A peak into Brooklyn designer Andrew Morgan’s
storage room, down the hall from his office in DUMBO, is a treat
for the eyes. If you’re lucky enough to get an insider’s look,
you’ll never want to leave this oasis of color, hypnotized by
the blinding mix of bright tones and intricate patterns of his
designs, stocked on shelves that cover every inch of the windowless
room.
As your eye wanders from the hot pink, lime and aqua, resting
on the occasional black, brown and ivory, your hands drown in
a sea of soft, sensual fabrics. Cotton is combined with suede,
merino wool with leather, sharp geometric shapes are enhanced
with soft, flowery patterns, pastels are placed against metallics,
fluff against clean-cut lines. The contrasting colors, materials,
textures and patterns work together to create a modern look suitable
for both fashionistas and less fashion-forward folks.
But you might be disappointed to learn that Andrew Morgan’s bright
and sunny ready-to-wear spring collection, which is on display
in some of New York’s most luxe stores, is not meant for your
body.
It’s for your bed.
"I call it sportswear for the home," Morgan told GO
Brooklyn.
Started only five years ago, the Andrew Morgan Collection is
now found in bedrooms from New York to Los Angeles and is conquering
international territory from London to Hong Kong – one bed at
a time.
Morgan counts among his fans such celebrities as Mariah Carey,
Kelsey Grammer and Heather Graham.
In the world of home design, the 18-year veteran of the apparel
industry stands out by going beyond traditional home decor to
create style-conscious "clothes" for your most personal
quarters.
It comes as no surprise then that the centerpiece in Morgan’s
office is a queen-size bed, covered in designs for the upcoming
fall season. Morgan’s earthy autumn tones are more subdued than
his spring collection, but true to his signature style, he spices
them up with sporadic touches of bold orange or sunflower yellow.
"We take the tweeds and pop it with fun color," he
said.
"Cabin Fever" (with fun ’50s-inspired elements) and
"Winter Garden" (with gentler tones like taupe, gray,
barley and purple) are the two essentials of his fall collection,
which combines rustic style with a hint of retro in a lighthearted
contemporary fashion – and a lot of wool.
"The cabin quality makes it something you’re able to have
in your mountain house," Morgan said. "It’s a way of
taking the sort of cabin quality and making it fun and contemporary.
"I become very fickle," said Morgan, noting that he
likes something new each season.
While last year, fluffy shag pillows were the single most popular
item from his collection, right now, he said, bright colors take
the cake. But certain elements survive each season, like Morgan’s
recognizable, wavy damask pattern.
Inspired by creative underground magazines in Europe, Morgan
said he searches for things that are progressive rather than
mainstream, but still with a sense of nostalgia.
"There’s always a ’50s or ’60s feel in all my lines,"
he said, adding that he draws on hip aspects from different periods,
like Miami Beach in the ’50s or Palm Springs, for example.
"There is also a quality of travel in what I do, because
people look for travel as a sort of respite," said Morgan,
who grew up in Miami Beach.
Morgan went from designing apparel to a home collection, because,
he said, he wanted more avenues of expression.
"The world of home design seemed so much bigger and much
more personal," Morgan said. "I could really play with
textiles and it felt much more dimensional."
His line is American-made, in New Jersey, because he likes the
convenience of producing quickly and being able to make last-minute
changes, if needed. Morgan said he imports the finest European
threads as well as handwork made in South America, which add
an international flair to his collection.
But Morgan is not alone in his craft. He works in partnership
with his live-in co-designer, his wife, Jane Morgan. Originally
from Westchester County, Jane holds a degree from the Fashion
Institute of Technology and she has been designing and living
in Brooklyn for the past 20 years.
The 40-something couple lives in Cobble Hill.
"We each come to the table with ideas and inspiration that
we found," said Jane. While his style is bold and Jane’s
is subtler, "Together we come up with something refined,"
she said. And although her ideas might lean towards the feminine,
Jane said they have found common ground in their love of modern
design.
Morgan didn’t start out as a designer. He completed his undergraduate
studies in psychology at Bard College. It wasn’t until he wrote
his thesis on the psychology of clothing and went to Italy, where
he took design classes, that he discovered his love.
The nearly two decades he spent designing clothes under the private-label
company Augustus, for high-end department stores such as Bergdorf
Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue and Burberry,
help explain Morgan’s unique ability to take the technique, material
and careful thought process used in clothing design and apply
them to textiles for the home. The result is a fashion-forward
"ready-to-wear collection," as Morgan puts it, for
your home.
"I haven’t seen anything like it on the market – he is ahead
of the pack," said Karin Craig, manager at the Nancy Koltes
at Home fine linens boutique in SoHo, which has carried the Andrew
Morgan Collection for the past four years.
"Blankets and throws tend to be plain, but he gives it extra
flavor," said Craig, a Prospect Heights resident. There’s
enough variety in his designs, she said, that it would appeal
to anyone, "even the conservative shopper."
Morgan’s innovative pairings of color and pattern add a sense
of fashion to items that are traditionally dull, said Andrew
Sedlock, a general merchandise manager at Nancy Koltes.
This distinctive combination of comfort, luxury and style accounts
for Morgan’s popularity. You can find his line in high-end department
stores and boutiques, such as Barney’s New York, Bloomingdale’s,
Fred Segal, Baker Furniture and Crate & Barrel, to name a
few, and in hotels like Sofitel, Shutters and 70 Park Avenue.
Morgan’s creations have also been featured on such television
shows as "Sheila Bridges: Designer Living" on the cable
Fine Living channel and in all three seasons of NBC’s "The
Apprentice," featured in episodes as bedding, throws and
living room pillows. Michael Smith, a well-known West Coast designer,
buys items from the Morgan Collection for his celebrity clients,
said Craig.
Look for his collection in Brooklyn at Living on Smith, a furniture
and accessories store at 289 Smith St. in Carroll Gardens, and
Living on Seventh, in Park Slope.
Although Morgan’s prices, ranging from $100-$150 for pillows,
$200-$450 for throws and $250-$500 for blankets, are on the luxury
side, the designer said that he does not create with a select
audience in mind.
"It’s a mindset that likes modern products, not a particular
group," he said of his clientele.
"It’s how one approaches life."
The Andrew Morgan Collection can be
purchased in Brooklyn at Living on Smith [289 Smith St. at Union
Street in Carroll Gardens, (718) 222-8546] and Living on Seventh
[219 Seventh Ave. at Fourth Street in Park Slope, (718) 788-1651].
For more information or to make an appointment, contact the DUMBO-based
Andrew Morgan Collection at (718) 643-4155.]
