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He previewed many showrooms and was impressed by fresh designs, as well as a deep appreciation of heritage and savoir- faire. "One aspect that stands out this year is the focus on handcraftsmanship," he said. "I see a push by textile designers supporting traditional textile techniques. A fine example is the Soie de Lune collection of hand-loomed and handwoven fabrics crafted by artisans in Laos using centuries- old techniques of silk production, hand dyeing, and hand weaving." Dashing along rue de Seine between showroom appointments, Houston interior designer Christopher Alexander, with J Randall Powers Interior Decoration, was excited about the luxurious new wall coverings he had seen — in particular, new Fromental handcrafted wall coverings. "I loved the subtle iridescent watercolor effects and the embroidery and beading on the newest Fromental wall panels," he said. "The Fromental hand-painted Gilded Age designs were wonderful. This year, Paris Déco Off has been inspiring for designers who want super luxury and exclusivity for their clients. I loved the exuberant and joyful colors of the new Timothy Corrigan Chevallerie collection for Samuel & Sons. His double and triple tassels in rose and cerulean are unexpected and beautiful." Taking the Year of the Dragon literally, the Jim Thompson textile company presented new large-scale rampant double dragons (for extra-good luck) in a bright orange/red color they dub Firecracker. The Bangkok-based company is the acknowledged expert on traditional Asian motifs and went all-out Clockwise from right: Fromental Haiku wallpaper. Loro Piana Hebrides collection. Loro Piana cashmere blankets and throws. Zuber Scenes Chinoises. Samuel & Sons Bagatelle by Timothy Corrigan. Pierre Frey Carnet de Voyage Baya. with celestial-blue dragons, warp-weave rose patterns, and a jubilant summer- peony pattern in bold pink on a powerful background of parrot green. For the grand finale on Friday evening, 900 black-tie guests entered the historic French Renaissance Hôtel de Ville for the annual American Party in Paris. Each year, it's hosted by about a dozen top American luxury fabric showrooms in conjunction with the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo. Blazing Baccarat chandeliers, gilt- framed classical murals by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, and hectares of gilded and embellished sculptures ensured that the venue, the Salon des Arcades, was grandly more Versailles than Versailles. American designers and architects recapped their week, swapped inspirations, and, in a happy delirium of camaraderie, set upon the chic hors d'oeuvres and the finest champagne. A sparkling week, indeed. PHILIPPE GARCIA 84