WESTWEEK Buzz: A-List Designer Panel on 'The Rise of the Rock Star Designer'

The Pacific Design Center's WESTWEEK 2012 presents The Rise of the Rock Star Designer, hosted by California Home+Design magazine.

Paparazzi, autograph-seekers and fan mail—these are not things that interior designers of 10 years ago had to deal with. But today, thanks to the proliferation of design-worshiping bloggers, the increased quality and accessibility of shelter magazines, and television programs based around the drama of picking the perfect sofa, interior designers have stepped out from behind the curtain to become rock stars in their own right.

California Home+Design executive editor Erin Feher will sit down with designs’ hottest stars, including David Bromstad (HGTV’s Color Splash), Martyn Lawrence-Bullard (Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorators), Antonio Ballatore (HGTV’s The Antonio Treatment) and Kathryn Ireland (Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorators), to discuss how fame has affected their lives, helped them build their brand and changed the way the world looks at design.

The event takes place Wednesday, March 21 at 3:30 p.m. at the PDC’s Blue Conference Center in Suite B259. A reception will follow at Andrew Martin in Suite G295. For more information, visit the PDC online.

Fall Market Buzz: Martyn Lawrence Bullard Discusses Landing a Licensed Fabric Collection (Part 2)

Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Susan North and Carolyn Sollis lent a helping hand to their audience at Schumacher during the DDB Fall Market panel, The Road to Landing a Licensed Fabric Collection. Here's more advice and information from the event:

"There's a lot to be said about working internationally with your firm or as a designer before pushing for a line of your own," said Susan. "The better known you are globally, the more respected your line will be, even if it has no threads of ethnic flare or design."

Susan's point was followed by murmurs of agreement from the audience and led the discussion away from the 'before you consider trying to launch a licensed collection' and toward  'now that you've covered your bases, this is how to best align yourself to try.' Martyn took center stage to discuss creating a fabric line without rushing to have it licensed.

"I think the best advice to share here is stressing the necessity to take it step by step," said Martyn. "You have to have a collection of your own first and foremost. Use it in the interiors you're designing and pair them with product from companies that you would ideally love to be licensed with. Start out small and push on further and further, but if nothing else, have fun with it! If you're having fun with it, chances are the people around you will have a more open ear to your thoughts!"

We asked a designer attending the event what her thoughts were of the panel once it had finished to see how helpful the discussion was.

"I really enjoyed hearing what they all had to say," said the Fall Market attendee. "I thought Carolyn asked really great questions that really mirrored what the audience wanted to hear and Martyn and Susan were just so fabulous and fun. Martyn has such a personable way about himself and his honesty and humor really made the audience love him all the more!"

Stay tuned to GoDesignGo for more recaps on the DDB's fabulous Fall Market.

Fall Market Buzz: Martyn Lawrence Bullard Discusses Landing a Licensed Fabric Collection

Martyn Lawrence Bullard lit up the Schumacher showroom with his celebrity status and fabulous sense of humor during his presentation The Road to Landing a Licensed Fabric Collection at the DDB's Fall Market. Susan North, senior vice president and creative director for Schumacher, and Carolyn Sollis, contributing editor of Editor at Large, joined Martyn for a panel discussion on the inspiration and collaboration involved in creating a collection.

Having flown in from London where Martyn was working on Tamara Mellon's flat, Martyn had everyone in the audience laughing when he explained that while his life is jam-packed full of projects, events, panel discussions and more, it's all worth it because it's fun. Martyn's first and foremost point throughout the discussion resonated for us all, "Don't you dare do anything that's not fun. Don't even consider getting yourself into a project or a situation that you have the ability to decline if it's not completely a blast!"

The three discussed the winding paths of licensed fabric collections using their own experiences respectively, but eventually came together on a shared tip that proved integral to their discussion. "One thing that must be understood by those who are hoping to eventually launch a fabric collection is that it's extremely, unimaginably hard to do so," said Carolyn. "It's not easy for anyone—celebrity designers and even celebrities included! The amount of time, energy and money that goes in to creating, pitching and earning a licensed collection may be better spent taking a different risk that may prove more fruitful."

"It's very true," Martyn said, agreeing and smiling at the glance Carolyn shot him when she mentioned celebrity designers. "A collection of your own is one of the most difficult things to achieve successfully. Launching a collection is about timing, and it's about the need in the market."

Stay tuned tomorrow for more from Martyn, Carolyn and Susan on landing a licensed fabric collection.

Product Spotlight: Martyn Lawrence Bullard for Schumacher

Schumacher has just increased its celebrity status with the introduction of a new fabric collection with internationally acclaimed interior designer, star of Bravo's Million Dollar Decorators and author of Live, Love and Decorate, Martyn Lawrence Bullard.

Martyn’s fabric collection with Schumacher is inspired by his passion for exotic travel, luxurious materials and a unexpected color and scale. The collection contains prints and wovens that are derived from antique textiles, motifs and patterns gathered during the designer’s journeys.

This collection includes a wide range of exquisite ikats, embroideries, tree of life prints, paisleys, hand-woven silks and silk velvets. Produced by some of the finest printers and weavers in the world known for a tradition of creating textiles using artisanal methods, many of these fabrics incorporate hand-made elements, giving them a stunning, one-of-a-kind aesthetic.

Make your way over to Schumacher at the DDB, PDC, DCOTA and DCH and check out Martyn's collection online and let us know what you think.

Martyn Lawrence-Bullard Receives the 2010 International Interior Designer of the Year Award

A star-filled night at Pacific Design Center as Martyn Lawrence-Bullard was presented with the 2010 International Interior Designer of the Year Award on October 18, 2010.

Kelly Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne helped Martin Waller present the award during a ceremony that included performances by pop diva Taylor Dayne. Ellen Pompeo, Downtown Julie Brown, Cheryl Tiegs, Niecy Nash, Shannon Dougherty, Lisa VanderPump, Camille Grammer, Lance Bass, Michelle Hicks, Ioan Gruffudd, Kathyrn Ireland, Vidal Sassoon all toasted Martyn. The celebration included a reveal of the new Andrew Martin showroom in the Green Building of PDC.

Since 1996, Andrew Martin has sponsored the International Interior Designer of the Year Award. Winners have included Kelly Hoppen, Jamie Drake, Axel Vervoordt and Thomas Pheasant. The award is known as the Oscars of Interior Design.
(above, L-R: Martin Waller, Kelly Osbourne, Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, Sharon Osbourne) Photo: Evans Vestal Ward/Pacific Design Center