Billed as “the spring break for designers,” LEGENDS 2016 kicked off last night on May 3, 2016 at Fig & Olive in Los Angeles. The three-day love affair with all things design lived up to its celebratory label in every way. It is THE design event of the season. With the Coldwell Banker Previews International® program as co-sponsor, LEGENDS is a truly unique extravaganza — and some would say, “One of a Kind” (hence the 2016 theme). The theme also reflects “the extraordinary character of the La Cienega Design Quarter and the furnishings sold in the quarter, from unusual antiques and vintage pieces to custom furniture, lighting, floor coverings, hardware and other home furnishings created especially by designers for the discriminating clientele that shops in the LCDQ,” says spokesperson Tamar Mashigian.
Photo by Mike Allen. Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent.
The Tuesday night opening gala was one of a kind too. Over 600 interior design luminaries and enthusiasts traveled from 21 states across the nation and five countries for their annual dose of inspiration and networking. The new 8,000 square-foot light-filled, indoor/outdoor space at Fig & Olive proved to be a far more appropriate venue for the rapidly growing event, now in its eighth year. Star designers Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, as well as Ryan Brown of Brown Design Group (former star of “Flipping Out”), Jane Hallworth (Ellen DeGeneres’ interior designer and “Design Challenge” judge) and Estee Stanley (designer of Patrick Dempsey’s house on the cover of Architectural Digest) found themselves sipping signature cocktails and nibbling on crostinis. Also spotted among the crowd, Beverly Hills-based Previews® all-stars Jade Mills, Stacy Gottula and Christophe Choo held court at a table on the enclosed patio, surrounded by aromatic rosemary plants, votives and a wall of olive oil bottles. Certainly, they represent “the one of a kind” of real estate every day…
Photo by Mike Allen.
“The synergy between design, architecture, art, antiques and real estate is stronger than ever,” says Craig Hogan, vice president of luxury for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “We’re thrilled to continue our involvement in this annual celebration of the people and places that make the beautiful homes we sell possible.”
Photo by Mike Allen. House Beautiful Editor-in-Chief Sophie Donelson with art director Eleftherios Kardamakis (left)
The next two days are a whirlwind of non-stop social events and educational moments. Book signings include India Hicks, author of “Island Life” and “Island Style,” Jay Jeffers, author of “Collected Cool,” and Richard Shapiro, author of “Past Perfect,” among many others. Interesting panel discussions this year will also get neurons in the brain firing. (Madeline Stuart’s funny and thought-provoking “When Disaster Strikes! An honest appraisal of bad clients, bad business and how to avoid making the same mistakes, over and over” and “Celebrity Status: Who is the Celebrity? Designer or Client?” featuring Million Dollar Decorator star, Mary McDonald, are two panels not to miss). And, if you happen to find yourself on La Cienega Boulevard or Melrose Avenue between now and May 12, make sure to take a peek at one of the window displays that have been imaginatively transformed by designers such as Nina Campbell, Nate Berkus, Robert Stilin and Andrew Brown. In fact, Christophe Choo snuck a moment last night to check out one of the window displays: a high-tech “imprint” from celebrity designer, Jeff Andrews. It’s worthy of a look.
