Regal Happening

English bon vivant Nicky Haslam is most definitely a decorator of the highest order, and this book, Nicky Haslam: A Designer’s Life (Rizzoli, $55) is proof. But erudite Haslam is also an engaging performer and recording artist, known for his literary and artistic pursuits as well as his bits writing about life and society for Tatler, World of Interiors, The Spectator, Vogue and Vanity Fair. Thumbing through A Designer’s Life is a tad like perusing a scrapbook, with a plethora of photographs, sketches, invitations, notes, magazine pages and other ephemera that have influenced and shaped his design career.

Haslam is one of the UK’s most illustrious designers; his mother, Diana Ponsonby, was a granddaughter of the 7th Earl of Bessborough and goddaughter of Queen Victoria. He was educated at Eton, worked for Diana Vreeland at American Vogue, moved to Arizona to breed horses and returned to England to take up the life of an interior designer, only to propitiously transform the homes of Bryan Ferry, Mick Jagger and Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber. Just our kind of chap.

Haslam will speak and sign books at Dallas Design District 2nd Thursday Lectures, Thursday, October 8, 6:30 pm at Scott + Cooner; books will be for sale at the event. RSVP events@dallasdesigndistrict.com with Nicky in the subject line. Scott + Cooner, 1617 Hi Line, 214.748.9836.

Scroll through the photos at the top of this story to see images of Haslam and his work.