Celebrity Life

By now, your bosses and colleagues have probably seen more of your abode than you would've ever expected to show them.

With many of us working from home these days, meetings held over video conferencing apps the likes of Zoom and Microsoft Teams have become the new normal. Inevitably, this means letting colleagues into our residences — albeit virtually — and having them catch glimpses of it via our backdrop. Depending on where your workspace is located, this view could range from a boring blank wall to windows or cluttered bookshelves.

Your makeshift office may not be the most glamorous, but there are several easy interior design tricks that you can employ to quickly jazz up the background of your Zoom calls.

Textiles and cushions

If your workstation of choice is the couch or bed, all it takes is a few snazzy throw pillows wrapped in eye-catching fabrics and prints to provide visual interest in the space behind you. Consider dressing your cushions in the Armani/Casa Exclusive Textiles by Rubelli collection, which is inspired by modern art — specifically works by Henri Matisse, Vasilij Kandinskij and Paul Klee.

It showcases striking colour blocks embellished with embroideries, ikat details and intertwined motifs. These are available in various patterns and shades ranging from pastel to neutral hues. More details here.

Houseplants and greenery

Adding houseplants to your home office will help the space look less spartan and bland. Smaller plants like cacti, succulents and spider plants can be displayed on shelves or tables, while larger ones such as philodendrons, snake plants and ZZ plant (Zanzibar Gem) can be placed on the floor to break the monotony of blank walls.

Online plant retailer Flora Houses offers a wide variety of houseplants that will thrive indoors and are generally low-maintenance. Its range includes Japanese fir, fiddle leaf fig and Bird of Paradise. The store provides free doorstep delivery with a minimum spend.

Artworks and paintings

Perhaps houseplants may seem like too much of a commitment, or you simply don't have green fingers. This is where paintings and art pieces make an easier alternative. You can simply hang a couple of them on the wall that constantly forms your video call backdrop.

An Andy Warhol or Basquiat will certainly impress your co-workers, but your art doesn't necessarily have to be expensive or by big name artists. Consider procuring artworks instead from indie galleries such as Odd One Out, which boasts an array of creations by local and international printmakers and illustrators. We can't take our eyes off the above acrylic painting by Micke Lindebergh, which is titled 'Small Yellow Flower Pot' and features colourful blooms accented by quirky squiggles and bright hues.

Statement ornaments and furniture

Inject a dose of quirk into your meeting setup by peppering your background with assorted decorative items and statement furniture pieces. These can be anything from figurines to colourful tiles and dramatic room dividers.

Our go-to is Lala Curio, which is a whimsical wonderland of objets d'art such as brass monkey sculptures, cloisonné birds, and, one of our favourites — an adorable trio of cranes adorned with rock crystal feathers and perched on crystal balls.

Wallpaper

Why settle for one specially curated work area, when you can turn your whole room into an Instagram-worthy space? Wallpaper is a bold and easy solution — if every wall in your room is clad in beautiful prints, you can essentially park yourself in any corner and still have an envy-inducing Zoom backdrop.

Designer wallpaper has seen a resurgence in recent years, and we're obsessed with Christian Lacroix's exquisite Oiseau Fleur vinyl wallpaper, which depicts vibrant botanical and bird motifs against a silk effect embossed base. It comes in two colourways of pink and grey.

(Main image: Brina Blum/ Unsplash; Featured image: Christian Lacroix)

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With a pandemic around and social distancing advised “The Show That Never Happened” might be an apt title for most fashion collections this season.

Whilst designers, editors and buyers might be missing the buzz of well-heeled crowds at fashion week, Prada got creative as is Miuccia’s way.  The Spring Summer 2021 ‘show’ came in form of a digital film streamed on 14 July. Cleverly, the brand sent out physical invites to editors (a nice touch) for the digital release.

The video took the collection apart through five different lenses and showcased ‘Multiple Views’ of renowned creatives around the globe including Terence Nance, Joanna Piotrowska, Martine Syms, Juergen Teller and Willy Vanderperre. They each interpreted the Prada man and woman in their own way in a chapter. A stitching together of all five perspectives captures different facets of this Prada collection, one that was very “distinct and definite”. The clothing -- so very precise and pristine if not a tad sombre -- featured plenty of black, tennis whites, greys and strict silhouettes. A quirky take on office rigidity was subverted with sensuality. This, of course, is something that's always quite tangible at the brand.

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All eyes are on Prada this year after all - since the February announcement that Raf Simons would join Miuccia Prada as the Co-Creative Director at the famed Italian powerhouse. Simons took up his role in April, working in partnership with Miuccia Prada with “equal responsibilities for creative input and decision making”. Simons, a famed menswear designer who helmed Jil Sander, Christian Dior and Calvin Klein, is one of the rare names and talents that seem quite befitting of a Prada legacy. In this SS21 digital film, it was just Miuccia appearing at the end to bow -- signalling their co-creative director debut would be next season, under hopefully more rousing, live circumstances.

[caption id="attachment_208970" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Prada Multiple View SS21 Terence Nance[/caption]

The Prada and Simons match is arguably one made in fashion world heaven and will be a clever way to bring Prada into the new decade. The calibre of these two names is sure to set off a new, energetic chapter for the brand, spinning a powerful proposition of innovation and creative imagination during tough times for fashion. Watch this space.

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