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Gloria Vanderbilt

Design Log

3 Apr
Gloria Vanderbilt

To be a stylemaker, you clearly need to make a splash, but there are a gutsy few who actually blaze trails. Gloria Vanderbilt is just such a woman, whose inimitable style has been leaving a path of stunningly scorched earth behind her for nearly nine decades.

As befits a style icon, Gloria Vanderbilt has been capturing the world’s attention from the moment she was an infant. At only 18 months, she was cast into the public eye upon the untimely death of her father and subsequent inheritance of the Vanderbilt fortune. Her early years were not particularly happy ones as she was continually uprooted by her peripatetic mother and later embroiled in an epic custody battle, resulting in her being wrested from her mother and ensconced with her powerful and controlling aunt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney.

Gloria Vanderbilt by Avedon
Vanderbilt Collage
Vanderbilt Interior

Vanderbilt Jeans
Gloria Vanderbilt Patchwork
Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper

Like a fine wine, however, Gloria seems to have turned hard conditions into her favor. Fascinated by design and art, she threw herself into both worlds, studying at the Art Students League, and modeling before the cameras of Avedon and Horst. What she learned from her art and her travels, she subsequently incorporated into her fearless designs for clothing and interiors.

Whether it’s designer jeans, fragrances, household products, or Anderson Cooper, Gloria’s creativity is boundless, mold-breaking and stunning. For an amazing read about the unparalleled life of this tireless swan, we highly recommend Wendy Goodman’s book,The World of Gloria Vanderbilt.

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@Vessellondon, this stunning cast glass sculpture @Vessellondon, this stunning cast glass sculpture by Danish artist Monette Larson is a delight to behold.  Evocative of sea life or a fabric caught in the wind, it’s pure artistry.  Photo by Agata Pec.
For the bedroom we featured in our last post, this For the bedroom we featured in our last post, this quiet reading corner keeps things simple but utilizes sculptural forms and warm accents to extend the room’s dreamy vibe.  📸 by @artgrayphoto  #whitewebbinteriors #interiordesign #bedroomdesign #bedroominspo #readingcorner
Clean, quiet, and cossetting. This bedroom we des Clean, quiet, and cossetting.  This bedroom we designed in Southern California features a bed curtained in creamy linen from Pierre Frey, which sets the tone for the perfect beginning and end to each day.  📸 by @artgrayphoto  #whitewebbinteriors #interiordesign #bedroomdesign #canopybed #neutralbedroom
Another story about objects that tell stories. Thi Another story about objects that tell stories. This one about Ruth St. Denis, an icon of the modern dance world when she hit the stage as a solo artist in 1905. In the early 1950s she befriended Gene Maiden, a young man with an eye for art and an expert in antique engravings. This dance/art legacy was passed to Matthew who tells their story here.  #Antiques #dances #jacobspillow #ruthstdennis #genemaiden
In this landscape concept design by @amelie.outreq In this landscape concept design by @amelie.outrequin, we love how the serene pillow-like forms and the textural variation create quiet drama and gently introduce the architecture.  #designinspo #landscapedesign #landscapeinspo
Anyone for a decadent soak? This bathroom we desi Anyone for a decadent soak?  This bathroom we designed in New York’s Hudson Valley is the perfect spot to while away the hours.  📸 by @artgrayphoto  #whitewebbinteriors #interiordesign #bathroomdesign #hudsonvalleyhome #hudsonvalleyinteriordesigner
19th century English, artist unknown, this little 19th century English, artist unknown, this little oil painting of a pastoral scene looks very much like the Hudson Valley where Matthew lives now. And yes, he really made those curtains.
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