There’s no denying that Mirror80 has been a wee bit obsessed with R&B videos these last couple of weeks. Especially the ones that involve large ensembles of fashionable musicians with a penchant for shoulder pads. And we’re just talking about the men… This week we are delighted to showcase Midnight Star, a group whose electro-funk rhythms brightened many a dance floor in the ’80s. If you’re familiar with “Freak-A-Zoid” and “No Parking (On the Dance floor),” you’re no stranger to Midnight Star. Today we discover why they have the “Midas Touch!”
The Apartment of Interior Designer Rafael de Cárdenas
A month ago we featured the work of interior designer Rafael de Cárdenas of Architecture at Large. Not only does de Cárdenas delight in ’80s geometric motifs, he is an ardent proponent of color! You can imagine how delighted we were to stumble upon Sight Unseen and their in-depth tour of de Cárdenas’ New York apartment! Perhaps what we love most is the way the designer integrates the ’80s into his spaces while maintaining his own sense of style. Above we see a 1980s sculpture that de Cárdenas found at his grandmother’s house.
Goodwill Find: An ’80s Deco Vase
Those who know me well are aware of my addiction to ’80s Deco vases. It’s an obsession that started a few years ago when I saw a red plastic floral vase at an antique mall, and it reminded me of the plethora of curvy ’80s ceramics that graced many a table and shelf top during my favorite decade. When I couldn’t find the vases at any thrift shops in the area, I headed to Goodwill, also known as the mother ship. At any given point in time, there will be at least one ’80s Deco vase and several ’80s Deco lamps on the shelves of the local Goodwill, often in shades of peach, blue, mauve and white. My latest purchase–a blue glass piece–can be seen above!
“Meeting in the Ladies Room” by Klymaxx
Asymmetrical hair–check. Angular metal and glass furniture–check. Neon lighting–check. Breakdancer chained to an electric chair–check? Why worry about the details…. When it comes to music video posses, Klymaxx may very well have set some kind of record. And even though the title of the piece is “Meeting in the Ladies Room,” there sure are a lot of men dressed in ’80s-tastic club wear. One more important factoid: the video was directed by Devo’s Gerald Casale! Don’t miss today’s Friday Video Pick!
’80s Redux: Globe Lighting
So right about now you may be wondering what makes globe lighting so ’80s. After all, globe lamps and sconces were a mod staple of the ’60s and ’70s. Guess what? They stuck around for the ’80s and added just the right amount of other-worldly glow to many a living room during our favorite decade. Today we explore the globe lighting phenomenon and show you how to bring the look home for a reasonable price.
’80s Redux: Black Marble
Today we spotlight an ’80s trend that has found its way back into our design vocabulary: black marble. After the 1980s, many black marble finds were dismissed as the stuff of bachelor pads or Vegas bathrooms. Think again, folks. Today we’ve gathered a range of black marble furnishings to fit a variety of price points. We start high with the 1970s black marble coffee table above, available for $2900 through Metro Retro Furniture. The cylindrical base and marble top give the piece its modern form. She’s a beauty!
Friday Video Pick: “Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads
When I began watching MTV at my neighbor’s house at the young age of five, I must admit that I had little patience for this video. OK, so I shouldn’t be too hard on myself–I was a couple of years out of preschool. It was 1981, the debut year of the famous music television network, and videos were a brand spanking new medium. And as time went on and this Talking Heads video continued to be featured, I likely changed the channel in hopes that when I switched back, something like “Mickey” by Toni Basil would be playing. Little did I know that Toni Basil was the choreographer of “Once in a Lifetime,” today’s Friday Video Pick.
New ’80s-Style Tribal Art Finds
Here at Mirror80, we’ve covered the emerging 1980s design revival, noting how the areas of fashion and graphic design have been the first to celebrate ’80s motifs. Yet the world of interior design has been slower to embrace the 1980s. It’s no wonder then that for ’80s tribal style to be welcomed back into our homes, it would first have to appear in the fashion world, as the last few years have shown. We’re thrilled about the ’80s tribal redux, especially since it has now jumped from shirts and dresses to the walls of our interiors thanks to today’s talented Etsy artists.
Pic Fix: ’80s Clouds
It’s official–we’re crazy for clouds! 1980s clouds, that is. Not only have they infiltrated our collection of Pinterest boards, they permeated art and graphic design throughout our favorite decade. In fact, it seemed the skies were always blue in the ’80s, at least when it came to ’80s album covers, stickers and artwork. A renewed interest in surrealist art was evident by a plethora of puffy clouds and checkered floors. Or the clouds simply provided a dreamy background for cover art highlights, as shown above for the Spyro Gyra album “Freetime.”
New Swatch Watches With ’80s Style
It’s no secret that Mirror80 is a wee bit obsessed with Swatch Watches! So you can imagine our surprise when we stumbled across a brand spanking new ’80s tribal Swatch on the pages of a fashion magazine. After further research, it seems other ’80s motifs (such as zebra print) are now gracing the Swatch collection! With ’80s fashion motifs once again in full effect, it’s no surprise that Swatch would catch on and bring back a bit of the decade that made them famous!
