Lila Tueller's new collection for Riley Blake is chic, sophisticated and dramatic. Filled with bold patterns, large floral prints and a black and white color palette, Mystique will add that little sprinkle of flair to any project. Lila is here on the Jolly Jabber to tell you a little bit more about her stunning collection!
Q:
What inspired this collection?
A:
This collection was in response to a request from my friends at Riley Blake. I was asked to create a black white and grey collection that was sophisticated and dramatic. Mystique was my answer to that request!
Q:
What is your favorite project using this collection?
A:
My favorite project has to be the “wedding” dress we designed for our booth display in the Houston Quilt Market. I made a sketch of the dress I had in mind, and I handed that design to my partner Michelle who is actually a wedding dress designer by trade. She made it to fit my daughter’s body, and we took photos of her for my booth display wearing the dress as if she was getting married. There was a “groom” too, he had on a tie from the collection as well.
We ended up having to do two photo shoots because the first set was rained out. The night shot above was taken after it stopped raining. (Too late!) That daughter and her friend could not do it the next day, so one of my other daughters and another guy had to pinch hit for me the next day so we could have photos in time for Houston.
Q:
What would be your collection’s theme song?
A:
I would have to say “Masquerade” from The Phantom of the Opera, because of all the awesome black and white costuming that was shown in that scene.
Q:
If you could live in a movie, what movie would it be?
A:
This is really tough! The answer would be different depending on the era of my life we are talking about. Most recently, however, I found myself wishing I was an Avatar! I loved the idea of flying around on one of those personal dragon things, and living on a planet with floating mountains. That movie was especially moving for me, and I have watched it several times now.
Q:
What do you get nostalgic over?
A:
I find myself becoming nostalgic over thoughts about my childhood home of Virginia. I moved away to the west when I was about 7 years old and I have never been back. I dream about that place and time often, especially the woods near my home that I ventured into on a near daily basis. I lived in my head as a child, full of thoughts of imaginary magical creatures and perilous adventures.
Q:
What is your favorite TV show of all time?
A:
As a young girl I watched “The Monroes”, which was a Western television series that originally aired on ABC during the 1966-1967. I would have been 5 or 6 years old. The series centered around the story of five orphans trying to survive as a family on the frontier in the Wild West. I spent many an afternoon alone in the woods near my home pretending to be in that family.
But as a teenager, I think I watched every episode of “Star Trek”, because I had a major crush on Captain Kirk (William Shatner) of the Starship Enterprise. He was really handsome in his prime.
Q:
If you could be a modern day fictional character, who would you be?
A:
I really liked the character that Juliette Binoche played in “Chocolat”. She had such an intoxicating yet miraculously healing effect on the people of the town where she came to reside. Yet she was flawed in many ways, making her even more endearing. And she won the heart of a gorgeous gypsy played by Johnny Depp. Need I say more?
Q:
What’s the strangest compliment you’ve ever received?
A:
Not long ago I was with my nine year old son at the doctor’s office. Now mind you, I had this child when I was 42 years old. He was quite a surprise to say the very least.
I was there because my son had been quite ill. The doctor (who was a new doctor for us because our insurance had just changed) examined him, and determined that he was indeed, sick, and needed to go on an antibiotic for strep.
But after examining him, the doctor turned to me and said: “You know, for a young mom like you are, you look really hammered. You need to take better care of yourself.”
I thought to myself…OK, maybe I look pretty trashed because I haven’t been sleeping much with my sick son and all.
Then he said, “I mean, if I didn’t know better I’d say you look 45 years old!”
I didn’t tell him that I was 51. I just took his “counsel” as a compliment and went merrily on my way.
Labels: Designer Tidbits, Riley Blake Designs
