A dear friend, writer, editor, decorator, designer, and one of the best dressed men around town – Blue Carreon – is having one busy year.
He recently opened his first store, BLUE CARREON HOME, in Manila, to great fanfare, where he is graciously hosting a KOTUR trunk show later this week. With much anticipation, Blue also just completed his fabulous coffee table book, “Conversations: Up Close and Personal with Icons of Fashion, Interior Design, and Art”.
“Conversation should touch everything, but should concentrate on nothing.” according to one of the world’s late great conversationalists, Oscar Wilde.
I admit to being completely devoted to Blue’s Huffington Post , “Conversations with…” series, hooked from the very first published piece. Yes, the insights are inspiring, informative, and sometime amusing… but what’s more is that each interview feels like excerpts from the unpublished memoirs of the most stylish and creative minds.
When Blue first asked me to participate in “A Conversation With”, I felt thrilled, and honored… and a bit unworthy to join such prestigious creators from the worlds of interior and fashion design, art, photography, and literature. Nevertheless, I had a ball with the questions- so seemingly simple, yet fun to answer and unquestionably insightful. I, of course, had definite opinions for every question, from what “women should always” do (handwritten notes!) to what “men should never” do, (never go more than a week without calling your mother!), answered from as much the perspective of mother of four boys, as of designer. I love that the questions intersected all corners of life, and what’s more, I love reading everyone else’s responses.
Blue and I first met in Hong Kong ten years ago, through an editorial assignment when Blue was with Tatler. He has remained a dear friend, and in addition, I am his great admirer. His talents are many and diverse, as is his innate sense of style which permeates everything he touches- from his writing, to his interior design. Beyond this, I also adore and respect his soft spoken charm, the gracious way he leads his life, and his quest for beauty in everything he does. Along with being a great journalist, perhaps it is Blue’s kind and disarming nature that allow such interesting, and even revealing answers, to reach the surface…
Perhaps the best conversations are the ones that are overheard, or seemingly that way. I remember the very first interview with Ines de la Fressange, and her cryptic but evocative answer with regard to her mother – it still has me wondering. And how reflective of each designer’s personal style, that Herve van der Streten believes “Nature will have the last word”, while John Varvatos says, in the end, “it’s only rock and roll, and I like it”!
Jean Cocteau wrote, “Style is a simple way of saying complicated things”, and perhaps Blue knows this best. Revealed, through a menu of simple questions, are inspirations, and revelations… all delivered plain or spicy, but always with more than a dash of chic.
Pre-order Blue’s book now: http://www.amazon.com/Conversations-Personal-Fashion-Interior-Design/dp/1629145475
Blue Carreon Home: http://bluecarreonhome.com/
