Reader Lee B. shares this find: Men’s neckties in fabric replicating our favorite Formica Boomerang laminate. $42 from the Brooklyn Museum. The site notes that the boomerang, or skylark pattern, was first designed by Brooks Stevens in 1950 and updated by Raymond Loewy in 1954. The intertwined shapes are called ‘biomorphic,’ and reflect the nation’s fixation at the time with atomic particles & aerodynamic styling. Thanks, Lee. Mr. Retro Renovation is for sure going to get one of these for Christmas.
Thom Watson says
Pam: Thank you! And absolutely! For now, I’ll go ahead and send you a post I just finished writing for a LiveJournal wedding planning community along with some photos of planning items in-progress.
Thom Watson says
@Jennifer: For retro-inspired bowties, you should check out the ties at Beau Ties Limited, especially the Eames and , or those at Bow Ties Club, like the aptly named Retro and the Katmandu, among many others.
Thom Watson says
Oh, wow! As you know, Jeff and I are getting married next month. Our wedding theme is a combination of retro/tiki/tropical beach. We’ve been scouting out retro ties, and have gone a bunch of retro-inspired ties on Zazzle, but are all polyester. It’s a shame, though, that these from the Brooklyn Museum, while a perfect design, are only available in blue and red, neither of which really goes with our color scheme.
I’ve found some great vintage gold-with-starburst cuff links already, though, and our rings (which are being made right now, mine in yellow gold, his in white) also sport starbursts. And I found a tie (new, not vintage) that has a retro-looking starburst pattern.
Finally, our cake design is inspired by a Craig White print we own of a tiki-party taking place in a modernist house; one tier will have rounded rectangles and starbursts, while another will have a bamboo pattern and a tiki mask.
pam kueber says
Hi Thom, congratulations to you and Jeff. I have been following all your planning on Twitter. Can’t wait to see photos. Will you let me post some on the blog?? No pressure!
Jennifer says
Oh I wish they had a bowtie version, I’ve been looking for a retro patterned bowtie and this would have been perfect for my husband!