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Inspired by the Art Deco style and Jazz era grace of Paris in the 1930s and 40s, the Josephine Teak Chevron Sofa is a touch of elegance in any room. With lines designed to evoke the continuous flow of water and the softness of natural movement, the rich, multi-weave upholstery embraces the body, inviting stillness through comfort. Its fluid, rounded lines and geometric design make this piece an eye-catcher that will define and enhance the decor of any space while providing next-level leisure. Available at 6 feet (72"), 7 feet (84") and 8 feet (96"), the Josephine Teak Chevron Sofa is the perfect centerpiece for your living room.
Editors' Note
Born Freda Josephine McDonald in 1906, Josephine Baker hailed from St. Louis, Missouri. At 15 she was discovered by a St. Louis vaudeville group and touring with the group eventually landed her the show Shufflin’ Along, taking her to New York just as the Harlem Renaissance was reaching its height. Josephine was discovered again, this time by American socialite Caroline Dudley for an all-Black vaudeville show in Paris — La Revue Nègre. Dubbed “the Black Venus,” by the French press, Josephine’s image inspired filmmakers who cast her in films including her 1927 silent film screen debut, Siren of the Tropics. In 1937, Josephine became an official French citizen, and by the end of the Second World War in 1945, the performer — who was was fluent in French, Italian and Russian — was the hero of her adopted nation, using her celebrity status to obtain information while performing behind enemy lines and passing information encoded onto sheet music with invisible ink. She would became a lieutenant in the Free French Air Force and would go on to crusade for equality in the US in the early years of the Civil Rights Movement. Josephine secured lodgings for herself and her entire band, dictating terms in her contract for integrated audiences, she battled publicly with the Ku Klux Klan, and in 1963 was the only woman to address the crowd at the March on Washington. After Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination in 1968, Coretta Scott King would approach her to consider assuming leadership of the Civil Rights Movement. Baker, who had adopted 12 children over the course of her life, refused, citing concerns for her children should she be killed. Baker passed away in 1975 at the age of 68. “I have never really been a great artist,” she told Ebony magazine earlier that year. “But I have loved and believed in art and the idea of universal brotherhood so much, that I have put everything I have into them, and I have been blessed.”
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Josephine
Collection
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Inspired by the Art Deco style and Jazz era grace of Paris in the 1930s and 40s, the Josephine Nougat Weave Lounge Chair is a touch of elegance in any room. With lines designed to evoke the continuous flow of water and the softness of natural movement, the warm beige woven decorative weave, made from recycled material, embraces the body, inviting stillness through comfort. Its fluid, rounded lines, make this piece an eye-catcher that will define and enhance the decor of any space while providing next-level leisure. Pair this lounge chair with other pieces from the Josephine Collection for a perfect look.
Editors' Note
Born Freda Josephine McDonald in 1906, Josephine Baker hailed from St. Louis, Missouri. At 15 she was discovered by a St. Louis vaudeville group and touring with the group eventually landed her the show Shufflin’ Along, taking her to New York just as the Harlem Renaissance was reaching its height. Josephine was discovered again, this time by American socialite Caroline Dudley for an all-Black vaudeville show in Paris — La Revue Nègre. Dubbed “the Black Venus,” by the French press, Josephine’s image inspired filmmakers who cast her in films including her 1927 silent film screen debut, Siren of the Tropics. In 1937, Josephine became an official French citizen, and by the end of the Second World War in 1945, the performer — who was was fluent in French, Italian and Russian — was the hero of her adopted nation, using her celebrity status to obtain information while performing behind enemy lines and passing information encoded onto sheet music with invisible ink. She would became a lieutenant in the Free French Air Force and would go on to crusade for equality in the US in the early years of the Civil Rights Movement. Josephine secured lodgings for herself and her entire band, dictating terms in her contract for integrated audiences, she battled publicly with the Ku Klux Klan, and in 1963 was the only woman to address the crowd at the March on Washington. After Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination in 1968, Coretta Scott King would approach her to consider assuming leadership of the Civil Rights Movement. Baker, who had adopted 12 children over the course of her life, refused, citing concerns for her children should she be killed. Baker passed away in 1975 at the age of 68. “I have never really been a great artist,” she told Ebony magazine earlier that year. “But I have loved and believed in art and the idea of universal brotherhood so much, that I have put everything I have into them, and I have been blessed.”
Iconic seating designed to make a statement.
Details
The main ingredients of luxury are comfort and space, and with the Josephine Pebble Tweed Corner Sectional, you can have it all. Inspired by the Art Deco style and Jazz era grace of Paris in the 1930s and 40s, the rich, brown-toned tweed upholstery embraces the body, inviting stillness through comfort. Its expansive, wrap-around frame offers ample seating for multiple guests or room to stretch out all on your own. Designed to facilitate coziness, conversation and long stretches of relaxation, the Josephine Pebble Tweed Corner Sectional is a perfect reminder that great seating makes great rooms. Pair this sectional with other pieces from the Josephine Collection for a perfect look.
Editors' Note
Born Freda Josephine McDonald in 1906, Josephine Baker hailed from St. Louis, Missouri. At 15 she was discovered by a St. Louis vaudeville group and touring with the group eventually landed her the show Shufflin’ Along, taking her to New York just as the Harlem Renaissance was reaching its height. Josephine was discovered again, this time by American socialite Caroline Dudley for an all-Black vaudeville show in Paris — La Revue Nègre. Dubbed “the Black Venus,” by the French press, Josephine’s image inspired filmmakers who cast her in films including her 1927 silent film screen debut, Siren of the Tropics. In 1937, Josephine became an official French citizen, and by the end of the Second World War in 1945, the performer — who was was fluent in French, Italian and Russian — was the hero of her adopted nation, using her celebrity status to obtain information while performing behind enemy lines and passing information encoded onto sheet music with invisible ink. She would became a lieutenant in the Free French Air Force and would go on to crusade for equality in the US in the early years of the Civil Rights Movement. Josephine secured lodgings for herself and her entire band, dictating terms in her contract for integrated audiences, she battled publicly with the Ku Klux Klan, and in 1963 was the only woman to address the crowd at the March on Washington. After Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination in 1968, Coretta Scott King would approach her to consider assuming leadership of the Civil Rights Movement. Baker, who had adopted 12 children over the course of her life, refused, citing concerns for her children should she be killed. Baker passed away in 1975 at the age of 68. “I have never really been a great artist,” she told Ebony magazine earlier that year. “But I have loved and believed in art and the idea of universal brotherhood so much, that I have put everything I have into them, and I have been blessed.”
New Arrivals
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Our Morning Glory Wool Cream Moroccan Rug is custom-made for you by exceptional artisans of the Beni Mrirt Tribe of Morocco. Handwoven using a luxurious blend of premium New Zealand wool and high-quality Moroccan wool, this innovatively refined combination offers unparalleled brilliance, superior softness, and lasting durability. A unique masterpiece for your interior, this rug is woven knot by knot, then bathed and air-dried under the serene Moroccan skies. Part of our Sojourner Rug Collection, each piece beautifully charts her journey to liberation.
Editors' Note
Our Sojourner Rug Collection is named for the powerful orator, activist and American hero, Sojourner Truth. Born into slavery as Isabella Baumfree (also, Bomfree or Bomefree) in 1797, on the Ulster County, New York plantation of the “Low Dutch” Ardinburgh family, Truth was part of a large community of enslaved people that had existed in New York since the early 1600s. Beginning first with the Dutch, and later the English as New Amsterdam made its 1664 transition into modern-day New York, slavery grew in the region until by Truth’s time, New York had the second largest enslaved population among the 13 colonies, trailing only South Carolina. Between 1806, when a 9 year-old Isabella was sold to a cruel and abusive Englishman, John Neely in Kingston, New York, and 1826 when she fled from bondage, Truth was sold no less than 3 times, married, and bore 5 children — one, her daughter Diana — the result of an assault by her final enslaver, John Dumont. In 1826, when Dumont reneged on a promise to free Isabella the year before the scheduled 1827 abolition of slavery in the state, she took her youngest daughter, Sophia, then only 3-months old, and escaped to the home of Isaac and Maria Van Wagenen in New Paltz. The Van Wagenens did not believe in slavery, but paid Dumont for her services for the year to ensure her safety. While there, after a lifetime of religious instruction and harrowing experiences, Isabella had a spiritual awakening that led her to become a preacher, and then — 17 years later — to rechristen herself as Sojourner Truth in 1843. Also, in 1828, Truth sued successfully for the return of her son, Peter, whom Dumont had illegally sold into slavery in Alabama. Called by the Spirit to speak the truth, Sojourner began to live as an itinerant preacher, traveling to speak and living with progressive communities such as the Northampton Association of Education and the Progressive Friends. Through these societies she came into contact with many leading abolitionists and suffragists, including William Lloyd Garrison, Lucretia Mott and Frederick Douglass. Known for her sonorous singing voice and the passion of her sermons, Truth became a sought-after speaker for both abolitionist and suffragist stages and a formidable proponent for both causes — particularly after the 1850 release of her autobiography, which was published by Garrison. The 1850s saw some of the highest points of Truth’s career as an orator, including her 1853 speech, What Time of Night It Is, delivered at a New York State meeting of the Women’s Rights Convention and her most quoted and remembered speech, the 1854 magnum opus, Ain’t I a Woman, given in Akron, Ohio for the Ohio Woman's Rights Convention. Tended to by two of her daughters, she passed away on November 26, 1883. In Washington D.C., Frederick Douglass dedicated a eulogy to her, encapsulating the meaning of her life and work in words that resonate equally today. “Venerable for age,” he said, “distinguished for insight into human nature, remarkable for independence and courageous self-assertion, devoted to the welfare of her race, she has been for the last forty years an object of respect and admiration to social reformers everywhere."
Details
Looking for one-of-a-kind pieces for entertaining? This Ebony Pine Needle Serving Bowl by Reflektion Design is exactly what you need. Handmade by artisans in Uganda, each bowl is a work of art for your table. Available in large and medium sizes, these sustainably made bowls, are handmade with raffia and banana stalks, and will last for years to come. Pair with the Ebony Pine Needle Coasters to complete your tabletop design.
Editors' Note
Anitra Terrell founded Reflektion Design in 2013. The brand is a destination for modern African decor and accessories for the home. Since 2014, the brand has established relationships with artisans in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda to create unique decorative objects, from African tableware, to art and textiles designed to transform interiors.Known for their curated collection of authentic, artisan African decor, Reflektion Design delivers culturally-focused, sustainable design.
Details
Deeply influenced by his home country of Trinidad, Boscoe Holder’s paintings reflected his love of the place, and the many details that, for him, made it home. In Curls Galore, a young Caribbean woman — with a head full of curly hair — sits in quiet contemplation, hat in hand. In her stunning white gown, and surrounded by swirls of pink, the work is an adoring and elegant portrait of a Trinidadian woman.
Editors' Note
Born in the 1920’s in Trinidad, Boscoe Holder began painting, self-taught, at the age of five, and by his seventh birthday he was already playing the piano. Enamored of his island’s culture, he researched and learned the local dances and songs of Trinidad, and by the late nineteen-thirties he had formed a group of dancers and was producing shows depicting the music, songs and dances of Trinidad. At the same time he gave several solo art exhibits, and became a founder and life member of the Trinidad Art Society. When American military bases were installed in Trinidad during the years of the Second World War, Holder had his own program, Piano Ramblings, on the U.S. Armed Forces Radio Station, WVDI. In 1947, Holder went for the first time to New York, teaching Caribbean dance at the Katherine Dunham School, and exhibiting paintings at the Eighth Street Galleries. Holder married Sheila Clarke in 1948 and the couple had a son, Christian, the following year. In 1950 they travelled to London, which became their home for the next twenty years. Holder formed his group, Boscoe Holder and his Caribbean Dancers, in London, and had his own television show in 1950 - Bal Creole aired on B.B.C. The company performed before Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation in 1953, representing the West Indies. For four years beginning in 1959, Holder produced, choreographed, and costumed the floorshow in the Candlelight Room at the Mayfair Hotel, as well as leading his own band, The Pinkerton Boys, in the same venue. He later became co-owner of a private club, the Hay Hill, in Mayfair. As a painter in England, Holder exhibited in many prestigious venues, and in 1981, Sir Ellis Clarke, former President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, presented Prince Charles and Lady Diana with a Holder painting as a wedding gift from the Republic. Returning to Trinidad in 1970, Holder concentrated mainly on his paintings, although he still appeared in cabaret with his wife. In recognition of his contribution to the arts, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago awarded Holder the Humming Bird Medal (gold) and named a street after him in 1973. In 1978 he was the recipient of Venezuela’s highest decoration, the Order of Francisco de Miranda. In 1994 he was awarded the Médaille de la Cité de Paris (bronze) by the former Mayor of Paris, Jacques Chirac, at the 7th Salon of Painters and Sculptors from Overseas. Boscoe Holder died in 2007.
Details
Sometimes a little more is just enough. Go the extra mile in your home with the Josephine Chocolate Jacquard Striped Modular Sofa. Its sleek design, inspired by Jazz-age Paris and Art Deco aesthetics, is highlighted beautifully by the eye-catching pattern of the soft yet durable upholstery. The rounded lines and mesmerizing design will define and enhance the decor of any space while the modular 2-piece design allows for greater creativity in bringing your space to life. The perfect centerpiece for your living room, the Josephine Chocolate Jacquard Striped Modular Sofa looks even better paired with other pieces from the Josephine Collection.
Editors' Note
Born Freda Josephine McDonald in 1906, Josephine Baker hailed from St. Louis, Missouri. At 15 she was discovered by a St. Louis vaudeville group and touring with the group eventually landed her the show Shufflin’ Along, taking her to New York just as the Harlem Renaissance was reaching its height. Josephine was discovered again, this time by American socialite Caroline Dudley for an all-Black vaudeville show in Paris — La Revue Nègre. Dubbed “the Black Venus,” by the French press, Josephine’s image inspired filmmakers who cast her in films including her 1927 silent film screen debut, Siren of the Tropics. In 1937, Josephine became an official French citizen, and by the end of the Second World War in 1945, the performer — who was was fluent in French, Italian and Russian — was the hero of her adopted nation, using her celebrity status to obtain information while performing behind enemy lines and passing information encoded onto sheet music with invisible ink. She would became a lieutenant in the Free French Air Force and would go on to crusade for equality in the US in the early years of the Civil Rights Movement. Josephine secured lodgings for herself and her entire band, dictating terms in her contract for integrated audiences, she battled publicly with the Ku Klux Klan, and in 1963 was the only woman to address the crowd at the March on Washington. After Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination in 1968, Coretta Scott King would approach her to consider assuming leadership of the Civil Rights Movement. Baker, who had adopted 12 children over the course of her life, refused, citing concerns for her children should she be killed. Baker passed away in 1975 at the age of 68. “I have never really been a great artist,” she told Ebony magazine earlier that year. “But I have loved and believed in art and the idea of universal brotherhood so much, that I have put everything I have into them, and I have been blessed.”
British born Sudanese artist, Huda Hashim, is an interior designer, 3D rendering and contemporary artist best known for her abstract works depicting life in Sudan.The Global Interior Of Huda Hashim
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