Designer Todd Oldham goes from runway to the recliner
NEW YORK -- Some splendid treasures lie in the IKEA storage units of Todd Oldham, the former darling of the fashion world.
Crunched in the wardrobe situated in his sleek Manhattan studio are whimsical beaded couture dresses he created prior to becoming an interior designer for the masses. If the intricate dresses are an homage to his fancier past when he dressed divas like Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, and Uma Thurman, than the striped couch he designed for the
"My clothes were pretty much out of everyone's price range even though they did well," he said of his couture clothing line. "It made me very sad that I was approached about five times a day hearing, "I love what you do but I can't afford it."
Once known in the fashion world for his inventive, whimsical women's wear, Oldham, 42, now focuses on comfort and style as he partners with the furniture giant known for creating the tried-and-true recliner.
"Smart designers I think understand that things should be accessible -- why should you be punished because you don't have money?" he said.
That a famed designer so cool and stylish has turned his attention to the regular Joe is not exactly news: It was Oldham who created a home and dorm collection for Target in 2003, and other designers such as Cynthia Rowley have followed a similar path. But whereas some designers may have reluctantly inched their way into America's homes, Oldham, also known for hosting MTV's "House of Style" and "Crib Crashers," has leaped from the runway to the living room.
Sitting in his mod work studio in the heart of Soho, Oldham's excitement about the six months his seven-member team spent working on the project with La-Z-Boy makes him seem more like a young, fresh, eager designer than the worldly fashion veteran he is.
Last week, the studio was buzzing with energy. Hip-hop music wafted in the background while the star of the office, Oldham's Jack Russell terrier Ann, pranced across the spit-polished hardwood floor. Plastered on a wall was a storyboard of Oldham's new book, which will be coming out by the end of the year. Called "Handmade Modern," it is a do-it-yourself series on mid-century modern aesthetics that will include essays on modernists and guides to creating the modernist look at home.
The Texas native said he wants to continue working on projects that appeal to the masses rather than to a select few.
The soft-spoken Oldham credits his parents for his versatility. They taught Oldham and his four siblings to be responsible and independent.
"They taught us not only how to sew but to put up sheetrock and how to build your dog house and how to cook biscuits from scratch," said Oldham. "They wanted to prepare us so they really spent an inordinate amount of time just teaching us. It was like we lived in school."
He never forgot those practical lessons even as he was catering to a segment of society that focused purely on style. For instance, when he was creating clothes for the rich and famous in the 1990s, he was also hosting MTV's "House of Style," which taught young viewers how to have style without breaking the bank.
"So it was very easy for me to make a transition to being able to offer interesting designs at a good price for Target," he said.
He was introduced to La-Z-Boy in 2002 when he was one of seven designers involved in a charity the furniture company sponsored that helped raise nearly $60,000 for homeless people living with AIDS.
His La-Z-Boy furnishings, which are expected to attract a younger consumer, are inspired by the clean-lined, mid-century aesthetics he so loves. A recent New York magazine spread of his own downtown Manhattan apartment shows a filled-to-the-brim, stylish home loaded with photographs and furniture inspired by modern design icons such as Ray and Charles Eames.
Those same designers inspired Oldham when he set out to create an affordable line of coffee tables, lamps, entertainment centers, and couches for La-Z-Boy. His favorite creation in the line is a couch called the "Snap" that can be reconfigured into different shapes. Unlike the recliner of old, his new version called The Arch has no arms and is sleek rather than chunky.
The furnishings, in warm cherry and dark walnut tones, can be upholstered in 150 different textiles ranging from tweeds to animal prints. They are expected to hit the showrooms in two weeks. Oldham said that in his heart he knows he has found the right path for himself. Only the archive of couture dresses hanging in the IKEA storage units reflect his high-fashion past. The dresses obviously are still dear to Oldham, as he proudly opens the wardrobe and points to the detailed handy work. But the allure of creating clothes that only the rich could afford lost its luster for him.
"It would be a far bigger compromise to stick with something your heart isn't in than to do something new that may not have been tested," he said. "So I am happier in a circumstance that feels more purposeful than going backwards."
