Sheila Bridges, A Bald Mermaid & Design Hero
I have long admired Sheila Bridges for her work and accomplishments. Although our paths are not explicitly the same, they feel similar. In fact, I first learned of her after questioning whether there was room in the design world for someone like me. Sheila has always been a source of inspiration, and her battle with hair loss has made me a lifelong fan. With every magazine/media appearance, she boldly displays what our culture suggests you hide. That kind of fierceness should be more than applauded; it should be duplicated, a lesson in tackling adversity and kicking it to the curb.
Here are a few pics of Sheila's famously-photographed apartment. Her style is fairly traditional but she always manages to work in a bit of quirk.
Sheila Bridges' new memoir, The Bald Mermaid, details the trials and tribulations of life as a successful black designer and her road to get there. It's definitely on my list. I hear it's incredibly candid and full of sass. Learn more via this awesome article in the New York Times.
Who's your design hero?
Images: (1-5) Trevor Tondro for The New York Times, (6) Pointed Leaf Press