on quality not quantity.” Tom Johnson
High End Weekly™: I see. What would you say is the main difference between RubyLUX, and the online antique marketplace giant you just spoke about, 1stDibs?
A Pair of Showstopping Mystery Set Ruby and Diamond Earrings from Van Cleef & Arpels from Yafa Jewelry on www.RubyLux.com Tom Johnson: One key difference is that RubyLUX doesn’t charge commission, does not get in between the dealer and the buyer and lets them do what they do best. We focus on quality not quantity – we’re very strict about the quality of the dealers we sign on, we offer a more curated range of product, which means the best of the best rather than a little bit of everything. I’m particularly proud of the quality and caliber of international dealers we have been able to attract to this brand new venture.
High End Weekly™: As regards to the antique dealers, are you reaching out to them, or are they coming to you?
Tom Johnson: It’s a combination of the two. We have a great sales team that knows the antique and design industry intimately and enjoys great relationships with the best dealers in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Word of mouth has also led many dealers to RubyLUX, especially those who are looking for a viable alternative to the other sites.
High End Weekly™: How does RubyLUX create luxury experiences for their clients each time they shop the collection online?
Tom Johnson: Since I am personally funding the site I can be more dealer-centric which means I can be aware of and respond to their needs personally. RubyLUX provides tools for clients and dealers to interact in a simple, easy to use and streamlined fashion. It’s really about back to the basics where people interact by phone, email, Skype. With any Internet site it’s the subtlety that works, having a balance between great design, just enough information and ease of use.
High End Weekly™: With a background in technology that spanned over 33 years, starting with a position at IBM in Kingston, NY., as well as your experience in the online marketplace since 1998, what are your thoughts about its future?Tom Johnson: I see 2016 as a year of growth attracting a larger base of respected dealers and an embrace of the design community so that they know we are the top resource for them and their clients’ needs. Also specialized online marketplaces like RubyLUX will become even more integrated with brick and mortar operations to create seamless experiences between online and the real world.
High End Weekly™: As an avid collector of California pottery, what advice do you have for millennials who are new to collecting? How should they approach the process?
Tom Johnson: Start by collecting based on your actual needs and what really inspires you. I’m a big fan of actually using what you collect. Invest in quality pieces that could last your lifetime, rather than throwaway pieces from those large brand name stores.
Rare Seguso Lamps on www.RubyLUX.com High End Weekly™: What fascinates you about the antique business, and what is your idea of true luxury?
Tom Johnson: The antique business allows one to evoke great memories from the past and pass them down to next generations for them to create new memories. As for luxury, it can mean so many things. For me, it’s being able to travel and live in three cities, surrounded by friends, family and my exceptional staff. True luxury is being happy with where you are in life, and being surrounded by beautiful objects of great design. There’s a reason why they still exist because great design stands the test of time.
High End Weekly™: What are your favorite galleries, and museums?
Tom Johnson: Besides some NYC favorites like MoMA and The Met, and SF’s Legion of Honor, I love the smaller Artis Baker Museum in Naples, Florida that gets some really interesting exhibits coming through. The Louvre is certainly a favorite and inspires the past and present like RubyLUX does. The Hakone Open Air Museum outside Tokyo is just a lovely outdoor experience, and ever since I first visited Barcelona I thought it was like one big museum, especially the Casa Batllo and the Picasso Museum.
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The Jet Set Life: Q&A with Nina Flohr
Nina Flohr, VistaJet’s Creative Director High End Weekly™ recently caught up with VistaJet creative director Nina Flohr to talk about the company’s newly released book, The Art Of Flying, published by Assouline. The uber chic, and cosmopolitan creative director also spoke to us about the importance of customer service, the changing expectations of their clients, technology, and of course, art and design. VistaJet is a global company, with offices in London, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Beijing. They currently flies Hong Kong-based clients on a nearly daily basis.
High End Weekly™: Tell us about your latest book, The Art of Flying.
Nina Flohr: The Art of Flying is a creative collaboration between VistaJet and Assouline Publishing. It has been a passion project of ours as the book explores aviation’s fascinating past from the mid-twentieth century to the present. This vibrant cultural history takes readers on a tour of air travel’s technological developments as well as the constant interplay between art, architecture and air travel that has always made flying a reflection of its time and a symbol of the cutting edge. The book features many of the inspirations from which we created the VistaJet brand.
© Mike Kelley HEW: How do your customers experience VistaJet’s general culture each time they fly?
Nina Flohr: Our customers expect a very high level of quality, service, and attention to detail as part of their daily personal or business routine. It is our belief that this same standard of excellence should apply to air travel. VistaJet owns a branded fleet of over 55 aircraft and offers an unprecedented consistency in service, whether clients are flying for business or pleasure. VistaJet’s worldwide service area covers all major routes, we are proud to provide special training so that our VistaJet employees understand the importance of our customers’ local cultural requirements.
© courtesy Lufthansa Archive 
© courtesy Bombardier Business Aircraft HEW: How has VistaJet focused on the lifestyle experience they offer to their passengers, and been able to communicate that side of the brand to them over the years?
Nina Flohr: VistaJet’s focus on comfort and style is apparent from the moment our passengers step on board. Our aircraft immediately differentiate themselves from competitors with their distinct silver with single red stripe livery, while our crew are dressed in custom cabin uniforms featuring Moncler coats. Additionally, like many of our passengers, we have a passion for design and art. As a result, we have embarked on a series of artistic initiatives to promote younger contemporary artists like RETNA and Ian Davenport to create bespoke designs for the tails of a few select aircraft, as well as, Jean Philippe Dehomme to illustrate our 10th anniversary story book. This strong design aesthetic continues into the interiors of the planes as they are outfitted with rich woods and buttery leathers that would not be out of place in our clients’ homes. To further enhance the comfort of our passengers we have partnered with a range of beloved brands from around the globe such as Nobu for a custom in-flight menu selection and bookshop Heywood Hill on curated in-flight libraries. Furthermore, we have developed the Ultimate Sky Sleep program to enhance customers’ onboard sleeping experience. It includes custom fitted mattresses, hypoallergenic feather duvets and pillows, high thread-count linens, cashmere blankets, eye masks and socks, brushed cotton pyjamas, cozy slippers, alongside an amazing new raw organic skin care regime by The Body Deli.
The Art of Flying Cover The VistaJet culture is to understand and anticipate our customers’ needs. We are not European or Asian. We are truly global in how we think and operate. As a result, our customers are not stepping into our culture, but instead we are allowing them to feel at home when they fly with us. Nina Flohr
HEW What are the biggest challenges you face today when it comes to improving your customer experience?
Nina Flohr: As a company, we always want to be at the forefront of in-flight cabin service so there is constant work to be done to keep the on board experience relevant for our customers. One of our primary focuses is continuing our expansion into new global markets , this means further adapting the cabin experience to reflect the cultural differences of our various service areas. For instance, when our aircraft fly to Asia, they are equipped with the necessary dinner ware for Asian style meals and offer a selection of Asian snacks along with traditional favourites.
© courtesy Lufthansa Archive HEW: As you build a luxury brand, what insights do you have about the future of the luxury sector given customers’ changing expectations?
Nina Flohr: The future of the luxury sector will see companies offering increasingly personalized services to their clients. For VistaJet, we customize the in-flight experience to match a client’s needs be that in-flight catering from their favourite restaurant, providing specialized entertainment and menus for children, we know how important pets can be to their families, they are also welcome on board and we take special care to ensure the aircraft is equipped for their needs as well. The definition of luxury is increasingly becoming tied to having the comforts of home and feeling at home, wherever you may be.
Alain Girard/Blue Storm Média © VistaJet HEW: Lets talk about technology. What role does technology play in improving the VistaJet experience?
© courtesy Bombardier Business Aircraft/VistaJet Nina Flohr: Technology plays a central role in the VistaJet experience for passengers who are traveling for business. While Wifi is standard in all our aircraft, we’ve recently made a commitment to secure even faster, more consistent wifi capabilities for our aircraft, which should become available in 2016. For in-flight entertainment, we’ve introduced iPads equipped with new release movies, TV shows, games, music and magazines as well as a custom content magazine called Voyager containing exclusive articles and interviews created quarterly for VistaJet travellers. On a technical rather than experiential note, our entirely customized operations software called Global View churns out statistics on a daily basis to aid with logistics and fleet optimization in order to ensure that passengers can go anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice.
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Q&A with famed designer Jacques Grange
December 2014Right after Jacques Grange was awarded the Trophé Des Arts award by FIAF, I sat down with the world-renowned talent, who designed such splendid interiors for the likes of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, decorated the Château Gabriel, in Benerville-sur-Mer, in the style of In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. Those projects are supremely impressive, but Jacques Grange’s list of stellar clients doesn’t end there. French actress Isabelle Adjani, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Alain Ducasse, François Pinault, Robert Agostinelli, Valentino, and Karl Lagerfeld are also among his long list of clients. In the US, the designer provided the decoration of Paloma Picasso’s jewelry shop, and The legendary Mark Hotel on Madison Avenue, to name a few.
Renowned interior designer, Jacques Grange. Photo by The Selby. My first encounter with Jacques Grange began while I was working for famed photographer, and antique dealer, Roger Prigent. And so it was only natural that we began our conversation at his hotel suite in The Mark Hotel, reminiscing about our late friend, and the people surrounding him during the last years of his life. Mr. Grange noted how Mr. Prigent had a premonition that his career will blossom in the US, and deemed Mr. Prigent as “Top Hat”.High End Weekly™: Looking back at your long and illustrious career as an interior designer, what does it mean to you to be awarded the Trophé Des Art?Jacques Grange: Receiving an award can feel somehow abstract. However, being on the stage, and seeing my friends and colleagues brought a lot of warmth to the moment. As you know, during the evening, there was a video in which the actress Catherine Deneuve spoke about our friendship, and my career … That instant really touched me. Feeling the love of so many people who I hold dear made the difference, that love ultimately made the moment unforgettable. It was not so much about the trophy and its significance, but it was more about the people’s acknowledgement.High End Weekly™: In an international scale, you have inspired a whole school of interior designers, taste makers, and creatives. What do you say to new designers who are entering the industry. In your opinion, how should they present their ideas to clients?
The Mark Hotel Jacques Grange: The interior designer should learn how to seduce the client by presenting fresh and creative ideas to the table. He or she must discover their own style. First of all, you have to Learn, Learn, Learn. Start your own vocabulary, and make it grow overtime. After that, you must become very honest with yourself, and above all, know who you are. The interior designer need to see design as a business, reinforce their design skils by building into them. It’s not easy, but it must be done that way. Also, the designer needs to ask himself some deep and personal questions, such as: Do I like design? How do I perceive it?Building a design career is not just about having talents. Many people have talents, but the designer need to go further than that. The role of the designer is to imput psychology into their work, as well as showing respect to the clients. You need to convince them of your ideas, as well as to carefully listen to theirs. If you know who you are, you will have a successful career.High End Weekly™: Your interiors are often described as eclectic, with an effortless elegance feel to them. Yet they are all carefully edited, constructed for fine living – in the most comfortable, and beautiful fashion. And so when you approach a project, what do you look for first?Jacques Grange: Space and light. As well as analyzing carefully the way my clients live. The stories of their life are translated into the projects. As I mentioned previously, a designer need to consider and respect their clients’ lives. It is that simple.
A bathroom at The Mark Hotel, designed by Jacques Grange 
Guest bathroom at The Mark Hotel High End Weekly™: I know that you like working with artisans in your projects. Here at The Mark Hotel, which you were commissioned to designed back in 2008, you tapped a number of artists, including Ron Arad, Eric Schmitt, Paul Mathieu, and others. Since you are constantly in demand and traveling the world, do you often look for new talents?Jacques Grange: Yes, absolutely. I’m always curious about new talents. And I love visiting all the great museums around the world, namely the ones in Chicago, and New York. I’m often looking at who the museums are introducing to the public, because normally, their taste level is high-end. When it comes to art, I like to see the quality of the art in these institutions, because when I visit the antique dealers in their galleries, I get to compare the quality. This is a fine reference for designing well, it is important for an interior designer to consider it.
Lobby of The Mark Hotel, designed by Jacques Grange High End Weekly™: During your travels, what do you look for in hotels when it comes to luxury?Jacques Grange: The sound of silence in the bedroom. [Pause, and smiles]. Light and harmony. Comfort in every details. For example, the bathrooms at The Mark Hotel are simply marvelous. The details are what I look for because they are very important. A hotel should feel like a home away from home.
Ron Arad lighting at The Mark Hotel “Renovating The Mark Hotel was so exciting, but it had its challenges. The lobby is small for a hotel, and so when I designed the floors, I wanted to keep the public’s attention right there. The whole idea of the black and white striped floors was to keep people’s attention away from the ceiling, which is in fact, quite low.” Jacques Grange
Sightseeing in New York: “Un Velo” at The Mark Hotel This concludes Part I of II of our tête-à-tête with Jacques Grange at The Mark Hotel -
Q&A with Fashion Designer Claire Ortiz
With a background in fashion, that evolved into the active realm over the last few years, designer and co-founder of Ortiz Industry, Clair Ortiz admits that good design philosophy, color theory, fitness, social and cultural demographics and trends, as well as dynamic aesthetics are key to every product that she design. “The biggest differences in fashion versus active is in functionality, end use, and audience.” We caught up with Claire and her business partner, Heather Park, at the Ducati showroom in Soho during their time in New York to talk about her brand, her design philosophy and her design goals for the future.
High End Weely: The Ducati brand is well-known for its distinctive Italian style, as well as its power, performance and sensuality. A
fter designing a number of activewears, including a variety of lines for Serena Williams and Roger Federer, what kind of challenge did your latest project present?Claire Ortiz: There are always sensuality, sex appeal, visual beauty, form and fluidity in my work. After all, apparel is an about emotion, visual appeal, and personal expression. After more than 25 years in the business – jumping from fashion to sport, and back again – I found I love both worlds and am inspired by each differently. I have an extremely sound technical background, and am an innovation junkie, while remaining rooted in hands-on craftsmanship. This fact, coupled with my love of visual language, color and style make this collaboration with Ducati quite effortless, and incredibly inspiring. Ducati has always been a brand that I have held in the highest regard.
With Ducati, there have been no challenges at all. There are organic synergies between our brands. Early in my career, I began to study and love Ducati’s design language, philosophy, history and innovation platform. My visit to Ducati in Bologne as a young designer is still one of my most inspiring trips. I have always been more inspired by design in art, architecture, motor sports, automobiles, etc. The world of design is so vast, there is so much to look at and learn from. I’ve always loved the intrinsic power of these beautiful machines, and the company’s masterful attention to detail is something that I also believe in wholeheartedly. Like Ducati, we believe in finally bringing innovation to the forefront, and never settling for “good enough.” They, like us, are very clear about who they are and what they represent. We have a very disciplined approach to design – it must be designed to perfection with hands-on craftsmanship and advanced innovation for pure performance, be useful, not decorative. Every component is carefully considered, adding value as a force multiplier to its user, uncompromisingly strong, confident, and highly functional. I know that Ducati’s philosophy is very much in the same realm as ours at Ortiz Industry. Thus, this was very much a natural fit.
HEW: Do you own a motorcycle?
Claire Ortiz: No – not yet. Many friends and ex’s have. Thus, I have had the pleasure to be a backseat rider. As a kid, I was quite the maverick – riding dirt bikes, scooters, skateboards, skates, etc. And getting a motorcycle was always top priority. I thought I would grow bigger though. Oh well. Getting a Ducati has always been on my list of things to-do. As a Ducati fan, my dream would be to get a custom Daivel, or Monster, which would fit my smallish frame. If Kat Williams has a motorcycle, I’m pretty sure I can handle one. No problem.
Motorcyclists have a pretty well rounded life overall…the uniform isn’t just padded leathers. Ortiz Industry only adds to the ability to ride without limiting you based on your destination.
HEW: Motorcyclists generally have a fixed mindset when it comes to their clothing. How did you plan to win them over with your new fashion line?
Claire Ortiz: Designing for any sport or category and introducing a whole new look generally gets a question like this. I have no intention of changing any mindset. This isn’t about me, or our team, or our philosophy. Motorcyclists will change on their own. They tell us what they want and need. There is a different barrier we must break and it is usually not the end-user who is reluctant to change. More often than not, it is the industry, or business. My business partner, Heather Park, and I have worked together for more than 15 years. In that time, we’ve come up against many challenges with introducing a new concept within a group. At Brand Jordan, where we met in 2000, we set out to change the “uniform” of basketball, and to drive a premium luxury apparel concept that was befitting of Michael himself. Our first collection concept was called “urban country club.” At the time, we were told we were crazy and that the basketball community would not get the sophistication of the modern prep look of the collection. That collection catapulted Brand Jordan to the forefront of basketball culture. The consumer – the ball players got it immediately. It represented the élite sophistication and powerful performance of the brand. With MJ’s blessing and the retail community questioning, we transcended basketball apparel based on what we knew for fact was what the kids who played really wanted.
High End Weekly: In meeting with the safety laws of motorcycle clothing, did this in anyway restrict your artistic talents?
Claire Ortiz: The collection was not designed as a protective outer layer. The collection is a base layer. All of our products are ergonomically engineered with full range of motion in mind. We create products that are restriction-less. Thus, the end-user can do as he/she wishes in it. Our clothing is fully ergonomically designed, so that on its own or underneath protective layers, the wearer is unrestricted. Our “master-sculpt” and “heroine chic” design philosophy is based on biodynamic motion – limitless in range – and focused on response and recoverability, breathability and, just like the body, intuitive. This allows for anyone to wear products with full range of motion. If the outer protective layers are as motion dynamic as our apparel, the wearer is golden!
When we met with Ducati SoHo team, we immediately spoke the same language. There was a need, they confirmed this need, and we came ready to provide it. There is also a change in the air when it comes to motor sports in all areas – the “gentleman” is on the comeback. We love the return of James Bond classic styling, with badass Matrix futurism, and full-on ninja warrior on a mission. There is a superhero in all of us.
High End Weekly: Can you share with our readers any of your future projects or collaborations?
Claire Ortiz: We have a massive R&D strategy for the next two to three years. We will go far beyond the current collection in terms of function and style. Our projects include e-wearables in the form of organic institute structure and design (no wires, traditional batteries, etc.), solar energy, communication via our wearables to a multitude of devices and end use, biodegradable materials and bio-ceramics/minerals as part of a sustainable functional future initiative, second skin, robotics, infrared energy, safety/protective, and so much more.
Our partners include some of the industry’s best, both inside and outside of apparel. We have collaborative efforts in place with DuPont in several areas of business as well as branding and apparel partnerships with UberRush (the NYC Uber bike messengers), and more in the works with global brands that are currently confidential, but will launch to market in 2015 and 2016.
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Great Designs from Ayala Serfaty
Ayala Serfaty Israeli artist Ayala Serfaty is internationally recognized for her ethereal glass filament and polymer sculptural lighting. We met with Ms. Serfaty, who was visiting Maison Gerard back in 2013 (her work is exclusively represented through that gallery), and found her to be passionate and quite articulate about her work, as she seeks to create new dialogues using ancient materials like silk and glass and pushing them in new directions. The artist has made inroads with collectors and museums around the world including the Victoria & Albert Museum, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Centre de Pompidou and the Cooper Hewitt.
Ayala Serfaty‘sdelicateone-offworksare created by hand in her studio in Israel from thin lamp-work glass with subtle color variations.Whentheworkisfinisheditis sprayed with a special polymer that creates a skin. She has also gained recognition for her anthropomorphic furniture made from wool, linen, silk and other fibers.
Soma Light Sculpture
Soma Light Installation, Beelden aan Zee Museum, The Hague, The Netherlands, 2009
Benoist F. Drut, Ayala Servaty
