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Since 2002, POLLACK has introduced two collections, Attention to Detail and Women's Work in collaboration with the RISD Museum drawing from its substantial and high quality collection of apparel and textiles.  While Mark Pollack (a RISD textile design graduate) has been an avid supporter of the school for years and POLLACK supports the museum though royalties based on the sales of the fabrics in the above collections, he felt it was time that he personally start supporting the museum as well.

“It’s a teaching museum—the students have great access to its collections—so when I find a garment I like, think the students might benefit from seeing and think the museum might like because it fills a void in its collection, I will get it for the museum. It has to be an interesting garment design and utilize an interesting fabric so that it can be studied by both apparel design and textile design students.”

Very recently, Mark donated another article of clothing which was accepted into the museum’s collection– an amazing warp-printed Jacquard-woven coat, designed by the late Ronald Amey. He found this coat in a vintage clothing store in Soho, one that he had passed for years but never went into.

“The coat had just gone up in the store’s window and it just seemed to call my name as I walked by on my way to meet friends for dinner. It’s not a direction I normally go in after leaving work, so the timing couldn’t have been any better; I’m sure it would not have lasted long being so prominently featured.  I had a great talk with the woman shopsitting for the owner.  She had a lot of style and enthusiasm for the clothing – a real old-time fashion industry New Yorker. In the course of our conversation I found out that she had been a designer herself back in the day, and her husband was well known in our industry working for one of our competitors. Small world.”

Mark described his first glance at the garment “like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time – it took my breath away”. The cut is a quintessential early 70’s “swing coat” with side seam pockets, and the high double-breasted closing is right out of that era – everyone from Carnaby Street designers to higher-end designers like Courreges and Cardin were doing the same thing.  The details are superb (look at those buttons!), exactly what you would expect from a made-to-order garment from that time.

"It happens to be one of the most unique fabrics I’ve seen for women’s daywear. It’s a wacky combination of a large-scale abstract painterly warp-print, on wool no less, and a small-scale fairly formal “floral” in a matelasse construction. It’s a real fabric person’s fabric.”

Ronald Amey (1932-1986), was known for his use of interesting materials and sensational bold patterns. He collaborated many times with textile designer Tzaims Luksus on some dramatic patterns, including paisleys combined with bold stripes. Luksus, the first person to be awarded the famed Coty Award for fabric design, often worked two or three years on the design, construction, and presentation of his fabrics before offering them to any fashion designer.  We wouldn’t be surprised if this coat, which now lives in the RISD museum, is one of those collaboration pieces!

According to Manhattan Magazine, interior designer Athena Calderone of Rawlins Calderone Design "has a knack for juxtaposing straightforward glamour with a rugged edge in both her business and oft-photographed personal style".  That said, we were super excited when she specifically chose our New York showroom at the D&D for her profile! The shoot was for the magazine's Urban Legend column, which profiles dynamic New Yorkers.

Below, Calderone is pictured in front of our fabric, So Rococo in ace of spades.  If you haven't gotten enough of the Rococo pattern, be sure to check out Rococo Velvet and brand new, Rococo Sheer from our Gorgeous collection.

Thanks Athena! 

Look what Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters cozies up to in his house - our abstract fabric, Legend!

Sparkling Attitude – the perfect blend of words to describe the illuminating apartment of Darcy Miller Nussbaum, editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings.

The Manhattan duplex, featured in this month’s Architectural Digest, was magically redesigned and decorated by architect David Mann of MR Architecture + Decor.  We were happy to see one of our velvets, Vintage Velvet 5005/09 in greige delightfully occupying a bedroom corner (see below).

One day last week our designers each sported various shades of purples, blues, and greys...without planning!

I guess it is true that great (and creative!) minds think alike!