GETTING DREAMY

New Linen Bedding Line

Last week here at KOBS we were busy prepping some photos of our new product, and we wanted to share some behind the scenes photos to debut our new linen bedding line!

Behind the scenes at KOBS 

If velvet represents richness, depth, and timelessness, then linen stands for airy, lighthearted ease. Both fabrics have origins in Medieval Europe and have been refined and perfected in many ways. As different as they are, they were coveted from the very beginning and usually used in combination with one another - linen blouse with a velvet jacket or linen bed dressing with a velvet coverlet. We wondered: can they be combined in a modern way to create a luxurious yet casual bed? Take a look and tell us what you think!

Our linens are as beautiful as our velvets, but they each have a different appeal. If the velvet is like a deep forest, then the linen is like a sunny meadow. These are the makings of a beautiful landscape and this is the way we conceive our bedding ensembles. This new linen bedding is hand painted with soft colors that ombre from head to foot and has a more casual feel.  The euro shams, a more textural linen, are painted in mottled colors to coordinate with both the linen and the velvet.  

Aurora Bedding in Lilac

Aurora Bedding in Blue

One of our favorite velvets to pair with this collection for this winter is our Quilted Patchwork blanket measuring in at 95x95". These are a mosaic of patterns and colors that combine to make a luxe bohemian-inspired look. Each patchwork is unique in that it is made from our many remnants that would ordinarily go to waste. This allows us to give new life to leftover fragments that weren't large enough to create a pillow.

Patchwork Velvet Coverlet in Dove colorway

Remnants before their transformation

Patchwork Velvet Coverlet after their transformation - Colors (from top left): Gold Beige, Shark, Dove, Iris, White, Dusk

Art&Sole

SERIOUS BUSINESS AND SERIOUS FUN

Robb Reichard (executive director of AIDS Fund), Jane Gershon Weitzman, Kevin O'Brien (photo by Urszula Pruchniewska)

Jane Gershon Weitzman, the inimitable woman behind much of the success of Stuart Weitzman Shoes,  has been a fan of Kevin O'Brien Studio, and a friend of Kevin's for many years.  Building their company since the '80s she and Stuart have sold their business and now Jane has even better things to do, she raises money for any number of good causes through a book about shoes she has created.  Now that we at Kevin O'Brien Studio are finally on our feet in our new headquarters (a totally rebuilt movie theater from the thirties), we are able to invite people to our manufacturing and design facility.  So it became clear that Jane and Kevin had to do something together, that something was an event to support the work of the AIDS Fund.

(photo by Urszula Pruchniewska)

Some sample photos from Art&Sole

For more information on the AIDS Fund, please visit their website (here) (photo by Urszula Pruchniewska)

For many years, Kevin O'Brien Studio lived up to the description "scrappy upstart" and did our business from a historic, but creaky and ancient loft in Philadelphia's Old City district, but all things, even companies, must grow up.  After an unseemly long adolescence, we have burst upon the scene (in our own minds at least) and opened our beautiful new space to our guests. On a recent May evening, Jane gave her funny and heartwarming address about her new book, Art&Sole. The book would seem to just be about shoes, but the stories that Jane told were about a lifetime of using her company to create opportunities for all sorts of New Yorkers who needed a bit of a helping hand, be it in the LGBT community, inner city schools, or breast and ovarian cancer.  There wasn't a dry eye in the crowd as Jane recited stories about how she was able to help so many people simply by thinking differently about how to use her position at a very successful company.

(photo by Urszula Pruchniewska)

Jane giving her presentation (photo by Urszula Pruchniewska)

Afterwards, Jane answered lots of questions and signed books while the Aids Fund volunteers served up food and drinks. Meanwhile, Kevin and Angela (the KOBS manager) gave tours of our facilities. Then the raffle winners were read out and people went home with goodies from El Dorado Rum, Bernie Robbins, Bitars Restaurant, Starbucks, Trinity Framing, Merritt Gallery, Philadelphia Theatre Company, In Liquid, A Girl Named Katie, Shane's Candies, Candy Coated, Blush Salon, South Philly Accupunture, Farm & Fisherman Tavern & Market, Nickolette Phillips Design & Tailoring, Eat-a-Pita, More Then Just Ice Cream and artists such as Nikolay Milushev (YOMI t.g.m.b.) and Tim McFarlane.

(photo by Urszula Pruchniewska)

Catherine, Lee, and Sarah modeling some of our raffle items

We clearly take fun very seriously

Serious money was raised and serious fun was had. 

TAVERN ON THE GREEN
KOB goes black tie at the unveiling of the rehabbed restaurant featuring his velvet curtains

Kevin and Jim Caiolla (co-owner) pose as Jim reminds Kevin that this is supposed to be a black tie event. Kevin points out that he is, indeed, wearing a black tie.

Two young and earnest artists met one day 25 years ago at a life drawing class.  One admired the other's curves (in his drawings) and the other commented on the subtle shading of the other's.  They became friends and most improbably, one went into the restaurant business and the other into the textile business.  Even more improbably they both flourished in their life choices.  Still friends, Kevin O'Brien of Kevin O'Brien Studio and David Salama (along with his partner Jim Caiolla) collaborated on some of the decor for the new Tavern on the Green.  David and Jim, two guys from Philly, are the new owners of the fabled restaurant in Central Park, which is not improbable at all when you see what they can do with food as well as interior design.  They just opened this past month and Kevin and his wife, Myoshin Thurman O'Brien, were invited to the grand gala that opened the doors for the first time in years. Amidst all the glitz and glam you can see Kevin's velvet curtains hanging around the place.  

Kevin and Myoshin looking dashing as they make an appearance on the red carpet. Myoshin turned the camera on the photographers to get this shot.

A few snaps of the glitz and glam of the new building, and Kevin having fun taking photos.

Kevin showing off his work and Myoshin looking fabulous in the beautiful new interior of Tavern on the Green.

A very good idea is to go there yourself and see how this venerable symbol of NYC has been updated to reflect the city - it's history, its vibrant present, and optimism for it's future.  It's all there, in the ancient woodwork, now lit by beautiful expanses of modern glass, the old stone and brick, now cleaner than when it was new, but with the soft beauty of age, and the ancient barn beams quietly presiding overhead, as they have done since sheep slept here and later when generations of past New Yorkers celebrated life here, and as they will do in the future as the new New York invents itself.  Oh, and the food's great too!  

A brief overview of the painting of the curtains. Don't worry, the steaming process will tone the color down a bit. 

Above you can see the painting of the fabric for the curtains. From top to bottom, you can see Max and Kevin stretching the blank fabric, the fabric being painted on one side, and the final side being painted. Once the fabric is painted, it is taken down to be steamed and rinsed. Next stop, cutting and sewing!

WE'RE BACK!

Too busy to write? Well, in fact, we were! Since our last post in 2012, we've built a new building (sort of- more on that later), nearly doubled our staff,  started making even better products (they really should come with a new and improved sticker), and have developed an upholstery fabric line that we expect to show you soon.

Here's a taste of some of our most recent adventures: a book signing for Jane Gershon Weitzman's (one of the two brains behind Stuart Weitzman shoes) new book, Art & Sole. The event, benefiting the AIDS Fund, drew 150 people and not only raised awareness, but significantly added to the AIDS Fund's ability to reach out to those in need.  

Later that same week, Kevin and his wife, Myoshin, were in attendance at the exciting and long awaited reopening of Tavern on the Green in NYC. Make sure to check back for the story and photos from producing the fabrics that are now installed at the fabled eatery.

The crew enjoying the Art & Sole event

We’ve got a lot in store for all of you, and we are excited to create full posts about these events and give you a peek into what we're up to in the studio!