11.17.2011

A Case for Concentration... (The Selby + Lucy Chadwick)







All images stills from the Selby Film for Zara

I loved every. single. thing about the Selby Film for Zara featuring Lucy Chadwick -- the beautiful light in her Manhattan loft, the big abstract painting leaning casually against the wall, her wardrobe... And don't even get me started on that gorgeous coffee pot. Just so much goodness.

But what I can't get out of my head is that essential transition she makes from her harried cosmopolitan life to her reflective rural existence, complete with outfit change. She's like a super chic Mr. Rogers. Brilliant.

And then there was this line:

“It’s very easy in the kind of environment that I work in to just skim across the surface of everything, imagining that you’re doing the best possible job…Concentration is something that is fairly sparse during my working week.”

This sentiment pretty much sums up my current existence and made me (yet again) ruminate on this idea of unplugging and focusing and just going "all in" on something.

The non-stop flitting about wears on your ability to produce anything really great, don't you think? I am craving some time for concentration... I need to get on that. As soon as I'm done with the 50 other things I'm doing, deal?

16 comments:

emily said...

OHMY! i watched this TEN TIMES yesterday. maybe more. the details. the subtle tone. this one is also quite extraordinary: http://www.nowness.com/day/2011/11/9/todd-selby-x-christine-sun-kim

cheers to concentration.
e/

Shannon said...

I really loved this video...

:)

Jennette said...

Hey Joslyn! Guess what?! Well first off, i have been a long time reader/lurker of Simple Lovely. Your posts are always my first read in my feed reader and i ohhh and ahhhh over much of what you write and present. You have inspired many of my own blog posts (www.smashingrubbish.blogspot.com)and your style and taste are simply lovely! I have always meant to let you know I am here but alas life is so busy it is rare that i comment these days. I live outside seattle and in july opened my very own brick and mortar shop called Smashing Rubbish. I sell vintage goods and i have a sewing/art studio here where i make bags, pillows, altered clothes, etc. Anyhow, i used to have a subscription to ReadyMade magazine. I loved it. But when they stopped circulation, they started sending me Better Homes and Gardens. I would have never bought a BHG mag but now i am happy they come in my mail because as i flipped thru it yesterday, there you were! omg! i was so excited to see you there! the huz thinks i'm nuts because i was bouncing around the kitchen laughing, "look, look, it's joslyn!" So i had to finally write and say congrats and i love what you do and keep at it! You are inspiring! xoxox jennette at smashing rubbish

Anonymous said...

Ah, this is so true. Concentration is important, and yet how do we find the time for it? And when we do, how do we choose what to concentrate on?

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen this yet but now I'm going to, thanks for the rec.

I feel as a mother it is so hard to concentrate on any one thing. I constantly have little people interrupting me. I do feel so different when I am allowed to concentrate though. I can only get lost in an activity when I'm able to fully concentrate.

Lucia said...

Oh, lady. I almost dialed you up to mutually ruminate on LC the other rnight when I watched this (100 times). Yeah, that apt. And dude, that humongous red sweater! And yes, concentration. That was certainly the key. Filter, filter, filter!

Joslyn said...

lucia -- i'm kind of in love with LC. major girl crush.

tanya said...

oh, this is so good! you just want to scour the whole screen. every detail seems to count. xx

la la Lovely said...

Flittering is a major prob. Sometimes I just wanna toss all the devices and go all 1985 or something. But not tonight because I've just got to watch this video, now.
x Trina

Lisa Golightly said...

oh lordy, that coffee pot...

torrie said...

music to my {flitting} ears.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that was so enjoyable to watch.

Everything about it was perfection, but not "perfect" or forced, it was easy, natural....

The clothes, (she's beautiful obviously), the style of her home, the simplicity of the filming, the lighting, the unique tea holder, just clean and simplified...

I really enjoyed that!!

Heather Taylor said...

LOOOOOVE. So good.

Here & Now said...

Its a fabulous video- does anyone know any information on the style of coffee pot that is? It looks similar to a Belgium Syphon but I'm not sure!

Thanks xx

Danny said...

wow-did I need to hear that right now. I will start to hone it down and try and spend a good chunk of my afternoon on just. one. project. that sounds like heaven.

Bridget Henry said...

Anyone know what shoes she is wearing in the video?! The black slip ons?!
Lovely video!
:)