Diet Prada Founder’s Brooklyn Apartment: A Bold rejection of Digital Trends
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A new Brooklyn home designed by the co-founder of the influential Instagram account Diet prada offers a striking counterpoint to the algorithm-driven interiors dominating online spaces. Fashion designer and creative director Tony Liu has crafted an apartment that prioritizes personal expression and a deep connection to art, cinema, and fashion-a purposeful departure from the ubiquitous, mass-market aesthetic frequently enough seen on social media.
Liu, known as 2014 for using Diet Prada to dissect and publicize scandals within the fashion world, recently explored the impact of digital platforms on interior design in an article for The World of Interiors titled “Clickbait-Interieurs.” The piece examined how these platforms shape tastes and contribute to a growing fatigue with generic, cream-colored furnishings.
An Interior Designed Against the Algorithm
Recognizing the pervasive influence of online trends, Liu consciously sought to create a living space free from their constraints. Located in a 1920s residential complex in Brooklyn, the apartment serves as a personal canvas reflecting a curated collection of influences. Rather than chasing viral “moments,” Liu envisioned an interior that would be deeply personal and expressive.
The foundation of this vision? Color. Having studied fine art, Liu understands the power of color as a medium. He collaborated closely with Patrick O’Donnell, a brand ambassador and color consultant at farrow & Ball, to develop a cohesive color concept for the apartment.
A Palette Inspired by High Fashion and Art
“Tony’s brief was clear,” O’Donnell recalls. “most clients are hesitant about color, but Liu already had Dior pinks, Prada browns, Cecil Beaton’s Wiltshire conservatory and even Valentino catwalks in mind. My role was just to create coherence between it all – a kind of canvas for him to play on.”
This unique starting point allowed O’Donnell to build a color scheme that wasn’t dictated by current trends, but rather by Liu’s personal aesthetic and artistic references. the result is a space that feels both complex and deeply individual, a testament to the power of intentional design and a rejection of the fleeting nature of online virality. The apartment stands as a bold statement: a home designed not for likes, but for life.
Why: Tony Liu, co-founder of Diet Prada, designed his Brooklyn apartment as a deliberate rejection of algorithm-driven interior design trends he’d observed and written about. He wanted a space reflecting personal expression and artistic influences, rather than chasing online virality.
Who: Tony Liu, a fashion designer and creative director known for Diet Prada, collaborated with Patrick O’Donnell, a color consultant at Farrow & Ball, to realize his vision.
What: liu created a highly personalized apartment in a 1920s Brooklyn building, prioritizing color and artistic references from high fashion and art-specifically Dior, Prada, Cecil Beaton, and Valentino-over current interior design trends.
How did it end?: The project culminated in a sophisticated and individual living space that stands as a statement against the homogenization of interior design caused by social media algorithms. The apartment is a testament to intentional design and a focus on creating a home for living, not for online validation.
