GUEST BLOG by Youngsong Martin

About Youngsong:

Eight years ago Youngsong Martin began Wildflower Linens. At that time, a shift was occurring in how we perceive and experience event design. Young’s linens, infused with looks hot from the runway thanks to her fashion design background, were right in keeping with what was happening. During those eight years which fell in the wake of 9/11 and then the collapse of the economy, event design has become more restrained, less focused on props and themes, more on color, texture and layers in much the same way that fashion and interior design are. Because of this, we rely so much more on linens (and chair covers) to lay the foundation – or table setting – on which we can build our designs.
-- David Merrell

Young Wisdom
By Youngsong Martin

I’ve called this Guest Blog “Young Wisdom,” but in all honesty this year has left me feeling older and wiser. It’s not been easy for any of us. Motivation and creativity have dropped among almost everyone I know. But one thing happened to me this year that lightened my outlook and helped me gain some perspective – I was asked to travel to Korea to consult with some event professionals there.

When you are traveling, you are in a different state. You see another world, but you also see your world more clearly and the opportunities within it. I would return with a tired body, but a mind refreshed and ready to take some chances.

For instance, I chose to open a fourth showroom in Costa Mesa in the belief that reaching out is better than closing inward. We also collaborated more than ever with different designers on various events, fundraisers (I’m a big believer that marketing dollars do well when applied to donations), and photo shoots.

So, in addition to the travel this year, collaboration with others has helped me stay fresh, engaged and excited about possibilities. Design is both intellectual and visual and the designers I’ve worked with talk in creative shorthand. Some of my favorite collaborations have incorporated many of the trends in today’s events – texture, layering, ethnic vibes, color, non-traditional use of style. Some of these trends are …

ETHNIC VIBES

Wedding design has totally changed away from tradition and towards personal expression. This is happening even with ethnic weddings. And just as we all cross the globe more than ever, so do design trends. The vibrant colors of India and Morocco, embellished by tassels, rhinestones and metallic thread, is lush and exciting.

EARTH BOUND
Not only is green a huge color right now, but earth tones in general are playing an important role in conveying the trend toward eco-friendly consciousness. Blue is also becoming important. It’s an optimistically friendly sky blue as you can see in this photo! In this photo, our line of Russian Linen, a naturally dyed hemp cloth in blue and ivory, is used.

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

With Julia Child making French food popular again, I predict that the more we have French food on the table, the more we’ll see French style on the tabletop. Black, white and red are a classic Parisian look while yellow and blue are perfect for the casual elegance of Provence. But here, we put our own spin on what we find “French” with the lush, candy colors from the era of Marie Antoinette – regal and over-the-top.

MOVEMENT

I have been using a lot of elements that evoke movement lately in my designs such as strips of curly chiffon shown here. The “Curly Willow” began as a chair cover with strips of two and three tones of chiffon and has been expanded to include linen as well. Other examples of these 3-D or “animated” linen pieces include flourishes such as rosettes and lily pads to linen and ruffles that stand straight up, anchored by lines of rhinestone.

While there is so much more I could say about linens (they inspire me, I could go on and on, but I don’t want to wear out my welcome with the designdawgs! Thank you Dave and all the dawgs, for letting me be a guest at the beautiful “table” you’ve set with your blog!


Youngsong Martin
When she began Wildflower Linen in 2001, owner Youngsong Martin created a new standard for tabletop and event design. A former fashion designer, Young infused her rental table linen and chair covers collections with rich colors, textures and patterns. She played with unique materials and even shapes to dress tables and chairs in looks as sexy and in vogue as those created for runway models. Ultimately, Young and Wildflower Linen have made table design haute.

young@wildflowerlinens.com
http://www.wildflowerlinens.com/