If one were to look up the dictionary definition of “iconoclast,” it might well be accompanied by a picture of Laura Gonzalez. The Parisian interior designer has built a career defined by both a fearless embrace of the unexpected (who else could dream up dining tables with tentacles for legs or commission a pair of fireplace bas-reliefs adorned with enormous, naively formed animal heads?) and a sense of sophistication that makes her flights of fancy seem more refined than raucous.
Pipe Illusion (on chair seat) and Bombay Rainbow (chair back) add style to the Staten Island ferry.
MARCO GALLOWAY
Roman Reverie hits the tarmac at JFK airport’s TWA terminal.
MARCO GALLOWAYHer newest venture, a collection of fabrics and wallpapers in collaboration with Schumacher, is no less enigmatic in flavor. Travel has been a constant source of inspiration since childhood—she was raised in Cannes by a Spanish mother and French Algerian father—and it was through that lens that she approached the creative process. “This collection is truly a global journey—born in New York, colored in Jaipur, and detailed in Paris,” she explains. Textiles like Bangalore Imagination and Bombay Rainbow offer a new interpretation of traditional Indian block prints, while the dynamic lines and bold colors of Hallucination and Pipe Illusion evoke the edge and energy of New York. And there’s no mistaking the Parisian sense of romance and artistry that weaves through fabrics like Lian Dream, a large-scale jacquard.
FABRICS ON BAGGAGE CART, LEFT TO RIGHT: Roman Reverie, Bombay Rainbow, Jaipur Fantaisie, and Bangalore Imagination. FABRICS ON TARMAC, FRONT TO BACK: Hallucination, Pipe Illusion, and Roman Reverie. All by Laura Gonzalez for Schumacher, schumacher.com.
MARCO GALLOWAYRoman Reverie, a pattern of stripes and waves inspired by a scarf Gonzalez’s mother brought back from India, holds a particularly special place. “The undulating stripes are a visual memory of movement and warmth, and the warp print technique adds a beautiful, painterly rhythm,” explains Gonzalez. “I believe even the smallest details should carry meaning, craftsmanship, and beauty. To me, design should evoke feeling, not just aesthetics.”
Bangalore Imagination joins the rush at Grand Central Station.
MARCO GALLOWAY
The dynamic stripes of Hallucination match the subway’s speed.
MARCO GALLOWAYTHIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN VOLUME 18 OF FREDERIC MAGAZINE. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE!
