Hasta La Ideas

Fair trade meets vintage florals for a fashion resurrection

Led by ’90s revivalism, a particular floral trend has proliferated on runways these past few seasons, many directly inspired by the fabrics of heritage brand Laura Ashley and its English garden-feeling flower prints. Thanks to a collaboration with fellow U.K. clothing label People Tree, the 57-year-old label is undergoing a reawakening of its own this season with a collection of limited-run pieces in prints sourced from the company’s archives.

Available March 2011 as part of People Tree’s spring collection, the nine-piece organic cotton collection offers up fetching floral basics—including a pocketed a-line skirt, a short swingy sundress, pleated shorts and a jumpsuit—in colors reworked from the ’70s to match the lineup’s more youthful, modern silhouettes.

As part of its ongoing designer collaboration series, People Tree is also teaming up with contemporary British print designer Orla Kiely to create two cotton-printed hobo bags, available later in the season.

The Laura Ashley collection spans $80-155 and will sell stateside and in the U.K. from People Tree.

As physical objects, I always thought books and magazines were pretty much the same thing; nothing changed my mind on that more than using the iPad. I use the tablet device religiously to read books at bedtime and to refer to sewing machine adjuster’s manuals during the day when doing repairwork. It’s perfect for books and manuals: All of the info with none of the bulk, with the occasional image that can be easily zoomed in on for clarity.

But magazines, man, different animal. Every mag app I’ve played around with on the tablet–Popular Mechanics, Wired, that horrible Zinio app–gives me a feeling of cognitive dissonance as soon as I open them. I easily lose track of “where” I am in the magazines, and although I’m not sure why that matters, it just feels wrong. With books and manuals the tablet disappears and I feel I’m absorbing pure information; with magazines I feel like I’m trying to drive a car with a cardboard box over my head.

Grafting magazines onto tablets provides a significant interface-design challenge, and I’ll shortly be testing out Apple’s much-ballyhooed The Daily publication. In the meantime, here’s Macworld’s look at it from the launch:

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A common question reporters ask during interviews is, “Why do you think everyone should be organized?”

My response usually takes them by surprise when I answer, “I don’t think everyone should be organized.”

I’m not trying to avoid confrontation with reporters when I say this. I sincerely don’t believe that an uncluttered and organized life is for everyone. It’s only when clutter and disorganization become dangerous to a person or others that I would even consider using the word should. And, as is the case with hoarders, I think getting licensed medical treatment for the disorder is what is most important — clearing the clutter is a secondary priority and is only effective once progress is occurring with mental health treatment.

My belief is that clutter and disorganization aren’t distracting to some people. I don’t know how these things aren’t distracting, but they truly aren’t to some people. There are people who can pursue the life they desire without thinking twice about their stuff or without a need to adopt organizing systems.

The only people who should be unclutterers are people who want to be unclutterers.

Personally, I find clutter and disorganization very distracting. I cannot achieve the life I want when I’m tripping over my son’s toys or stressing out about all of the things I need to do. Being an unclutterer is what is best for me.

If you’re reading this post, clutter and disorganization are probably distractions to you, too. (Why would someone read a website called Unclutterer if he has no interest in being an unclutterer?) We need to remember, though, clutter and disorganization aren’t distractions for everyone. Our desire to pursue an uncluttered life is our choice, but it’s not the best or a necessary choice for everyone to achieve a remarkable life.

In fact, thinking everyone should be an unclutterer is an easy way to clutter up your time and mental energy.

Like this site? Buy Erin Rooney Doland’s Unclutter Your Life in One Week from Amazon.com today.

Cologne 2011: designer Philippe Nigro presented this set of bright yellow divans, two tables and a foot stool for Ligne Roset at imm cologne last month.

Called Entailles, the sofas can be arranged in different configurations to make a one, two or three-seater platform.

Tables slot into gaps between the seats.

See also Confluences by Philippe Nigro for Ligne Roset at last year’s imm cologne.

imm cologne took place 18-23 January. See all our coverage of the event here »

All our stories on Ligne Roset on Dezeen »
More furniture on Dezeen »

Here’s a bit of text from Ligne Roset:

ENTAILLES
“Viewing everyday life through the prism of objects which are surprising, yet sensible.”

Since 1999, Philippe Nigro has worked as a freelance designer; he is also an associate of the De Lucchi studio in Milan, where he works on numerous projects in the fields of product design, furniture and lighting design, interior architecture, promotional events and scenography.

To use the exact words of Philippe Nigro, these divans are ‘quasi-articulated’ by means of ‘functional notches’ which can accommodate small pedestal tables (for reading, writing, working, drinking, eating…).

These simple details confer on the divans a whole new aesthetic totally at odds with conventional images, whilst making it possible to obtain different seat depths and back heights. In order to fully respond to the original idea, it is possible to have the notches in a different colour and/or fabric. The end result is a ‘living’ divan, which seems to be in constant movement.

See also:

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Confluences by Philippe Nigro	Slow Sofa by Frederik Roijé	Stripes and Peignes by Philippe Nigro