It's in the DNA

The weather in Boston has been the pits this season, and today was one for the record books.  I knew that I would be at the design center this morning, so I actually showered, put on a dress and blew my hair dry.  But then my son wanted me to walk him into school and the whole effort was literally washed out.  The hair went up and the frumpy cardigan went on, and someone actually told me I looked like Mary Poppins...

It wasn't until I got inside that my day turned around - I completely forgot that India Hicks was the guest speaker for the BDC Seminar Series and that I had in fact RSVP'd to it.  I had a huge list of things that I really needed to get done so I didn't think that I would take time out to sit through it.  At the last minute I changed my mind and snuck into a seat.  Immediately I was sucked in.  I had no idea that she was the 678th heir to the British throne or that her grandfather was the last Viceroy to India.  I knew that she was a model and had a bunch of licensing deals, but I didn't realize that she was actually so down to Earth.  It was such a nice surprise to see someone of such pedigree so laid back!

Anyway, India was there to speak about her father, David Hicks who was a legend in interior design during the 60s and 70s (and even still).  She showed us slides of her childhood homes and their interiors and talked about David's affect on her as a designer.  She laughed and said that "design was in her DNA", but unlike her father's relationship with color and graphics, her style was more neutral and directly influened by her surroundings.  Most of what she does, she refers to as "Island Style" and credits it to her 16 years living as a local Bahamian with her partner and four children.  In her jewelry line, you can see her father's logo recreated as a pendant.  She calls this her love letter to him.

India's brother Ashley is also keeping the David Hicks name alive and well.  Updated collections based on his father's designs can be found in Stark carpeting, Cole & Sons wallpapers, and Lee Jofa fabrics.  Here is an image of one of my favorites used at the beach house that won me my "a-ha" moment...

PS - Remember Uncle Bob (http://spacetograce.blogspot.com/2011/05/and-so-did-uncle-bob.html)?!

More about this fabulous family and their collections can be found at www.indiahicks.com, www.ashleyhicks.com, www.starkcarpet.com, www.cole-and-son.com, and www.leejofa.com.