TROPOLISM

Joining the ranks of the interior-designer-branded residences in New York--Phillipe Starck-designed apartments in Lower Manhattan, and the Peter Marino's "prêt-à-porter" residences uptown (that should totally be "prêt-à-habiter")--are fashion-designer-branded residences. While we agree with the comments warning that this is the same-old same-old dressed up after the fact, the two photographs accompanying the online article indicate some lovely touches that run a little deeper than picking paint colors. They suggest that the possibilities of this kind of collaboration remain uncharted.

Also, we couldn't agree more with broker Michael Schvo's assertion:

"There is no reason," Mr. Shvo said, "that in our industry today we not look as good as a Prada ad."

If by "we" we include "architects". Architecture could use a little more looking-good, a good branding and marketing campaign, something popular yet glamorous, to sell good architecture to a wider audience.

However, we also share the skepticism. What did the fashion designers really contribute to these projects? How can their expertise extend farther than patterns, fabrics, colors, and a general mood? Perhaps, as in the case of Armani Casa, it is more interesting to have the fashion-experienced architects involved than the fashion designer employing them.