Guest post by Sophie Nash-Jones
Interiors brand de Gournay, renowned for their hand-painted wallpapers and fabrics have again formed an exclusive collaboration with the luxury footwear label Aquazzura. This 2018 collaboration follows the success of de Gournay’s earlier work in 2017 with Edgardo Osorio, creative director of the shoe label. The 2017 Amazonia design was wonderfully received as a tropical take on a traditional chinoisere; painted in a vibrant colour-way with a chalky pink ground, translated onto a collection of Aquazzura shoes and hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper.
Following the success of the ‘pink story,’ 2018 brings us a new colour-way for the popular artwork. In deep inky tones on a vivid blue background, the design offers something different while still translated onto hand-painted wallpaper and footwear. The tropical take of this design is exceptional for its versatility ; equally usable in fashion and interiors. Osorio states, ‘The imaginary jungle we designed is an exotic decadent dream full of animals and plants, preciously detailed and hand-painted, timeless and extremely modern at the same time’.
‘Amazonia’ refers to the Amazon rainforest, which is certainly brought to life in this hand-painted design, adorned with 19th century botanical illustrations, mixed with flora and fauna. The tropical palms and leafs are filled with exotic animals placed among the branches; toucan’s, parrots and macaws all rendered entirely by hand.
It is the exceptional design of this artwork that allows it to be taken from the walls to the feet. This collection will form part of a display at Bergdorf Goodman in New York this coming March, where both the shoes and panels of wallpaper will be on show in their world famous window vitrines.