"Heiress, philanthropist, preservationist, style icon. Doris Duke was a woman ahead of her time."
Born in 1912 in New York City, Doris Duke was an iconic New York socialite best known for her passion for travel, the arts, historic preservation, and environmental conservation.
Known for her bold yet tasteful style, Doris Duke remains a fashion icon to this day. Inspired by her global travels, particularly to the Middle East, Africa, and Thailand, Doris’ wardrobe was eclectic and unexpected, defying the traditional trends of the time. It is this very “no rules” attitude that acted as the inspiration for Design New England to repurpose upholstery fabrics into beautiful Doris-esque garments.
When not traveling the world and collecting more beautiful pieces to add to her collection, Doris enjoyed spending time at her summer home located in Newport, Rhode Island. The mansion, named Rough Point, is located on the cliffs of the Atlantic and served as a retreat for Doris. Inhabited until her death in 1993, Rough Point combines a clever mixture of grandeur and hominess that is not found in any other Newport mansion. The homes priceless antiques and artwork, as well as its beautiful décor, acted as the perfect backdrop for Jenna Talbott, Art Director at Design New England, to bring Echo’s Ibiza collection to life.
In order for Jenna to recreate Doris’ sense of style, she connected with seamstress Frannie Newbold. The two teamed up in search of the perfect patterns to embody Doris, and accentuate the beauty of Rough Point. The two fabrics used, Echo's Bendi Indigo and Artemest Ocean, "had great retro vintage structure" which was "partly made possible by the thickness of the fabric!"
The results? A stunning ode to Doris Duke (and Echo)!
