Through the Looking Glass

Thus grew the tale of Wonderland:
Thus slowly, one by one,
Its quaint events were hammered out —
And now our tale is done
And home we steer, a merry crew,
Beneath the setting sun.

-opening poem, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

 

Samuel & Sons, a specialist in the world's finest passementerie and APF Munn, a custom mirror maker of the highest order joined together for this year's Hospitality Design Conference & Expo at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas. Samuel & Sons came up with the brilliant and fitting notion of a 'Through the Looking Glass' theme. To bring this idea to life Geoff was brought on to come up with clever ideas to make it all come together.  Making the booth stand out in a heavily corporate-looking show was an important goal of all involved. Inspired by the beautiful collections in Samuel & Sons repertoire, Geoff selected a vibrant color palette for the walls that would highlight the different products. Geoff chose a light 'champagne' colored carpet to help reflect light upwards and make the booth even brighter. In the center of the booth, fours chairs were custom upholstered, fit for a queen! 

The time frame was challenging, but working with the delightful, helpful and committed people from both companies made the job so much more satisfying! The crowning glory of the presentation were perhaps the hand painted cut-outs of the story's main characters inspired by the original Tim Dennial drawings for Alice in Wonderland, exquisitely dressed using Samuel and Son's trims, tassels, crystals, and fringe along with fine fabrics from Jim Thompson. 

The fancy white rabbit checks his watch before hopping through the looking glass

Opposite the white rabbit, Alice's growing and shrinking potions await!

A 9 foot tall Alice looks on in shock at her new size.

A closeup of Alice's dress with all the trimmings!

The Queen of Hearts, dressed in her finest,  points a recriminating finger at Alice

The Caterpillar, fancier than ever before, sports his silk and glass trimmed jacket, complete with genuine jade fringes along his silk body suit.

A bedecked Mad Hatter awaits Alice to join him for Tea. The party boasts a new fringed tablecloth and trimmed cake!
A beautiful etched mirror floats above!

The stripes of the Hatter's coat and trousers are made from black velvet and silk borders

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum 'mirror' the circular mirrors on the wall nearby in their spiffy striped jumpers and braces!

 

Detail from Tweedle Dum fringed outfit showing off the Roger Thomas designs.

Taking a cat nap on one of the mirror tops, the Cheshire Cat reposes.

Here you see his wild stripes are actually made of brush-fringe (which comes in at least 70 colors!)

Here's a peep at the Queen's Rose Garden, made from mirror and fringe.

And finally, here's  are some of the beautiful Samuel & Sons product in a more traditional display.

 The Making of  'Through the Looking Glass':

A plethora of Samuel & Sons trimmings awaits

The Mad Hatter, freshly tea-stained is ready for some definition and a sharp new outfit

Alice got more than she bargained for when she sampled the contents of this bottle!

Don't be a drag, just be a queen...

The naked caterpillar hits on the queen in her speed tape undergarments!

All dressed for a reigning day, someone's head will roll!