Meet Magical People: Bernie de le Cuona, Fabric Designer
22Jul15
Walking in a certain world like an Egyptian Queen in her pristine, black patent leather and white lug soled Fratelli Rossetti oxfords, my meeting with fabric designer Bernie de le Cuono was like meeting “The Rosetta Stone of Linen and Wool” in Goddess form. As founder and designer of her company, de le Cuona, Bernie has woven a path around the planet, mixing masters of looms, techniques, and fibers across cultures to achieve the most ethereal, subtle weaves to float unto beds, wrap pillows, or draw the curtains on a day’s close.
When we have our 25 ft high wall of window in my bucolic, restored 19th century barn set in rolling Tuscany hills, they will certainly be graced by her embossed linen in a pebble pattern woven on heritage French looms, looking for all the world like Edith Wharton herself hung the drapes.
We asked for her pensees to our ‘Tracing 9 Star’ power words and sketched her, above, to dive deeper into her world. Our Tracing 9 Stars interview questions are based on something a bit more ancient and intuitive than the average interview questions. A little like the famed Proust’s Questionnaire and modern versions such as Vanity Fair‘s last page, and yet beyond. Deeper insight into a Star.
ROOTS . DREAMS . POWER . HEART . CONVERSATION . GURU . STAR .
DESTINY . RELATIONSHIP
Spend a timeless minute with Bernie.
ROOTS
Africa and although I left over 20 years ago it’s still what shapes me, consumes me and still in my heart!
We loved the huge turquoise scarab on her necklace on the day we met her, so appropriate for one tirelessly rolling elements. Her luscious African collection pieces follow…
DREAMS I am a dreamer, so much so my dreams don’t let me sleep!
POWER
Power looms that we weave our Paisley on. Only 3 meters a day but magical old treasures.
HEART
Alexander McQueen did a beautiful one, will find it when I land.
It’s hard to do…Some people are so good at it but true conversing has become harder to find with email and social media. Is a tweet a conversation?
Above, Bernie’s linen and wool conversation inspired by her adventures in Livingstone, Zambia.
GURU
Someone who has mastered and is at peace with their mind and soul and has a huge capacity to forgive and love!
de le Cuona fabrics are for big statements like the above Guru portrait, sofas with guru design-pedigrees, and expansive views.
STAR
A sky full, full of stars and I know I am home in Africa.
This was the image of Egyptian women that reminded me of Bernie and her wovens.
DESTINY
We are all deciding our own.
Of linen, she informed me, that when woven by hand, it doesn’t wrinkle. I told her my linen fun-fact that it repels stains, that is why linen bedding is preferred by lovers everywhere.
RELATIONSHIP
Precious.
Dive into a relationship with Bernie’s newest collection inspired by the African world with hand-fringing, feather cashmere, leather, and Mali stripe detail on cushions and throws.
And from our first post, coming full circle:
Drala. A Tibetan concept that translates to Beyond and Above Aggression. Blameless. Connected to the essential and transcendent powers of Nature.
“You can see people’s internal connection to drala in the way they behave: the way they pick up their teacups, the way they smoke their cigarettes or the way they run their fingers through their hair.”
*Chogyam Trunpa his book SHAMBALA: The Sacred Path of the Warrior
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We are known for lifting our clients’ dreams up 9 +++ notches with creative direction and services, design, product development, events + experiences that thrill.
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Our New York Lifestylesarticle on our Slow Luxury scent design travel adventures with Aroma M perfumes.
READ THE ARTICLE here.
See more at: www.slow-luxury.com
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We are thrilled that our award-winning Union Square, NYC art disruption project, Love Notes, was selected for coverage by CODAworxmagazine for art in the environment!
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Industry trade reviews of our curation in Brazil:
“Art Installation in the Mountains of Brazil is Reminiscent of Goalposts” in PSFK.comand Trendhunter.com, industry trend resources.
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Our article for Metropolis magazine:
“Visit Isola During Salone.”
First in a series on Art, Design,Green and Architecture and Milan’s Salone in April 2011
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Our article for Design Observer:
“Degrees of Temporary”
Interview with Claudia Zanfi, co-founder of the cultural organization aMAZElab based in Milan.
In August 2014, we won a Merit Award in the Codaworx Awards, an international competition for design projects that demonstrate the most successful integration of commissioned art into an interior or architectural space. First as a Top 100 Finalist and then next, a Merit Award in the Landscape category, our curation of Pasha Radetski's "Portal do Sul," 10 gates in the mountains of Brazil premiered the art residency at Fazenda Catucaba, followed by Campana Brothers and homes by Marcio Kogan.
