On Tuesday I’m heading to Memphis, courtesy of Brizo Faucets. Brizo has decided to bring all the alumni of the past “Blogger19” groups to Memphis for a reunion. This is going to be 2 fun-filled days that will include a tour of their Jackson manufacturing facility, product technology training, a tour of St. Jude Children’s Hospital, a celebration dinner event honoring the relationship between Brizo and St. Jude, and so much more.
I’m looking forward to seeing all the Blogger19 friends I met last February when Brizo sent me to New York for Fashion Week, and to meeting the other alumni as well!
For my 2nd post following my recent Brizo Fashion Week trip (the first post being here), I want to dive into what I thought was one of the most intriguing parts of the whole trip – the design inspiration behind a faucet. Did you ever stop think about what must go into the design of something as simple as a faucet? It’s mind-blowing! The whole process of design, engineering, marketing, etc. can take a couple years, so it’s important for the design team to stay ahead of current interior design trends. (Isn’t it brilliant that they’ve worked closely with fashion design, since fashion often dictates future decor trends?) While the process itself – conception, 3d mockups (they can print actual 3d faucet forms!), revisions, engineering, focus groups, etc.- is overwhelming, I was really blown away by how the designs originated. The Brizo team looks everywhere for inspiration, and once you hear the origin of each faucet concept, you look at it in a completely different way. I want to highlight a few of my favorites using various images I found online:
Vuelo – Spanish for “flight”, the Vuelo is “Inspired by the elegance of a gliding swan”
Virage – Virage is French for “twist”. “The Virage collection was inspired by the beautiful iron work we found throughout Europe. It was everywhere – gates, balconies and door hardware – and it was stunning,” – Judd Lord, Director of industrial design for Brizo
RSVP – “Drawing on the influences of Art Nouveau, RSVP features a sensual design that follows the curves of a woman’s silhouette.”
Belo – Portuguese for “beautiful”, inspired by Nambe vases
Baliza – “means ‘beacon’ in Portuguese, and as its name suggests, the clean, simple lines of the collection were inspired by lighthouses and their iconic nautical beacons.”
Floriano – I have to throw in the Floriano, even though we didn’t discuss this one at Fashion Week, it is the first faucet I ever bought for myself, so it will always hold a special place in my heart.
For the last couple years I’ve been reading about design bloggers going to New York City for Fashion Week courtesy of Brizo Faucets, and I’ve been jealous. A glamorous all-expense-paid trip full of fashion, design, and a LOT of talent? Who wouldn’t be jealous of that? Well, guess what? In a couple short weeks, I’m going! Thanks to the recommendation of Paul Anater over at Kitchen and Residential Design, Brizo has invited me to be one of the 20 designers/architects/bloggers attending Spring 2012 Fashion Week. In googling around a bit, I’ve discovered the names & profiles of some of the other guests, and I have to say I’m truly humbled. I’m going to be surrounded by some incredibly talented and successful people, and I can’t wait to soak it all in. I realize I’m likely a last-minute add-on, but I just don’t care. To be associated with this group of people in any way at all is flattering beyond belief.
This is such a great opportunity, and though Brizo is paying for the whole thing, they are NOT buying my support. I’ve always loved their product and their philosophy. I was first introduced to Brizo back in DC, and I immediately loved the Floriano faucet, simply because it was so different. (In fact, I bought it for my own home as soon as I had the chance.) I wish I could find the brochure from that time, because I distinctly remember the marketing literature featuring fabrics with this faucet design, and fashion mixed with faucets throughout the piece. Since then Brizo has expanded beyond brochures, and they’ve partnered with designer Jason Wu.
Brizo sponsors Jason Wu’s runway show at Fashion Week, and Jason Wu designs collections for Brizo. Design is art, regardless of the medium, and I think that’s represented perfectly in this relationship.
And now I get to see it all in person. Wow!
I’ll have a lot to share with you all in a few weeks after what will have been an amazing experience!
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