THE ELEPHANT

L'ELEPHANT

gregory colbert

Like a billion people at least, I am a big fan of elephants. Their size, their slow heavy gait, their apparent gentleness, their evident strength. It is no wonder that this majestic animal has fascinated for centuries and has become a symbol both religious and political. It's snuggly plumpness  appeals to children and it's stature and round lines make for alluring decorative interpretations.

The attraction for elephant starts when a small child is given a soft cuddly elephant to play and fall asleep with. 

melle lobster

Then, in French homes in any case, the same slightly older child is read the adventures of Babar, the wonderful king of the elephant village with a lot of wise advice to give. We have always loved Babar in our family. My brother was dressed as Babar for a costume party when he was 8. My father made the huge head with a wire structure he built and covered in gray fabric and my mother made the iconic suit. He was a hit! 

timesonline

interior design

The elephant has long been a decorative element in interiors, taking all kinds of shapes and serving all sorts of functions, from side table to stools and of course adorning various materials like wallpaper, fabrics and bedding to name a few.

two's company                       gaslamantiques

eames                     via upworld   

     

A touch of Africa revisited and reinterpreted

anthropologie

Hardware has also adopted the elephant

jadhny

indigo home

tableware

the l'elephant    les bergamin

jewelry

a. brant and son

cartier

jean schlumberger                  cool jools

display

The stately pachiderm is a natural eye catching shape and it's size dresses a window or decorates an event with incomparable panache.

fewandfarauctions

mydeco

play

This very weathered elephant slide must have delighted numerous Ukrainian children. No longer. Sadly it now stands unused in Chernobyl.

stumbleupon

communication

Let's end not on a negative note but rather an amusing one. I could not resist publishing this image, a very creative ad encouraging companies to try to stand out in the very large commercial crowd! Such cleverness and humour. And a blend of two of my favorite animals.

awwww...

digitalwebwork

au revoir.