Le Freak C'est Chic!

I never will forget when I was in 4th grade, I took my very first record album I'd ever bought with my own money to school for show and tell. When I walked into class that day, I stood tall and felt a level of pride that I haven't felt since. I was beyond excited and eager to share with my fellow classmates something I knew was destined to become an instant classic. The album was Le Freak by the legendary R & B band Chic and it was a certifiable hit not only in the front of Ms. Huggler's class, but on radio stations across America. I LOVED that record and I'd sit in my room for hours listening to it on my walnut-veneered, Pioneer turntable complimenting myself mentally on having helped the album skyrocket to the top of the charts. Well, fast forward a decade or two (or three) and I'm eager to share something else I feel certain will become an instant classic among various design circles, although I can't take credit for this one. Some friends of mine just got back from Mexico City raving about a four-story 1920s mansion, in the Colonia Roma district, housing a showroom and design firm with one of the coolest names I think I've heard since elementary school: Chic by Accident! Founded in 1999 by antiques dealer and designer Emmanuel Picault, this colorful and eclectic showroom definitely holds true to it's name. Comprised of a mix of Mexican folk furnishings, along with art deco and danish modern designs, this freewheeling studio has created quite a successful balancing act of eccentric charm and sophisticated glamor. Certainly not an easy task, but one I greatly admire. Do yourself a favor and try to get your hands on a copy of Mr. Picault's hard-to-come-by book by the same name, Chic by Accident. I went over every single page of my friend's copy .... three times and it's absolutely stunning. And just think .... it sure would be a great thing to take to your next Show and Tell! By the way .... P, thanks for showin' and M, thanks for tellin'.