5 MINUTES WITH CELEBRITY COUTURIER BOB MACKIE
Costume designer Bob Mackie made a personal appearance at the KAS Rugs showroom during the October 2015 High Point Market to launch his new Vintage rug collection at a meet and greet party with customers. Photo by Jim Spellman.
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HIGH POINT, NC -- Before ET or social media existed, fans followed Bob Mackie's every move as he dressed Hollywood and Broadway stars for the stage and screen. Now they're following him from L.A. to High Point, where RugNews.com met with Mackie--the man who created Liza Minelli's wedding dress and costumes for the likes of Cher, Madonna, J. Lo, Beyonce and PINK--to discuss his debuting second collection for KAS at the rug maker's showroom.
Your new line is called Bob Mackie Home Vintage--why vintage?
I love the idea of layering in different styles and periods for a rich eclectic look in a room. We began our relationship with KAS with the signature collection in hand-tufted wool and viscose, which is transitional in design with fresh new patterns and colors. The Vintage collection is traditional, but also with fashion colors, so a whole landscape of looks can be painted in a home. The right rug in a room can ground it.
From the new Bob Mackie Home Vintage rug collection by KAS, the machine woven Sky Blue Medallia design exemplifies the glamour of distressed heirloom patterns in fashion colors.
Do you see any similarities between rugs and apparel accessories?
Rugs are fashion accessories for rooms: They can be collected and cared about, pared down or layered like jewelry. Rugs can instantly create a different mood in a room, and depending on the room's function, they can be made with fibers that are high performance, or lustrous and glamorous. A rug can change the look of a room the way a scarf can transform a classic suit.
The blue-green Opulence rug from Bob Mackie Home for KAS is shown in a vignette illustrating the eclectic layering of traditional furniture with a transitional floor covering.
What appeals to you most about the Vintage range for KAS?
It's full of tradition, which I adore. I love a room that is built up to look lived in, and the heirloom finish of the rugs gives a warm easy look. In particular, the idea of mixing the classic designs of these rugs with modern furniture to soften a home appeals to me. It creates the opportunity for the eclectic interiors I love: pairing antique side tables with an antique looking rug, but with some contemporary pieces mixed in.
Striking in Azure Blue, Marrakesh from the Bob Mackie Vintage Home collection by KAS lends a warm look with its classic color and timeworn finish.
How can consumers be really creative with rugs?
You can start by being creative in a guest room. You don't have to live in it every day, so it can be more daring in pattern and color than a living room or an office, which is fine for a guest visiting for a short time. Because the room won't be used much, you don't have to worry about wear. That frees you to use more glamorous lustrous fibers.
Editor's Note: Mackie's Signature collection for KAS Rugs is hand-tufted in India of a wool and viscose blend with a half-inch pile height, and retails at $730 in 5x8. The new Vintage Home collection is machine-woven in Belgium of polypropylene frieze yarn with a plush pile, and retails at $225 in 5x8.
Designer Bob Mackie and Santhi Yarlagadda of KAS Rugs greet guests at the KAS launch party for his Vintage collection rugs at High Point Market in October.
The Mirage pattern, an ikat design from the Bob Mackie Home collection for KAS, blends effortlessly with contemporary leather furniture to create an electric, transitional room.
