Emily Loves: Artful Imperfection

Missoni, Lisa Corti, Sanayi 313, Les Ottomans: courtesy of the brand; Hirota: courtesy of Sara NYC; Line Vautrin: courtesy of 1st Dibs; Seletti: courtesy of Michele Varian; Dries Van Noten: FirstView

Artful Imperfection

         The Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi celebrates the organic, irregular beauty of everything from a wildflower's naturally varied hues to the unique crackling in a ceramic's glaze — an appreciation for nuances beyond the Western ideal of flawless symmetry. It's an idea that feels especially relevant in our increasingly digitized age, when computer-generated perfection is just a click away. Now more than ever, I am drawn to pieces with a slightly askew, hand-hewn character. While designing the latest Sadie collection, I had tremendous fun coloring outside the proverbial lines, combining colors, shapes and scales that don't traditionally go together. I love the unconventional chic of an outfit composed of seemingly contrasting colors and prints, a set of glasses in subtly varied patterns, or a dish juxtaposing two wildly different styles. Does it match? Does it matter? These pieces prove that perfection is in the eye of the beholder.