Maxmilian Rainer Facklam
Vivica Fox  |  by www.style.com. All rights reserved. 4.04 | 15:54

Raised outside D sseldorf, Germany, Rainer (as he's known) studied sculpture, painting, and art history at the prestigious Kunstakademie, where teachers have included Paul Klee and Gerhard Richter.

-- begin 2 -->The young artist got the furniture bug while preparing for a 1988 exhibit at the German Consulate in New York. After having to whip up three screens to camouflage "a really ugly room," he started making distinctive pieces that caught the eye, four years later, of influential New York gallerist Olivier Widmaier Picasso (yes, the grandson of Pablo).

-- begin 3 -->Rainer's travel vanity made from ashwood burl, ebony, aluminum, and black leather, and boasting caviar spoons, oyster knives, and Baccarat Champagne flutes inside went for $22,000 in Neiman Marcus' 1997 holiday book. Five sold, and one landed in the Smithsonian's permanent collection.

--- begin 4 --->Bill Blass tapped Rainer to design wood handbags and jewelry for his spring 2001 show; two years later, Rainer made oversize ebony cuffs and belt buckles for Peter Som's fall runway. For Som's upcoming show, Rainer was called in to design more one-of-a-kind pieces. "His jewelry is clean and modern, but not without romance," says Som, who issued this directive: "charm bracelets.

" No one rocks exotic materials like Rainer: His ebony, holly, macassar, and rare pink ivory bangles are inlaid with alligator skin, shagreen, sterling silver, pearls, and diamonds.

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Keywords: Cond Net, Net Inc, Cond Net Inc, Peter Som, New York
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