The design world lost a true innovator last week. Maya Romanoff, a wallcovering genius died at the age of 72 after spending a lifetime creating some of the most beautiful wallcoverings in the world. Romanoff began his illustrious career making tie-dye t-shirts. After graduating from Berkeley, Romanoff travelled the world and discovered the art of tie-dye in Tunisia. After selling out of his entire supply of tie-dye t-shirts at a Rolling Stones concert, Romanoff headed to New York. He was all the rage in the New York fashion world. Jack Larsen cautioned Romanoff about the fickle nature of the fashion industry. Romanoff turned his attentions to wall coverings and was soon selling to elite designers like Sister Parrish and Albert Hadley.
Maya Romanoff’s wallcoverings are truly a work of art. With the use of glass beads, gold leaf, stitched leathers, precious metals, and embroidered felt, Romanoff’s wallcoverings pushed the envelope and challenged for higher standards.
The picture above is a sample of a Maya Romanoff wallcovering I will be using in a clients bar in their home. Isn’t it divine? I hope I can share pictures with you once it is completed. I have also covered the walls in my office with a fabulous Romanoff paper.
I am one of Romanoff’s greatest fans and I am saddened that the world has lost another creative force. I thank you, Maya Romanoff, for daring to be different and making the world more beautiful in the process.
