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Saturday, April 28, 2012

Design faux pas

Have you ever had any?  We all have some sort of a disaster when an idea in our head doesn't translate into a product...that's allowed, it's part of the design process.  As is improving a product and refreshing it.  But have you ever had an "oopsie" moment with something...I have, read on.

A few years ago my husband had some business meetings in France and I travelled with him.  He was to have a meeting in Toulouse and as we had discovered previously the other party would always suggest a pricey hotel to meet you in to gauge your reaction.  Anyway, the Sofitel at the airport was suggested and we agreed saying we had stayed there previously and had already booked in for this trip.  It is a lovely hotel, bright, airy and spacious but from my previous trip a little dated.  Apparently they felt the same because they had just recently hired a top designer to give the hotel a makeover so I was looking forward to seeing it.

A few things you need to know about me, I get very very hot, I don't travel well and I need comfortable clothes.  I was trying to think what to wear so that I would be cool enough in, that I could be in the car for the 3 hour drive and be comfortable in and that would be at least a little bit respectable for a business meeting.  White linen trousers and a white cotton string top and sandals came to mind but I felt I needed something more respectable to throw on over the top for the meeting.  Before the trip I had gone into Hickey's in Limerick and bought a sheer stripey fabric.  I made a sheer poncho type top out of it and this seemed ideal to go over the outfit, it offered a little bit of classiness without any heat, and it didn't crinkle.

Well, in we went having previously had a call to say the person we were meeting was already in the lobby area.  We got to the reception, explained we would be checking in but were just dropping our bags first to meet someone.  I had a quick look around and the hotel looked fantastic, the designer had done a great job.  In we went to the lobby...and I stopped and tried to turn but it was too late.  I couldn't believe it, I was wearing the curtains...yes the bloomin curtains. The complete wall was glass and had sheer fabric panels the whole way along in the exact same fabric as my top. And to make it worse my husband commented on the new design saying how well it looked and that the curtains looked familiar.....aaaarrrrrrrgh, men.

I can laugh at it now, my Sound of Music moment but it wasn't funny at the time.
Have you had any experiences of design faux pas?

The area were we had our meeting with the curtains at the window in the exact same fabric I was wearing


4 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh no! I had no idea where this story was going. Very funny!! :-D

Unknown said...

Very funny:)you are very good at telling stories!

elettrarossa said...

...Fine, that was embarrassing! :D

Have a nice week end!

Amanda said...

Brilliant !