Richard Mishaan Launches His New Book At The Liaigre Showroom

Liaigre hosted a book signing for iconic designer Richard Mishaan on Tuesday night at the Liaigre showroom on Madison Avenue. The book, Richard Mishaan Design Architecture Interiors, is Mishaan’s third, and also his favorite so far.

“I wanted this book to be a guide for the readers, to finding their design ethos when seeking inspiration for their own projects,” said Mishaan. “People want to learn when they look at design books. I gave the readers so much they can use. Even in my own projects for high end clients, the use of high/low design elements opens up a world of possibilities and good choices.”

The pouring rain didn’t deter dozens of people who showed up to celebrate the designer at the showroom, and at the dinner afterwards at Majorelle, including Tony Freund, Juan Montoya, Lisa Jackson, Beth DeWoody and Firooz Zahedi, Stellene Volandes, Rena Sindi, Nathalie and Charles de Gunzburg, and Jacqueline Terrebonne, who wrote the text for Richard Mishaan Design Architecture Interiors.

“Richard is so much fun to talk to and spend time with,” said Terrebonne. “He really understands design. It was great to listen to his thoughts and inspirations, and what goes through his mind when he puts together these fantastic projects. Every project has its own mood, its own vibe, and that’s what makes his work so interesting.”

The question then becomes, what makes Mishaan’s process unique?

“It starts with mood boards before each project, which is what we use in my office so we can have a clear vision of what we are setting out to accomplish,” said the designer. “The mood boards are dynamic throughout the project. They are a way to see if what you are adding to each room works with what is already there. We don’t always have every piece or every element selected because they are found over time, but once the item is on the board, it usually means it has been ordered. This works well as a way to keep track over a period of 18 months to two years, which is how long a project can take.”

Several of his clients came out to support and celebrate Mishaan, including Fiona Waterstreet and John Alexander, and Frieda and Alex Adjmi.

“Richard is an extremely detailed and thorough professional,” said Alexander. “He is an artist: he takes his craft to another level, to a level where magic happens. He has the eye, the emotions, and the soul of an artist. His projects are very important to him, and he takes what he does very seriously. It’s a pleasure working with him – plus, he’s a lot of fun!”

“It was fabulous and sexy to work with Richard,” said Frieda Adjmi. “He just feels me. He has passion, he’ll do anything, he just gets me. My husband and I are complete opposites – I’m the Yin to his Yang – and Richard got it. He made us both happy.”

Mishaan has been working more and more on large, commercial projects, and moving away from individual clients, but Adjmi was having none of it.

“I have another beach house now, and Richard said , ‘No no, I’m retiring.’ I said, ‘No you’re not! I have a grandfather clause, you’re coming in. I need you in my life.’”

Richard Mishaan Design Architecture Interiors is published by Vendome Press.