Catalog turns Brooklyn brothers into men of the house
The tropical throw on the cover of the January CB2 catalogue signals a fresh breeze at a retailer known for minimalist chic.
Print and pattern are making themselves at home in the modern urban apartment, thanks to CB2's design collaboration with Hill-Side. The Brooklyn-based menswear company, founded in 2009 by brothers Emil and Sandy Corsillo, has developed a loyal following for its brushed-flannel buttondowns, chambray ties and vintage-inspired fabrics. This casual style matches the modern, urban customers of CB2.
"These two brothers have so much passion and vision for textiles, with Japan being a big part of their inspiration," says Ryan Turf, managing director of CB2. "Their prints have this cool heritage-vintage vibe. They feel really modern."
The Corsillos' talents in textile design show through in their first home collection, which includes furniture, bedding, towels, rugs, pillows, floor cushions and that indigo linen throw on the catalogue's cover.
Voted one of GQ's "2015 Best New Menswear Designers in America," the pair sources fabrics from centuries-old Japanese mills and small Pennsylvania textile works. The brothers' clothing is sold at their Hill-Side shop in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, on their website, Hickorees, and at other retailers globally.
Turf and his team reached out to the Corsillos a year and a half ago about developing a home line.
"They were interested in tapping into a male audience that in the past five years or more has been taking more of an interest in their clothes," says Emil Corsillo, 36. "These same guys who were now focusing on shopping for clothing could also become important housewares customers."
The Hill-Side collection, with its rich colors, prints and textures, seems to speak to the kind of men, and women, who wear Carhartt work pants with floral-print shirts. The customer who loved the Corsillos' Donegal tweed sneakers might go for their blanket-stripe dhurrie pillows.
The Hill-Side collection, ranging from $6.95 for a Turkish-style hand towel to $1,499 for a chambray sofa, is part of a continuing retail trend that pairs major home stores with creative tastemakers. A few years back, Crate and Barrel, parent company of CB2, collaborated with Italian design icon Paola Navone on a collection of tableware and furnishings; San Francisco designer Ken Fulk partnered with Pottery Barn last year to bring a bit of glamour to its classic American style; and CB2 brought in music superstar Lenny Kravitz last year to bring some 1970s-inspired shag rugs and white lacquer tables to the mix. Look out for more partnerships in the future, Turf says.