Design Anthology UK Issue 18 by designanthologyuk

FROM THE EDITOR

’ve been thinking a lot about contrasts. On a recent trip to the Faroe Islands (p46) I discovered that a wild, otherworldly place – tricky to get to and full of ancient magic and lore – is also at the cutting edge of the global food scene. Who knew? There, you can find chefs who have trained in the world’s top kitchens tucked away inside rustic fishing huts full of beautiful Danish furniture, cooking for eager, in-the-know visitors. Not a combination I expected, to be sure. It was a pleasant surprise, too, to find sheep farmers living on the edge of the Atlantic hosting rather splendid supper clubs, experimenting with rhubarb and sea urchin and mussels to the delight of their guests. But that’s not all. This tiny Scandinavian nation had other curious contrasts, like underwater transit tunnels that also function as art galleries; blue skies that disappear in minutes under thick, impenetrable ocean mist; or a devoutly Christian population despite the fact that its Scandinavian neighbours are mostly secular societies. The Faroes took me out of my own head like the best travel experiences do. In recent years, most of my trips have been for work, or to escape and relax with friends and family. I hadn’t explored a new terrain like this – where I really felt alien – in quite some time. It’s a privilege and a luxury to do so, which is why I paused for thought when a friend recently asked if I thought travel was broken. I don’t believe it is – what do you think? No doubt travel comes at a cost, as we’ve seen across European cities where locals are negatively affected by short-term holiday lets. The impact on climate is enough to keep some people much closer to home. Still, for many of us, boarding a plane, train or boat bound for an adventure is still a worthy mission if done thoughtfully. Making time to be curious about how other people live, dress, celebrate, eat and express themselves is one of the best ways we have to connect with the world and ourselves, too. D/A UK has exciting developments afoot in the travel realm and we look forward to sharing them with you when the time is right. Watch this space. Until then, Elizabeth Choppin Editor-in-Chief

DISCOVER MODULOR WALL PANELLING SYSTEM, COVER WALK–IN CLOSET, RADIUS DOOR. DESIGN GIUSEPPE BAVUSO

London Flagship Store 83-85 Wigmore Street W1U1DL London london@rimadesio.co.uk +44 020 74862193

MASTHEAD

September 2024

Co-publisher & Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Choppin elizabeth@designanthologyuk.com Co-publisher & Business Development Director Kerstin Zumstein kerstin@designanthologyuk.com Art Director Shazia Chaudhry shazia@designanthologyuk.com Sub Editor Emily Brooks Commercial Director Rebecca Harkness rebecca@designanthologyuk.com Editorial Concept Design Frankie Yuen, Blackhill Studio Words Charlotte Abrahams, Alia Akkam, Holly Black, Emily Brooks, Elizabeth Choppin, Dominic Lutyens, Karine Monié, Alice Morby, Nicola Leigh Stewart Images Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, Ricardo Gonçalves, India Hobson, Christopher Horwood, Helen Leech, Yoshihiro Makino

Subscribe Invest in an annual subscription to receive three issues, anywhere in the world. Visit designanthologyuk.com/ subscribe

designanthologyuk.com hello@designanthologyuk.com instagram.com/designanthology_uk facebook.com/designanthology_uk

Design Anthology UK is published triannually by Astrid Media Ltd hello@astridmedia.co.uk astridmedia.co.uk

Media Sales, worldwide Rebecca Harkness rebecca@designanthologyuk.com Media Sales, UK and Europe Elisabetta Gardini elisabetta@designanthologyuk.com Printer Park Communications Alpine Way London E6 6LA United Kingdom Reprographics Rhapsody Media 109-123 Clifton Street London EC2A 4LD United Kingdom Distributors UK newsstand MMS Ltd. Europe / US newsstand Seymour UK / EU complimentary Global Media Hub

photography by Andrea Ferrari

made in baxter

www.baxter.it

CONTENTS

Front cover A house in Vejby, Denmark, designed by Norm Architects. Image by Jonas BjerrePoulsen. See p58

Radar

Journey

Products Collections and collaborations of note

Read Delve into a selection of books on design, architecture and interiors

Hotel openings New design-centric destinations to explore across the globe

Restaurant, London Oma brings Greek-inspired food and interiors to Borough Market

Travelogue The Faroe Islands, Europe’s most under-the-radar cultural destination

Sustainability Fólk’s innovative recycled and upcycled products with a positive ethos

Q&A Fashion designer turned ceramicist Henry Holland on his expanding world

Rescue mission

Candleholders/vases made from discarded marble exemplify Fólk’s commitment to creative reuse and upcycling. See p28

Home 58

Vejby Norm Architects’ meditative take on a Danish summerhouse on the beach

California A well-crafted ranch inspired by the colours and textures of the high desert

London Soaring heights and sublime detail in an extended and refurbished home

CONTENTS

Art + Collecting

Style

Diary The most compelling art and design events for the coming months

116

104

Profile Artist Clare Dudeney’s work springs from the inner enquiry of transcendental meditation

Most wanted A compilation of clothing, self-care and accessories that are beautiful, thoughtful and good

122

Exhibition Erdem’s collection, inspired by the tastes and passions of the late Duchess of Devonshire, on show at Chatsworth

Architecture 110

Lisbon A new cultural programme harnesses world-class architects to explore the use of cork in urban design

Culture Edit 128

Michael Anastassiades D/A UK asks its favourite tastemakers how they like to spend their downtime, from food to travel

Most wanted London footwear brand Le Monde Béryl puts the fabulous into flats, with low-waste and an ethical supply chain to boot. See p116

ligne-roset.com

Kashima. Michel Ducaroy Made in France

Ceramics by Henry Holland Studio. Read the full story on p32

R ADAR Global design news

R ADAR / Products

Lemon Interior architect and product designer Yaniv Chen is behind the Rambling chair for Lemon. His work is often deeply rooted in emotional cues from art, architecture, fashion or, in this case, childhood memories: the chair’s simple rustic design was inspired by the traditional milking stools found in the farms and homesteads of his native South Africa, a reminder of trips to historic house museums and countryside holidays. It comes in natural or honey French oak, or African mahogany. lemonfurniture.co

Flos Milanese design studio Formafantasma’s products are often problem solvers, as is the case with its new light for Flos. SuperWire is a modular light that tackles the issue that LED lighting that is not based around a standard lightbulb is hard to replace. The family of floor, wall, table and pendant lights are made from flat hexagonal glass panels in aluminium frames, each one easily dismounted if components need to be replaced, with the LED strips also designed to be easily removed and changed.

Robert Rieger

flos.com

R ADAR / Products

Nathalie van der Massen Balancing design, art and architectural object, Ren is a collection of room dividers by Antwerp-based Nathalie van der Massen. Using her skill as a textile artist, the walnut and oak screens’ panels are woven in linen, wool and paper, with yarns in various shades and thicknesses that create different levels of translucency. San, the largest piece, allows van der Massen to experiment with different materials and techniques across four different panels; while the two-panel Sai and Dan are more minimal. nathalievandermassen.com

R ADAR / Products

Danny Kaplan Studio x Lesser Miracle Ceramicist Danny Kaplan has created a collection of furniture with fellow New York brand Lesser Miracle. In white and ebonised oak, the two tables, chair and bed incorporate Kaplan’s tiles, inlaid flush into channels in the timber: in the case of the Paravent bed pictured, a line of slim multicoloured tiles is traced around the top and sides of the enveloping hinged headboard. dannykaplanstudio.com // lessermiracle.com

R ADAR / Products

Finn Juhl With its ski-slope arms and low-slung frame, the Kettlehut chair, recently released by Finn Juhl, is a classic example of mid-century style. First designed in 1951, it has been renamed to honour Mary Ellen Kettelhut, formerly of US manufacturer Baker Furniture, who owned an original watercolour of the chair that Finn Juhl had once sent to Baker in the hope that it could be produced for the American market. Now reborn, the oak and walnut chair can be upholstered in leather or Kvadrat textiles. finnjuhl.com

Verso Tribeca gallery Verso is currently presenting Bingo, the second collection of products from São Paulobased architecture and interiors studio Palma. The studio’s pieces meld traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge design techniques, at the same time speaking of Brazilian cultural identity. Pictured are the B de Biscoito coffee table made from timber and fibreglass; the Mikado lamp, which features a conical shade made from eggshell mosaic; and the spiralling Jogo do Ganso mirror in cast brass.

Jonathan Hokko

verso-works.com

R ADAR / Products

Based in New York City and Sài Gòn, Vietnam, Steffany Tran is the name behind Vy Voi. Her Re Cây (“root”) lighting collection is made from handthrown porcelain bases topped by capsule-shaped shades made from Vietnamese Dó paper; Tran plays with the idea of proportion and balance with the small, weighty bases rooting the Zeppelin-like shades to the ground. The 800-year-old art of Dó paper making is dying out, so the collection is a way of highlighting its beautiful fabric-like quality. vyvoi.com

Sanayi313 Istanbul architecture and design practice Sanayi313 has launched a collection of furniture that pays tribute to its own neighbourhood, Oto Sanayi. The architecural language of its light-industrial concrete, metal and glass single-storey buildings – one of which is Sanayi313’s studio, bistro and design shop, housed in a former mechanic’s workshop – has been melded with materials associated with classic automotive design such as burl wood and leather, to create pieces that include the lounge chair pictured. sanayi313.com

Andrew Bui

Vy Voi

Rug Design: Alizea | Photography: Francis Amiand

Discover Biophilic, an environmentally-conscious rug program. 117-119 Fulham Road, London SW3 6RL | london@taipingcarpets.com | taipingshop-uk.com

R ADAR / Products

Kirkby Design Swedish colourist Tekla Evelina Severin has lent her expertise to Kirkby Design’s new collection, Picnic. The outdoor fabrics – made from 100% recycled polypropylene, sourced from pre-consumer waste – have adventurous colour-blocking in mind, from lilac and yellow to tangerine and claret. Of the four designs, Picnic, Sunny and Unwind are plains, while Basket is a multicoloured small-scale stripe: use them on the terrace, by the pool or in an indoor setting that requires a more robust fabric. kirkbydesign.com

EST. 2015

LONDON - BIRMINGHAM

E XC E P T IONA L LU M I NA I R E S HANDMADE IN ENGLAND

V I S I T O U R N E W S H OW R O O M | 1 1 6 - 1 1 8 ST J O H N ST R E E T, LO N D O N , E C 1 V 4 J W | JA DA M SA N D C O. C O M

R ADAR / Products

Philippe Hurel Philippe Hurel has worked with architect Tristan Auer on its latest collection, taking the French craftsmanship for which the brand is known into new territory. This Otto cabinet’s front is made from the woodgrain veneer developed by Ettore Sottsass for Alpi in the 1980s; it opens to reveal a scarlet interior in lacquer and leather. Auer has also reinterpreted pieces from Philippe Hurel’s archives, including the Chloé table with its sunburst marquetry – an art deco classic updated. philippe-hurel.com

Youth Éditions Inspired by the silhouettes of the 1970s, “when everything was possible,” the Maé lamp is the work of Youth Éditions, also known as Paris-based designer Joris Poggioli. The lamp features a ceramic base and opaline glass shade, its bright colour and rounded corners giving it a friendly aesthetic. In black, orange, green or blue, Maé is available exclusively at Silvera, alongside other pieces in Poggioli’s Nouvelle Vague (“new wave”) collection, including a wall light with a similar rounded square shape; a coffee table with a figure-of-eight-shaped burr walnut top; and a soft, sculptural armchair. youtheditions.fr

R ADAR / Products

Rubelli Venetian brand Rubelli is beloved for its textile know-how, but it has also been busy building a fine portfolio of furniture. Figura is a new chair designed by Martino Gamper whose four components (seat, back, armrests and sides) can be customised with three different shapes, their differing silhouettes almost like the suits in a deck of cards. Gamper’s design is intended to make the best use of Rubelli’s fabrics, so each component can also be made in a different textile, with optional contrast piping. rubelli.com

R ADAR / Products

Workstead This Cardinal wall light is part of Workstead’s Buoy collection. Its two cone-shaped shades have been made in contrasting white enamel and sandblasted finishes, bound by a metal collar between them, offering a lesson in the subtleties of how the quality of light changes depending on the material with which it is matched. The rest of the collection plays around with pairs of simple geometric forms in the same way, with cones, domes and discs put together across pendant and wall lights, large and small. workstead.com

Feldspar Tableware brand Feldspar’s latest serveware has convivial gatherings in mind, with oblong-shaped bowls and platters finished with an elegant band of cobalt, red or 24ct gold, perfect for sharing plates. The new collection complements Feldspar’s existing products, which are all made from fine bone china with hand-painted linear details: the production of bone china is considered critically endangered in the UK, but the Devon-based brand is endeavouring to keep this native skill alive. feldspar.studio

N E W CO L L EC TIO N Inspired by our heritage, designed for the modern bedroom. The Iconic Collection features floating beds with unparalleled comfort and exclusive fabrics. Handmade in Sweden

1 5 WI GM ORE ST REET I LON D ON W 1 U 1 P I MA RY LEB ON E@CAR PED IEMBED S.CO .U K I +44 (0) 20 3982 3252 I CAR PED IEMBED S.CO .U K CO P EN H AG EN

G OTH EN B U RG

LON D ON

S EO U L

STO CKH O LM

ZU R ICH

AN D OTH ER FIN E LO CATIO N S

NEW ARRIVAL Bed: Hällsö Upholstered I Fabric: Designers Guild’s Skye Chalk I Rug: Hemsedal 2500 I Bed Linen: Vindstilla I Bedside table: Holme Chrome MA D E B ES P OK E W ITH FA B RIC S FROM DESIG NER S G U ILD, KVAD R AT AN D THE R O MO G R O U P

R ADAR / Products

Lee Broom The balance and interconnection of forms is the driving force behind Lee Broom’s Alchemist collection. Broom says that “I always design primarily from a place of emotion, which emphasises the notion that everything is connected, physically and spiritually,” and the collection draws on Greek myths, the legend of King Arthur and Paul Coelo’s book The Alchemist, among other sources, for its design inspiration. Pictured is the Solstice wall light, a tribute to the mystical rituals of Stonehenge. leebroom.com

The Invisible Collection whose work is pictured. Chay has used Vosges oak (local to his South of France base) and aluminium to create furniture and lighting that sits somewhere between Eileen Gray and the Memphis movement. theinvisiblecollection.com

Adel Slimane Fecih

Aurélien Jeauneau and Jérémy Pradier once helmed an antique shop in Paris’ famed Puces de SaintOuen, but now they sell work both old and new via their gallery, Pradier-Jeauneau. A new collaboration with The Invisible Collection sees them ask several designers to create pieces, including Axel Chay,

Gwen Hardie, Studio Wall

thefinchproject.com

RADAR / Read

Love How You Live

Nicole Hollis: Artistry of Home

by Rodman Primack with Rudy Weissenberg (Monacelli)

by Nicole Hollis (Rizzoli)

Eleven US design projects that go from coast to coast, from Tribeca to Silicon Valley, form the core of this chronicle of the work of designer Nicole Hollis. Her second book for Rizzoli spans work from 2020-2023, each one representing her philosophy of “timeless interiors that elevate the human spirit”. Hollis’ clients often have outstanding art collections, and her work features incredible storytelling, from a pink onyx bathroom with a serpentladen bronze screen and mirror to an enormous carved wooden circular headboard designed by tattoo artist Oliver Kenton. Punctuating the chapters about individual projects, Hollis hands over the floor to some of the artists and craftspeople she regularly works with.

The vibrant cover and joyful title of this book neatly sum up the work of interior designer Rodman Primack, who works under the moniker RP Miller with his partner Rudy Weissenberg. This monograph looks at 13 of the studio’s projects, “which stand as tangible assertions of [clients] personalities, spaces filled with meaningful objects that spin together a narrative of who they are, where they’ve been, what they’re drawn to.” The couple’s own homes are among them, including their New York City pad full of books, quirky collections and mismatched furniture and textiles; and their mid-century Mexico City home, with its oak panelling, yellow tiled kitchen and natural materials, from leather to loofah.

RADAR / Read

Point Line Plane

Prefab and Modular

Japanese architect Kengo Kuma sets out his philosophy and ideas in this book of essays. The title, Point Line Plane, refers to his “effort to dismantle volume” – breaking down (often very large) buildings into points, lines and planes, “trying to reconnect people with things, the environment and each other.” Kuma aligns his practice with quantum mechanics, where logical structures are rejected and multiple layers can exist at different scales, resulting in architecture that can focus on the small to create “friendly, liberating spaces”. Stonehenge, Brunelleschi and William Morris are woven into the story along with Kuma’s own projects including the China Academy of Arts’ Folk Art Museum and 2005’s porous Lotus House.

Although far from a new idea, prefabricated buildings are energising the architectural community. Their benefits are clear: making some key elements in a controlled environment, before they are delivered to site, usually results in less wastage, a quicker build and a betterperforming building. Gestalten’s book – aimed at both architects and design enthusiasts – chronicles the best examples of these types of structures, from unbuilt concepts such as Danish practice Mast’s “floating foundation” system designed with the climate crisis’ rising water levels in mind, to Precht’s original take on a treehouse (shown on the cover) – tubular guest accommodation for an Austrian restaurant, made from cross-laminated timber.

by Kengo Kuma (Thames & Hudson)

by Gestalten editors (Gestalten)

RADAR / Restaurant

Mediterranean modern Oma brings Greek-inspired food to Borough Market in London, with interiors inspired by rugged coastal landscapes

Words Alia Akkam Images Christopher Horwood

nce diners ascend the staircase to Oma, they are immediately captivated by a 2.5-metre-long raw bar and central hearth. As the kitchen team chars squid over live fire and plates jalapeño-flecked sea bass crudo, other seductive details in this restaurant at London’s Borough Market slowly begin to unfold. There are muted eucalyptus hues; a large sculptural cocooning banquette; handchiselled, burnished oak wine shelves; and raw,

artisan-made dishes and bowls that brighten the tables. Together, these elements “emulate the romance of the Greek islands,” says owner David Carter. “There is such serenity and such calm there, so the interior feels washed and weathered too, like you’re driving up the coastline at sunset in Sifnos.” A native of Barbados, Carter launched the hospitality group DCCO in 2022. His other

RADAR / Restaurant

Facing page A wave-like banquette runs around the main dining area Right Top to bottom: the menu includes a Greek salad made using galomizithra, a Cretan soft cheese; muted tones meet subtly weathered finishes

restaurants include Manteca, an Italian concept developed with chef Chris Leach, and barbecue destination Smokestak, both based in the Shoreditch area. Oma joins the collection as a love letter to the Aegean sea, alongside another new venture, downstairs from Oma – Agora, a more informal souvla bar. To capture the tranquillity of Greece’s sandy beaches, Carter called upon his long-time design collaborator Lou Davies, founder of local studio Box 9 Design. Maximising Oma’s connection to the buzzing market below, huge slabs of concrete were knocked out to make way for bespoke, soaring windows that overlook either the terrace or kitchen. After experimenting with various earthy textures that would call to mind the Greek islands’ rugged landscapes, Carter and Davies landed upon swathes of creamy Mortex in a stone-like finish seemingly “taken off the Acropolis,” says Carter, accentuated by deep, dark bronze.

Gilles Draps

By contrast, Agora is a no-reservations, casual ode to Greece’s vibrant capital with a retractable storefront and centrepiece charcoal rotisserie and wood-burning oven that put the spotlight on spit-roasted meats and flatbreads. According to Carter, “Athens is a bit gritty, naughty and rebellious, and life spills on to the city’s streets, so Agora needed to be a part of the market.” Carter has visited Greece numerous times in recent years, and his “pure love” for the country, as he describes it, fuelled the design for Oma and Agora. “We wanted something emotional. Not something that could be seen, but felt.”

RADAR / Sustainability

Rescue mission

Fólk began life as a platform for Icelandic design, but has grown to become a leader in innovative recycled and upcycled products with a positive ethos

Words Alia Akkam Images c/o FÓlk

gainst a backdrop of explosively popular Scandinavian brands including Hay, Muuto and Normann Copenhagen, Ragna Sara Jónsdóttir grew increasingly riveted by the experimental design scene in her native Iceland. “There was a lot of creativity,” she says, “but how could it be turned into revenue?” Jónsdóttir had been working at the country’s state-owned energy company, first as a director of communications and then of sustainability. But drawing from her multifaceted background, the former journalist – who had previously studied anthropology and business, before forming a corporate social responsibility consultancy with clients such as the United Nations Development Programme – decided to launch the design company Fólk in 2017 as her next ambitious career move.

Facing page Clockwise from top left: NAVET’s Lava vase, made from recycled glass; Tinna Gunnarsdóttir’s aluminium tray doubles as a candle holder; cushions that were airbags in a former life, by Flétta

Propelled by the notion of bringing greener products to the realm of home decor as well as giving local, like-minded designers more visibility, Fólk’s initial goal was to source natural materials close to production sites and create durable objects that could easily be disassembled and recycled. Each transparent, European-made item still reflects those values, but as time went on Jónsdóttir found herself on an even more thoughtful journey, prioritising the circular economy model.

“We have to rethink our use of virgin resources,” she points out. Since she’s started seeking out waste, Jónsdóttir, who now lives in Copenhagen, has found examples everywhere. Rather than simply discarding these materials, we can and should be transforming them into coveted products, she believes. One striking example is Fólk’s trays, which are crafted from the marble and stone offcuts amassed by one supplier in Portugal. Available in square, rectangular and arched shapes, the trays’ contrasting forms can be arranged into “beautiful displays with candles or fruits,” says Jónsdóttir. “People won’t buy something just because it’s sustainable. It also needs to be aesthetically pleasing.” Reykjavik designer Tinna Gunnarsdóttir’s disc-shaped recycled aluminium Platform trays that double as candle holders are just as eye-catching, as are Munich-based Marcus Götschl’s perforated Venti side and coffee tables, fashioned out of steel sheets salvaged from the production of ventilation systems. Stockholm studio NAVET (“new and very exciting things”) recently launched the rippled, surreal Lava vases, made from high-quality recycled glass leftovers collected in Sweden. Reykjavik studio Flétta has upcycled airbags into meditation cushions, and London-based designer Theodóra Alfreðsdóttir has reinvented scraps of marble as sculptural wall lights.

RADAR / Sustainability

Above The Composition wall light designed by Theodóra Alfreðsdóttir plays with simple forms Left FÓlk’s Offcut trays, made from different colours of waste marble Facing page The Living Objects series of five candleholders/ vases, made from discarded marble

Fólk’s impressive portfolio of products can now be bought via a network of stockists including online retailer Finnish Design Shop and Brooklyn boutique Teak. It is also showing at major industry events such as 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen (it opened an apppoinmentonly showroom in the city last autumn). As for future plans, Jónsdóttir is thinking big. “If we only make one-off products then the impact is limited. We want our process to be as scalable as possible,” she says. “People are not going to stop buying things. We need to make sure we have a whole different supply for them to buy, so that we’re not damaging so much of our world.” With the help of her design and manufacturing partners, she has already demonstrated that a sustainable supply chain is an “obtainable mission if we work together. We take our role as citizens seriously, voting in elections. Well, we are voting every time we buy something. We need to become more conscious and bolder in our decisions.”

RADAR / Q&A

Henry Holland

The fashion designer turned ceramicist – and now, creator of fabrics and wallpapers – talks about his ever-expanding world

As told to Elizabeth Choppin Images c/o Henry Holland Studio

Henry Holland Studio launched in 2020 during the pandemic, and it’s been pretty fastpaced since then. How did it all start? Ceramics were something that I had wanted to try for ages but had just never had the time. It wasn’t until I left House of Holland that I had the headspace and the free time to have pottery lessons. For me it became a therapeutic outlet that replaced my work in fashion, and I very quickly fell in love with the process. Once lockdown hit, my local pottery studios were temporarily closed so – missing my ceramics fix – I started looking at techniques I could do at home, without the need for throwing at the wheel. That’s when I stumbled across the hand-built nerikomi ceramic technique, which uses different coloured clays to create patterns within the body of each piece, instead of hand painting or glazing.

Facing page Top to bottom: Henry Holland alongside vessels in his signature bi-coloured stripes – his own version of the Japanese technique of nerikomi; wavyedged eggcup plates demonstrate the playful side of Holland’s work

Can you explain more about that technique? Nerikomi involves the slow method of stacking, folding and rolling different brightly coloured clays into slabs, which are then cut and handmoulded into different forms. Due to the handmade nature of these pieces the stripes that the technique produces vary throughout, so each one is unique. In my early trials with ceramics I’d experimented using hand-painted glazes but these gave painterly, watercolourlike finishes that I didn’t feel reflected my own style. Nerikomi, however, is much more akin to how you create printed fabric, in a way: it allows you to create both quite structured and unstructured patterns, which I was really drawn to experimenting with. What was it about ceramics that drew you in? Working with clay forced me to slow down. I was so used to operating at a million miles an hour and getting everything done with such a sense of urgency, and the ceramics process

made me really take my time, which was really enjoyable. It taught me patience and provided a creative outlet that I had been missing. How did you get from working at your kitchen table to setting up a new business venture? After I began developing my own unique take on nerikomi, experimenting with different forms of tableware and mugs, I posted my work to Instagram where followers started showing interest in my work – including a buyer from Liberty of London who put in my first major order. That’s when I decided to set up my own ceramics studio and Henry Holland Studio was born in April 2021. I launched my first capsule collection online which sold out in 24 hours, and then in May 2021 we launched into Liberty, where we have been stocked since. It’s been a real ride. You’re now moving into wallpaper and textiles. Could this develop into an interior design studio for whole spaces? I would love that! We are working on building out our product offering for now and have been renovating our own home which has been a really amazing creative process, so I would definitely love to do more of that in the future. Its been such a rewarding process to develop a full collection of wallpaper and fabrics and reinterpret our aesthetic into something beyond ceramics and glassware. How does working in product design and interiors compare to working in fashion? There are a lot of similarities. All areas of design are about harnessing your creativity and channelling that into new and exciting things, which is such a privilege to be able to do. The interiors world has a slower pace: there is more freedom to work to your own calendar, without the constant need for newness, and I honestly think that it results in better work.

RADAR / Q&A

Do you miss fashion? I have to be honest – I don’t miss fashion. But I have rediscovered my love for it in a whole new way, and now that I am no longer comparing myself and my output to what others are doing, I can really enjoy shopping and playing with fashion again. How has your fashion journey shaped your products and ceramics? Nerikomi’s graphic nature was definitely something I was looking at based on my experience in fashion. I was used to working with digitally printed fabrics and woven cloths and the strong graphic capabilities of those techniques. Beyond that, I learnt everything I know from my time working in fashion, from how to channel my creativity into products to how to run a business, and there are so many transferable skills that have empowered me to build this new business. I also am trying to learn from my mistakes and take things a little slower and more considered with my ceramics. Do you ever doubt yourself or are you pretty sure of what you’re doing? I’m quite good at trusting my gut instinct and knowing when something is right – but that doesn’t mean to say that I don’t always question decisions and discuss creative decisions with my team. It’s good to be collaborative and to take on board other opinions. What will be next? I’m so excited about the launch of our fabric and wallpaper collections and where that journey will take us; we are also working on some larger furniture pieces in the studio which I’m really enjoying, too. I would be very happy with more of the same but I will always be pushing myself to evolve and develop my ceramics practice, as well as creating new and exciting pieces for our customers.

150 YEARS AND STILL MAKING HISTORY

Explore the Louis Poulsen collection on nest.co.uk and in the Nest showroom: The Scottish Queen, 21-24 South Street, Park Hill, Sheffield S2 5QX

PH SNOWBALL ANNIVERSARY EDITION DESIGN BY POUL HENNINGSEN LOUISPOULSEN.COM

The Faroe Islands. Read the full story on p46 Lucas Pickering

JOURNEY Distinctive destinations

JOURNEY / Openings

New hotels

Unique places to stay, in destinations of note

JOURNEY / Openings

Domes Novos Santorini, Greece The soft terracotta hues of Domes Novos’ angular exteriors are in striking contrast to the whitewashed finish that the Greek island of Santorini is known for. Kiros Pagkalidis Architects used local materials such as volcanic stone and blonde oak to create the hotel’s earthy palette, which is punctuated inside with bold black accents. In the rooms, interior designer Olivia Siskou sought to create a lightness that offsets the hotel’s imposing sculptural form with subtle shades of white and cream, and the use of minimalist furniture. Outside is as important as in, with every one of the 50 suites and villas opening onto its own private pool, and a farm-to-table restaurant on the hotel’s rooftop. domesresorts.com

JOURNEY / Openings

Casa Loma Beach Hotel, USA and striped bed throws add a touch of seaside sophistication. In the lobby, the curves and tactile materials continue, with a reception desk built from fired clay tiles. A sculpted mural sets the artistic tone of the hotel, which features original artworks created by Austin-based studio Land. casalomalagunabeach.com

Chris Mottalini

Architecture and design firm Electric Bowery drew inspiration for California’s Casa Loma Beach Hotel from its clifftop setting, perched above the Pacific Ocean. The studio has created calming interiors dressed with sandy neutrals and soft sea greens; sinuous forms of bespoke wooden headboards, sofas and coffee tables nod to curves of surfboards and ocean waves, while the addition of straw lampshades

Benoit Linero

JOURNEY / Openings

Capelongue, France After a final renovation phase, Capelongue – set on the hillsides of the Luberon in picture-perfect Bonnieux – feels more Provençal village than hotel, with its two restaurants, two swimming pools, a vegetable garden and spa set around a central square and fountain. French design duo Jaune joined creative forces with Paris-based studio ASL and local artisans to create Capelongue’s contemporary rural style. In the 57 rooms and suites, white walls reflect the Provençal light, complemented by warm wood panelling, and burl and marble furnishings. Finishing touches include a collection of vintage ceramics, paintings from emerging artists and books curated by the Librairie du Palais in Arles. beaumier.com

JOURNEY / Openings

With Petunia dating back to Ibiza’s 1970s heyday, it was only natural that Argentinian architect and artist Lula Galeano would imbue the hotel with the creative, bohemian vibes of the island’s golden age. Galeano has retained as much of the original building as possible, simply sanding and replastering floors and walls to create a whitewashed blank canvas for artistic pops of colour and texture. The 42

rooms take on a relaxed feel with bright sofas, palm tree floor lamps, collectible 1970s furnishings and hand-painted wall frescoes. Surrounding the hotel are gardens filled with Mediterranean plants such as olive trees and lavender, and views across to the striking island rock of Es Vedrà. beaumier.com

Munay Photography

Hotel Petunia, Ibiza

Luna – with innovative Occhio fireball light source, »color tune« and magic control.

Occhio store London | 91– 97 Fulham Road | London SW3 6RH | occhio.com

JOURNEY / Openings

Hôtel du Couvent, France Hotelier Valéry Grégo, the man behind Le Pigalle in Paris, has taken on his biggest project yet with Hôtel du Couvent, a 17th-century former convent in the heart of Vieux Nice. Grégo tapped long-time collaborators Festen Architecture to reimagine the convent as a five-star hotel while avoiding all the trappings of a pastiche. Two listed buildings and a brand-new wing now house 88 rooms dressed in

Festen’s signature, restrained style – think muted tones and light marble bathrooms that balance out chunky wood furniture and dark floral throws. Facilities also respect the hotel’s past, with vegetable gardens, a bakery (on the same site that the nuns once used) and even a herbalist’s apothecary. hotelducouvent.com

JOURNEY / Openings

Portella, Mallorca Portella, in Mallorca’s capital, Palma, began life as a 17th-century palace and was until recently a museum dedicated to the Spanish painter Joaquín Torrents Lladó, who lived in the property until his death in 1993. It has now been reimagined as a 14room boutique hotel by Festen Architecture and GRAS (Guillermo Reynés Architecture Studio), melding the original Moorish and Baroque design

details with contemporary craftsmanship. Creamy limewashed walls are complemented by bespoke wooden furnishings and terracotta floors laid in a pattern inspired by the next-door Arab Baths, while the bespoke light fittings have been crafted by the 300-year-old family-run glassmaker Gordiola. portellapalma.com

Hannes Becker

North stars

With food, art and design all seemingly in thrall to the surrounding sea, the Faroe Islands might be Europe’s most under-the-radar cultural destination Words / Elizabeth Choppin

JOURNEY / Travelogue

Previous page Tempestuous Atlantic weather off the coast of Sumba, Suðuroy Facing page Moss-covered sea stacks, the legacy of the islands’ volcanic past Below Settlements such as the village of Gjógv cling to the wild coastline

here are 37 words for “fog” in the Faroe Islands – and no wonder.The Scandinavian archipelago is perched in the Atlantic Ocean 200 miles north of Scotland and is prone to cool, inclement weather all year round – even in high summer. Extreme fog is a near-daily occurrence, blanketing the islands in a moody mist that interrupts flight schedules and can render a day of sightseeing a pointless exercise. Yet, when it all eventually lifts to reveal the Faroese landscape – dramatic moss-covered volcanic cliffs, turf-roofed villages, thundering waterfalls and fjords of a staggering scale – even the most impatient visitor would agree that it was worth the wait. With just over 50,000 inhabitants and nearly double the amount of sheep, the Faroes’ 18 islands provide ample opportunity for outdoor adventures in boats, on walking trails and beaches – most of which are within a two-hour drive of the capital, Tórshavn. From bird

watchers keen to catch a glimpse of the heaving puffin population, to cresting mountain ridges by car or foot – every which way leads to spellbinding views and towns with traditional fishermans’ huts, candy-coloured houses and austere-looking Lutheran churches. Highland cows, wild horses and sheep graze on expanses of mossy green, with few trees in sight thanks to the strong winds. To a first-time visitor, the sum of all parts is at once slightly strange and completely captivating: a bit like landing on another planet, albeit a gorgeous one. But it would be a mistake to dismiss the Faroe Islands as a simple, rustic place stuck in time. What’s lesser known is that its appeal extends beyond nature into a vibrant design, art and world-class food scene. In downtown Tórshavn, chic design stores selling ceramics and knitwear are nestled near collectible craft galleries, music shops and a cluster of restaurants serving the best of New Nordic cuisine. Back in 2011, Koks, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant helmed by Poul Andrias Ziska, a Faroese chef who cut his teeth at Copenhagen’s Noma, drew foodies to the Faroe Islands when it opened in the lobby of Føroyar – a minimalist design hotel embedded into the side of a hill overlooking the city. Koks’ experimental take on local ingredients established the Faroes as a culinary destination, before the restaurant relocated to a remote cabin outside of town and finally to Greenland, where it has been since 2022. In its absence, Koks’ owners opened a new restaurant, Roks, which sits alongside a handful of other eateries by the harbour – all worth the trek, with tasting menus that would satisfy the most persnickety palette. Because fishing is the main industry here, cod, monkfish, mollusks, caviar and, controversially, whale, might be offered on the menu, along with another Faroese staple – anything fermented, from gooseberries to lamb tallow. The wine lists are thoughtful and refined, and the furniture is, of course, overwhelmingly Danish. The Faroe Islands are technically a territory of Denmark, and the Scandinavian legacy is potent here, although the people speak their own language (closely aligned with Icelandic)

Nick Heinimann

Above Top to bottom: Acquaint yourself with Faroese art history at Listasavn Føroya; lithographic studio Steinprent, a meeting place for the artistic community

JOURNEY / Travelogue

and are proud to showcase their own art and craft traditions. A tour around the national gallery, Listasavn Føroya, reveals a permanent collection of Faroese artists tracking from the 19th century up to now, with haunting paintings by Sámuel Joensen-Mikines as well as the work of Edward Fuglø, whose sculpture Whale-War (2019) made from 32,000 toy soldiers, references the international outcry about Faroese fisherman hunting pilot whales for food. Other contemporary artists are in rotation as well, with the gallery having just undergone a major renovation to accommodate more space for big group showcases.

Amy Robinson / Visit Faroe Islands / Ingrid Hofstra

Artworks can be spotted in the wild, too, many of them referencing local legends. Hans Pauli Olsen’s 2014 bronze sculpture of Kópakonan – the seal woman – is perched atop a rock in the village of Mikladalur on Kalsoy island, and references an age-old tale of a selkie bride returning to the sea. In 2017, local artist Pól Skarðenni made a metal likeness of a mythical nykur (a water horse that drowns all those who try to mount it), emerging from the northern tip of Vágar island’s Lake Sørvágsvatn. But the most unexpected example lies within a relatively new underwater tunnel connecting Streymoy, the largest island where Tórshavn is located, and Sandoy – one of the dinkier, lesspopulated ones. Edward Fuglø’s drawings of Viking lore are projected on to the walls, giving drivers a glimpse of glowing longboats and warriors, all of which can be enhanced by an ambient soundscape by eminent local composer Sunleif Rasmussen when tuned into local radio, 100FM. But perhaps the most talkedabout artwork, which has become a must-see for tourists to tick off their lists, lives in the same tunnel, on the walls of the world’s first underwater roundabout. Here, Faroese sculptor Tróndur Patursson has created a circle of steel figures looped around basalt walls, back-lit by colourful lights – an ode to the Faroe Islandsʼ traditional “chain dance” where large groups of people hold hands and rhythmically shimmy from side-to-side. All of this public artwork is punctuated by some notable architecture situated among the

local vernacular (black wooden boxes under heavy grass pitched roofs). A modern college campus designed by Bjarke Ingels’ BIG looms over Tórshavn, just up the road from The Nordic House – a spare, light-filled culture and music venue designed by the Norwegian and Icelandic duo Ola Steen and Kolbrún Ragnarsdóttir. Further afield, Henning Larsen’s striking municipal building spans two sides of a river on Eysturoy island. To be sure, the Faroe Islands is a place of contrasts. For such a wild, dramatic landscape, the people are quite soft-spoken. Simple, wooden boathouses contain some of the most forward-thinking cuisine in Europe, while major infrastructure projects prioritise art and a shared history alongside practical function. Anyone who visits will need to reconcile these two truths: the Faroe Islands is an ancient culture settled by Vikings, but the Faroese are intent on looking forward as well as back.

Above Preserved and fermented fish speak of the islands’ culinary history, and the need to store food throughout the long winters Next page Although their setting may be rustic, Tórshavn’s restaurants turn out refined New Nordic cuisine

JOURNEY / Travelogue

Address book Get to the heart of the Faroe Islands

Gudrun & Gudrun, Tórshavn

Where to hear music

THE NORDIC HOUSE

nlh.fo

Where to see art

L I S T A S A V N F Ø R O YA

art.fo

Where to shop

GUDRUN & GUDRUN

gudrungudrun.com ØSTRØM

facebook.com/ostromfo Where to dine ROKS

FISKASTYKKID

fiskastykkid.fo

BARBARA FISH HOUSE

barbara.fo RÆST

raest.fo

Where to meet locals HEIMABLIDNI SUPPER CLUB

heimablidni.fo

Nick Heinimann / Wesley Overklift / Mike Bishop

roks.fo

“The islands are at once slightly strange and completely captivating: a bit like landing on another planet, albeit a gorgeous one”

Facing page Top to bottom: The village of Bøur’s turf-roofed houses, dwarfed by rolling hills; wild Faroese horses have adapted to the harsh landscape

Above Myths and legends come to life in the islands’ public artworks, including Hans Pauli Olsen’s bronze sculpture of a selkie, perched on a rock on Kalsoy

DISCOVER FORA IN LONDON

The Office. Reimagined.

Experience the office like never before with our collection of over 60 unique, design-led workspaces.

foraspace.com

A house in London by Merrett Houmøller Architects and All & Nxthing. Read the full story on p82 Image by Helen Leech

HOME Timeless spaces

Clear sighted

A meditative take on a Danish summerhouse on the beach, designed by Norm Architects Words / Dominic Lutyens Images / Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen

HOME / Vejby

he coastal town of Vejby in northern Denmark has long been a popular holiday destination yet is unspoilt. Only a row of beach huts, jauntily striped in sunshine yellow or ultramarine and white, domesticate its wide, primeval-looking beach that faces the vast Kattegat sea. The land behind the beach forms an escarpment, rising steeply to a height of about 20m, then morphs into hilly, verdant terrain. Thanks to diligent nature conservation, low-growing plants such as heather, broom and grasses thrive here, attended by butterflies. Charming, single-storey rural cottages or cabins, many in a mid-century style, have sprung up over the decades on this grassy, undulating land. Many of these boast expansive verandas where their occupants can kick back outdoors and feel at one with nature. One recently designed home, Heatherhill Beach House, a spacious, year-round bolthole for a family from Copenhagen, is upholding the local tradition of restful holiday retreats that command panoramic views of the sea. It’s named after a nearby nature reserve whose idiosyncratic English moniker is derived from a large, local summer residence, also called Heatherhill, once owned by a British director (now demolished). The name also nods to the abundance of heather growing locally. Designed by Copenhagen-based studio Norm Architects, the house is influenced by local vernacular buildings and Danish mid-century interiors. But while its rooflines may recall traditional barns, they have a simple silhouette that is unapologetically modern. The interior,

which counterbalances natural materials with a minimalist aesthetic and sparse furnishings, similarly melds modernity with tradition. The buildings are clad in cedar, expressly chosen to weather over time: the new wood’s syrupy tone will mellow to a softer silvery grey. “A traditional Danish summerhouse embodies a distinct blend of honest materials, simplicity and the ethos of slow living,” says Sofie Bak, one of Norm’s architects. “Its atmosphere is relaxed, cosy, comfortable. Large windows, open spaces and inviting outdoor areas foster a seamless connection to nature.” A key goal for the architects was to connect the house – built almost entirely from wood, save for one iron crossbeam – to the landscape. To this end, they chose to plant sedum on its roofs. The house incorporates a covered wooden walkway that overlooks a garden designed by Copenhagen-based, British landscape architect Emilie Bausager. This features grasses – both low-growing and luxuriantly long-tufted – and pine trees, suitable for the coastal climate. Norm took an environmentally friendly approach from the outset. “The building is positioned mainly on the plot of a former house to minimise its impact on the sloping landscape,” says Peter Eland, also an architect at Norm. “It’s built on various levels to maximise the stunning views.” Bak adds that “the house doesn’t impose on the landscape since the owner of a nearby property stipulated a restriction on its height.” The architects managed to create generous ceiling heights by digging down instead, designing a sunken

Previous page Norm Architects built the house on the plot of a previous dwelling Facing page A sunken living space allows for lofty ceilings, while staying within a local restriction on the building’s height

Facing page The gable-roofed design echoes the simplicity of local barns, while brick floors laid in a grid pattern are an homage to mid-century homes

Above Douglas fir, sourced from Dinesen, uniformly clads the walls and ceilings

HOME / Vejby

“A traditional Danish summerhouse embodies a distinct blend of honest materials, simplicity and the ethos of slow living”

living room that creates a spacious, comfortable interior while staying within the rules. Consistent with the house’s affinity with humble rural architecture, the site is informally entered via a shed. From there, the walkway – flanked by minimalist timber pillars that create an ultra-modern colonnade or cloister-like effect – leads to the main house. This spine-like walkway creates an enfilade: an uninterrupted sightline that draws the eye all the way to a window at the far end of the living room. It gives the property a sense of transparency, yet the approach is also designed to instil a feeling of making a journey or of a progression through the buildings that involves the unfolding discovery of the different spaces, especially for first-time visitors.

Facing page The spine-like walkway creates views all the way through the house

The house’s exterior is modelled on traditional Danish barns. Two almost replicated buildings provide different living spaces. The house nearest the entrance contains the living room and kitchen, while one further away the more private bedrooms and bathrooms. A courtyard fills the gap between two houses, reinforcing the link between indoors and out. Strategically placed glazing that frames views of the garden and landscape, including some huge picture windows, accentuate the sense of nature’s proximity. Floor-to-ceiling windows span an entire wall in the living room and look on to a terrace and garden, which are only a twominute walk away from the beach. The house’s interior is clutter-free, and many objects are stowed in built-in storage units. Many features are angular and cuboid – curves

are decidedly absent. Brick flooring, supplied by Danish firm Harris, found in much of the house, is laid in a simple grid in a nod to Danish mid-century residential interiors. Yet the bricks’ natural, tactile qualities and neutral mushroom shade were chosen to help connect the house to the surrounding landscape. Further angular elements include a clean-lined travertine island in the kitchen and fireplace in the living room; rectilinear sofas; and a bath in the Japanese-inspired bathroom that faces a picture window. This window, whose shape neatly mirrors the rectangular form of the bath, looks on to the garden. An adjacent, timberlined shower area has a wooden door that opens to the outdoors, bringing the owners into immediate contact with nature. Douglas fir planks, from Danish flooring company Dinesen, line internal roofs, walls and (where the brickwork hasn’t been used) floors in the house, and has also been used for built-in furniture, creating a homogeneous surface, to unifying effect. Some walls are rendered with Danish firm St Leo’s Dolomite Plaster finish (a combination of recycled ash and super-fine Dolomite stone) that has a smooth yet slightly raw look. The effect is highly tactile, as well as constantly referring back to the natural world beyond. The project also satisfied the client’s nostalgic yearning to relive a happy childhood, adds Eland: “The client wanted a space where the family could gather. She grew up in a similar environment and wished to recreate those cherished experiences for her family.”

Above A serene bathing spot, placed directly next to a picture window looking on to the landscape beyond

Facing page Clockwise from top left: an overhead rooflight illuminates the shower; frameless windows provide a direct connection to nature; cosy nooks make fine places to escape to; a seamless built-in desk surveys the garden

Left The local pebble beach, backed by an undulating green landscape Below Clad in cedar, the house will over time weather to grey, blending in further with its surroundings

Earth & air

A well-crafted Californian ranch inspired by the colours and textures of the high desert Words / Karine Monié Images / Yoshihiro Makino

HOME / California

alifornia conjures visions of sandy beaches, and glitz and glamour. While all of that exists, the state offers much more. North of Palm Springs, the mid-century gem a twohour drive from the sprawling city of Los Angeles, is the Mohave desert, where places such as Joshua Tree have become a hub for creatives seeking quiet, majestic nature. “We have been visiting and doing projects in the high desert for six years and always loved an area that is outside of the Joshua Tree National Park but has the same topography as the actual park,” says Wendy Langman, who, with her son Edgar, is responsible for bringing to life a four-bedroom ranch that sits on ten acres of land. It’s the family’s holiday home, but it is also available for short-term rentals. “The house is near a community called Gamma Gulch – home to many interesting people, homes and artists, plus Garth’s Boulder Gardens, a legendary community known for hosting incredible events and art projects,” says Edgar. California’s role in the film production industry is never far away, however: the ranch is also ten minutes from Pioneertown, the historic town created in the 1940s specifically as a set for cowboy movies. Wendy, who is a former fashion merchandising executive, and Edgar, who currently works at Aman Resorts focusing on ultra-luxury hotel operations, fell in love with the 250sqm house

and decided to remodel it to make it their own. The pair enlisted the help of MexicanAmerican interior designer Sydney Ballesteros, a multidisciplinary creative who is also an editor and stylist. “The vision for the project began with the basic design of a Santa Fe-style home that was originally a working ranch,” explains Ballesteros. “The goal was to return to the authentic, natural essence of the space by using earthy materials and elements that reflect its original character.” Originally built in 2003, the stucco-clad property, like many traditional adobe homes, features influences from Mexico, California and Arizona, mixing classic craftsmanship with modernity. Among the changes made, the owners added touches that focus on wellness and relaxation, including an 11m saltwater pool, spa and western red cedar sauna. Blending Old World references and a modern perspective, the home is warm and refined. “You feel the careful consideration of place and natural light, as well as a connection to layers of culture, heritage and texture, found in the selection of design objects and finishing choices,” says Ballesteros. “It’s an appreciation for the simple landscape of a world without interruption that existed before us.” Traditional techniques from Mexico and New Mexico, as well as elements from indigenous

Previous page The house, built in 2003, has a classic adobe exterior Facing page A pair of 1940s wood and leather Mexican butaque chairs sit next to the main living room’s open fire Next page In the kitchen, pine cabinetry and hand-forged hardware give a rustic aesthetic

HOME / California

“You feel the careful consideration of place and natural light, as well as a connection to layers of culture, heritage and texture”

and Latin cultures, are reflected via the house’s materials and artisanal pieces – from pottery, weaving and metalwork to woodwork and handpainted tiles. Every space includes something custom made, resulting in a sense of uniqueness and authenticity. In the front entry, the black wood sculpture was made by Dan John Anderson, an artist quickly gaining worldwide attention who lives and works about 15 minutes away from the property. In the main, open living area, a pair of 1940s wood and patinated leather Mexican butaque chairs in the style of Clara Porset are placed next to seating built in to boxy plasterwork. Nearby, a carved stone coffee table emulates the rock formations visible in the distance through the windows of the house. For the dining room, two rows of equipale chairs in black leather surround the custommade timber dining table. Hanging above, an iron chandelier made in Mexico complements a large-format wall hanging made from recycled cotton fibres, by Mexican studio Caralarga. In the kitchen, the cabinetry – in California pine with hand-forged iron hardware made in Southern California – are in visual dialogue with the handmade and handpainted tiles, also from Mexico. Each of the bedrooms has its own personality and colour scheme. The green room, for

instance, is furnished with a Spanish birthing chair, reupholstered in sage green velvet, with a wall textile by Mexico City artist Melissa Avila of MA Estudio. The blue room, meanwhile, showcases a vintage altarpiece sourced from a Mexico City flea market, an oxblood velvet Regency queen bed from US brand The Inside and a Nordic Knots rug in a saffron shade. “For the main bedroom, I worked with artists to design pieces that felt like updated versions of Old-World designs, such as the stainless steel four-poster bed by Zach Lihatsh and the mesquite wood chandelier by Carolina Del Dago of La Yuma Taller, which is an evolved version inspired by the primitive wood candle ceiling fixtures found in the old adobe haciendas of New Mexico,” says Ballesteros. In this sensory sanctuary that invites guests to unplug and reconnect – not only with the environment but also with oneself – the colour palette of soft beige, enhanced by touches of black and darker tones, echoes the surrounding landscape, complemented by materials such as stone, wood, clay, concrete and steel. When the sun rises or sets, the changing tones of the desert become a mesmerising visual symphony. Designed as a complete experience, the ranch has a unique soul, nurtured by its past and enriched by a respectful contemporary vision. “It feels collected, but calming,” says Ballesteros, “a place of refuge to honour rituals, nature and the slow hand of traditional trades.”

Facing page Left to right: Handmade Mexican tiles create a natural, earthy presence; a wall textile by Melissa Avila hangs in one of the bedrooms Next page Designer Sydney Ballesteros commissioned pieces that felt like modern interpretations of traditional designs, such as the timber chandelier by Carolina Del Dago

Above Top to bottom: A new addition, the 11m pool; the interiors have a clear affiliation with the desert landscapes

Above Sunrises and sunsets are magical times at the ranch, casting shadows on the house’s warm-toned exterior

Explore every angle Soaring heights and sublime detail in an extended and refurbished London house Words / Charlotte Abrahams Images / Helen Leech

HOME / London

ome projects are led by a particular building, others by practical necessity. This family home in north London was driven by the clients’ desire to commission a house with a sense of drama. “They hadn’t even found the house when they came to see us,” says Robert Houmøller, co-founder of Merrett Houmøller Architects, “but they were looking to do something dramatic and the thing they kept referring to was height and volume.” The house the couple eventually bought was an unremarkable Victorian mid-terrace, but it did have a long, two-storey rear extension that was ripe for transformation into a double-height kitchen-living-dining room. The triangular forms that give the space that sought-after sense of drama were a skilful response to the need to add light (the back of the house faces north), while also respecting the neighbour’s privacy. They also turn what is essentially a single, open-plan space into a series of distinct areas, each with specific views connecting one to the next. “We have created a succession of perceived thresholds, offering glimpses into other spaces,” Houmøller explains. “The idea of looking through spaces is central to the house and we’ve continued the idea out into the garden and as you go upstairs.” Once the structure was in place, the client commissioned London design studio All & Nxthing to create the interiors. The diverse brief was to infuse the house with the spirit of the Mediterranean, Morocco and Southern California, with – for good measure – a nod to both Sigurd Lewerentz’s brutalist church in Stockholm and the use of copper in the Eero Saarinen-designed school in New England the client had attended. “Clients are always keen to get everything they love into a once-in-alifetime project like this,” says Stephen Nash, creative director and founder of All & Nxthing. “It’s tricky to do that successfully without it looking like a dog’s breakfast, but when we drilled down into it, we found that what they really wanted was the overriding sense of calm you get from being in those places.” All & Nxthing was helped by the architectural framework. The dining and sitting areas, for

example, are slightly sunken so that, when occupants are sitting down at Fred Rigby’s custom-made oak table, or beside the tree set into the wrap-around bench, their eyes are drawn to the ripples and reflections on the surface of the pond outside. And by bringing the planting inside and extending the kitchen floor outside by using the same material, interior and exterior merge, conjuring the sense of tranquil, sun-soaked living. But calm is also in this design studio’s DNA. All & Nxthing is known for its creative fusion of modern and reclaimed textures, and that sensibility runs through every finely crafted corner of this house. Materiality is all. Natural clay plaster by Cornish specialists Clayworks warms the walls of the kitchen-living-dining

Above The exposed brick wall is part of the Victorian house’s original fabric Facing page A copper worktop finishes off the band-sawn maple kitchen cabinetry Previous page A double-height space introduces dramatic angles and vistas in the new extension

“The idea was to be respectful of the original building and not pretend this was a new build where everything is super clean”

Above Limewashed walls give a subtly textural backdrop to the furniture, which includes vintage travertine coffee tables that visually refer back to the angles of the new extension

Facing page A sofa that looks good from all angles – Carl Hansen & Søn’s Sideways – works as a freestanding piece in the central living area. The brass pendant is by Gervasoni

HOME / London

area, its granular finish capturing the soft northern light that washes down from the high - Lewerentz-inspired – windows. The clay also sets off other textural layers: shiny copper on the worktops; rough, band-sawn joinery (maple for the kitchen, oak for the desk, storage and bench – all designed by All & Nxthing and made by FP Joinery); organic, handmade Belgian brick pavers on the floor; and the original Victorian brickwork on the doubleheight kitchen wall. Beyond the new extension, limewash paint – each brushstroke just visible, creating the impression of clouds – wraps the walls and ceilings of the hall, reception room, stairs, landing and master bedroom, while the floors in all these spaces are made from extra-wide, limed oak planks. The primary bathroom gleams softly under its smooth, plaster-pink microcement walls, paired with unlacquered brass that will develop a patina over time. “We wanted to create subtle differences between the rooms, so the colours are similar but the textures are different,” explains Nash. The quiet drama of the material and colour palette is the perfect foil for the theatricality of the architecture, and it is matched by the understated beauty of the detailing. Look closely and you will see that, as Nash says, “every single piece of timber has an angle on the edge, reflecting the architectural angles in the extension.” The kitchen cabinets are finished with slanted handles, the bench has a tapered base and the solid oak storage shelves (also custom-made by FP Joinery) either side of the stove in the front living room taper out from the alcove at an angle. The vintage travertine coffee tables in this room were also chosen for their triangular shape. Nash’s decision to reference Houmøller’s triangular leitmotif in the original front section of the house provides a satisfying visual link between new and old. But, while both designer and architect were keen to create a harmonious space, they did not want to blur the lines between the 19th and 21st centuries. “The idea was to be respectful of the original building and not pretend this was a new build where

everything is super clean,” explains Houmøller. “That’s why we kept the gnarly bits on the original brickwork in the kitchen. Those marks are part of the story of the house.” The desire to continue that story informed many of the material choices. The trowel and brush marks in the plaster and limewash walls speak of the craftspeople involved in the making of this house, while the patina on the copper worktops tells of family life. “The areas of kitchen worktops where they do most of the cooking are developing a sheen,” Houmøller says, “so the way the house is lived in is doing a drawing on the copper.” Drama is eye catching, but it is these details that homes are made of.

Above Merrett Houmøller Architects’ angular extension retains the neighbour’s privacy while letting in the light Facing page The dining table was made by Fred Rigby Studio and the wall lights are by Luceplan

Above The house’s restful aesthetic continues upstairs in the bedrooms, with warm-toned neutrals and a palette of natural materials

Facing page In the master bathroom, plastertoned microcement is used for the walls and basin. The unlacquered brassware will patinate over time

Fabric collage by Clare Dudeney. Read the full story on p104

ART & COLLECTING A cultural review

ART & COLLECTING / Diary

Agenda

Sights to behold: a calendar of shows and fairs for the coming months Words / Holly Black

Surrealism, Centre Pompidou, Paris 4 September 2024–13 January 2025

A century has passed since André Breton published his surrealist manifesto, and the far-reaching influence of the behemoth art movement can still be felt to this day. The Centre Pompidou has gathered some of the defining works of the genre, appropriately presented in

a self-described “maze” of discovery. Some historically overlooked female surrealists are given ample due, including Leonora Carrington, whose 1942 Green Tea is pictured above; Dora Maar, whose Untitled (Hand-shell) from 1934 is pictured opposite; and Remedios Varo.

The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of the Drue Heinz Trust (by exchange), 2019 photo: © Digital image, The Museum of Modern Art, New York/Scala, Florence © ADAGP, Paris, 2024 / Centre Pompidou, Musée national d’art moderne, Paris Achat, 1991. Photo: Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI/Jacques Faujour/Dist. RMN-GP © ADAGP, Paris, 2024

ART & COLLECTING / Diary

Helen Frankenthaler: Painting Without Rules, Palazzo Strozzi, Florence 27 September 2024–26 January 2025

As one of the key members of the abstract expressionist movement, and an American artist who spearheaded the shift to Colour Field painting, Helen Frankenthaler not only produced radiant canvases, but animated works on paper, as well as astonishing metal sculptures. In this

survey of her career, her work will be shown alongside art from those in her inner circle, as a way of exploring her artistic affinities, influences and friendships, including Anthony Caro, Robert Motherwell and Jackson Pollock. Pictured is a detail of Alassio from 1960.

© Anya Gallaccio. Courtesy the artist and Thomas Dane Gallery. Photo: Luke A Walker / Leeds Museums and Galleries. Bought with support from The Art Fund, the V&A Purchase Grant Fund and the Leeds Art Fund, 1994

ART & COLLECTING / Diary

Anya Gallaccio: Preserve, Turner Contemporary, Margate

Paula Rego: Power Games, Kunstmuseum Basel

In her largest survey exhibition to date, British artist Anya Gallaccio brings her temporal sculptures and installations to the Kent coast. She is known for utilising perishable materials to meditate on the vulnerability and power of nature, including ice, flowers, salt and even chocolate, to create surreal structures. For this show, a new site-specific work explores the agricultural heritage of the surrounding area, as well as the abundant cliffs of white chalk.

Paula Rego’s highly subversive oeuvre is still timely. The Portuguese-British artist’s exceptional figuration, and use of the friendly medium of pastels, can feel destabilising, given the content of her images. Hers is a world of nightmarish fairytales and sinister domestic scenarios, which reveal the suffering and oppressive structures inflicted on women the world over. Kunstmuseum Basel’s major exhibition is the first of its kind in Switzerland.

28 September 2024–12 January 2025

28 September 2024–2 February 2025

The National Museum of Art, Architecture & Design, Oslo. Photo: Nasjonalmuseet/Dag A.Ivarsøy

ART & COLLECTING / Diary

Gothic Modern: From Darkness to Light, Ateneum, Helsinki 4 October 2024–26 January 2025

The power of the macabre is celebrated in all its glory in this epic survey of all things gothic. Bringing together 19th- and 20th-century masterpieces from the likes of Edvard Munch (whose Madonna from 1895 is pictured) and Käthe Kollwitz with the renaissance and medieval

works that influenced them from artists such as Lucas Cranach, it delves into the darker side of the human psyche. Universal themes of birth, death, grief and suffering, as well as more comical nods to the trials of our existence, are explored and compared.

ART & COLLECTING / Diary

Haegue Yang: Leap Year, Hayward Gallery, London 9 October 2024–5 January 2025

Haegue Yang creates monumental, multidisciplinary installations that draw on folk art, domestic items, industrial objects and more, many of which incorporate ethereal movement. The Korean artist’s first major UK exhibition brings together key works such as Series of

Vulnerable Arrangements – Seven Basel Lights (2007), an assemblage of sculptures that might be festive or panicinducing, due to their chaotic tangle of bulbs and cables. Pictured is a detail from Latent Dwelling, a sprawling installation that took over Seoul’s Kukje Gallery last year.

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Acquired with funds from the Augustinus Foundation. © Wolfgang Tillmans

ART & COLLECTING / Diary

Ocean, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk 11 October 2024–27 April 2025

Humanity has long been obsessed with the ocean, from classical tales of Odysseus and Poseidon to fabled mermaids and selkies. This survey analyses those watery depths, from science, myth and maritime disasters to contemporary artists’ interpretations of life among the

waves. The show is divided into three themes: the ocean between art and science; the sublime and mythological ocean; and the anthropocene ocean. Highlights include Wolfgang Tillmans’ photograph Louisiana from 1996, depicting two young men bathing close to the museum.

100

ART & COLLECTING / Diary

Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, Tate St Ives

Stitched: Scotland’s Embroidered Art, Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh

19 October 2024–5 January 2025

25 October 2024–18 January 2025

Małgorzata Mirga-Tas gained international attention at the 59th Venice Biennale, where she filled the Polish Pavilion with vibrant textile “murals” made from recycled materials and ragged stitching. Her practice is concerned with commemorating everyday Roma life through a distinctly feminist perspective. This new show promises to present a choice selection of her works, which are often made in collaboration with other women. Three Graces (pictured) was acquired by the Tate in 2022.

This renowned contemporary tapestry studio has teamed up with the National Trust for Scotland to present rare treasures spanning over two centuries of Scottish craftsmanship, many of which were produced by women. Expect to see everything from bed hangings and fire screens to cushions and tea cosies, all adorned with meticulous stitching. The embroidered table runner pictured will be on loan from the National Trust for Scotland’s Edwardian mansion, Hill of Tarvit.

101

The World of Tim Burton, The Design Museum, London

Louise Giovanelli, The Hepworth Wakefield

The last stop on a ten-year tour, this show sees Tim Burton – the creative force behind whimsical yet macabre films such as Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice – break open his archive in a showcase of paintings, photography, sculptures and writing, all of which are by his own hand, and have enriched his cinematic oeuvre. Explore a mix of horror and humour in work that stretches all the way back to Burton’s childhood, with influences that range from cartoons to Japanese monster movies.

As one of the most talked-about painters of the moment, Louise Giovanelli is never one to rest on her laurels. The Manchester-based artist is creating an entirely new body of work for this show, which will surely feature allusions to her favoured motifs of cult films, classical sculpture and sensually draped stage curtains. Working at a large scale, with a luminescent palette and exceptional, hyperreal brushwork (as illustrated by 2022’s Prairie, pictured) her canvases are not easily forgotten.

25 October 2024–21 April 2025

21 November 2024–27 April 2025

102

ART & COLLECTING / Diary

The 80s: Photographing Britain, Tate Britain, London 21 November 2024–5 May 2025

In a time of seismic political upheaval, Britons picked up their cameras in the 1980s to document protest, social activism and bear witness to their communities. This show interrogates the various ecosystems that developed in the shadow of Thatcher, from Section 28 to the AIDS crisis,

the Brixton Riots and more. It celebrates groundbreaking journals such as Ten.8 and Camerawork, as well as radical organisations including the Association of Black Photographers (which still exists today, under the name Autograph) and women’s collective Hackney Flashers.

103

ART & COLLECTING / Profile

Exploring the depths

Artist Clare Dudeney’s work is the result of two contrasting influences – her wanderlust, and the inner enquiry of transcendental meditation

or many artists, the natural world is a constant point of inspiration. But for Clare Dudeney, a trip to Antarctica made such an impression that it was the catalyst for a change of career – seeing her make the move from working in climate change and energy policy to full-time studio practice.

Throughout the new works, she combines this approach with her experience of transcendental meditation, which began when she observed a sense of “chaos” in her final pieces. “I noticed that my initial weavings were complex and busy, with contrasting colours and an impatient need for more,” she says.

“I often take inspiration from the feeling of being in wild places,” she says, ahead of the opening of a new solo show, Vibrations, which is supported by art consultancy The Dot Project and hosted at And Objects’ Pimlico showroom from 11 September – 18 October. She will be showcasing new weavings that sprang from her experience of silent meditation, but also featuring elements influenced by her travels.

Rather than force this through in a superficial manner, Dudeney recognised that to create quieter works, she first needed to quieten her mind. The solution was to immerse herself in the study of transcendental meditation on a ten-day course. “Honestly, I did not enjoy it,” she confesses. “Every day I wanted to leave. The silence was great, but I found it difficult to stick to rigid rules.”

These wild places have spanned the globe – from two trips on ships circumventing the Antarctic Peninsula, to the Falkland Islands and the fjords of Chile. They differ entirely from where the artist is usually based, in the hustle and bustle of London. Escaping the city, despite having her own peaceful corner near the Thames in Woolwich, is something she needs to do often. “Our minds build what we see based on past experience, like a simplified simulation,” she says. “In Antarctica, moments felt abstract as my brain struggled to construct a reality for things never before experienced.”

Despite its difficulties, that period seems to have had a profound effect on the artist and her work. Up until this point, Dudeney’s quest for inspiration has arrived in an active form. Following her intuition and fulfilling her desires has taken her on travels that many won’t see in a full lifetime, and allowed her to pick up skills that are far removed from that of most studio-based artists (post-lockdown, she embarked on a competent crew sailing course, for example) – but it sounds like she has been consistently on the go for quite some time.

From each of the places she has visited, Dudeney has collected what sounds like a bank of inspirations based on the location’s unique qualities. She then translates these details into elements of her work – be it through texture or colour, or even material. “I don’t try to copy what I see,” she says, “but a sense of place naturally seeps into the artworks.”

“I found that the practical approach of taking time enabled me to reach a deep state of presence and awareness,” she says. “Through this approach, I was able to make much more subtle works, with the appearance of translucent layers of watercolour, made by changing colours one thread at a time.” With Vibrations, it is interesting to explore what happens when you truly stop.

104

Words Alice Morby

Facing page Clare Dudeney’s weavings (such as Danced into Life, pictured) reflect her meditative process, but also try to capture a sense of place

106

“I don’t try to copy what I see, but a sense of place naturally seeps into the artworks”

Facing page Left to right: Colour fields “vibrate” against each other in Dudeney’s work; jigsaw-like pieces of fabric are fixed using iron-on adhesive

Above Dudeney’s fabric collages installed at a studio in St Ives. Her work will come to And Objects’ Pimlico design showroom this autumn

107

bundu

handcrafted. limited edition. kaftans.

bundutextiles.com

City Cortex project in Lisbon. Read the full story on p110 Image by Ricardo Gonçalves

ARCHITECTURE Surveying the built environment

ARCHITECTURE / Lisbon

110

ARCHITECTURE / Lisbon

Naturalising the city

Lisbon’s new cultural programme harnesses world-class architects to explore the use of cork in urban design

Words Emily Brooks Images Ricardo Gonçalves

Left Gabriel Calatrava of Collaborative Architecture Laboratory (CAL) designed this shady cork meeting spot in Trafaria

111

ith responsible sourcing front of mind for the majority of architects and designers, many industry professionals are discovering that sustainable materials are not something that have to be newly developed or high-tech. They could grow on trees, in fact. So it is with cork, whose manufacturing heart is in Portugal – a country that is striving to make sure that one of its most highly regarded exports is known for much more than the stopper in a nice vintage. Corticeira Amorim, the world’s biggest cork processing group, recently launched a project in greater Lisbon that furthers these aims. Working with project developers and curators Experimentadesign, City Cortex has seen six architecture and design firms invited to create site-specific works that are now dotted around the Portuguese capital’s Belém neighbourhood (with one a short ferry ride away in nearby Trafaria), including Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Sagmeister & Walsh and the Pritzker Prizewinning Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto

ARCHITECTURE / Lisbon

de Moura. Installed until the end of November, they make a potent argument for cork’s use as a way to enhance the urban fabric. Cork’s advantages as a material are almost too numerous to list: it’s renewable (the cork oak’s bark is peeled from its trunk before it fully regenerates nine years later), sound absorbing, soft underfoot, a great thermal insulator, waterresistant and fire-retardant. “I was interested in really communicating that this is a material from the past, that’s also a material of the future,” says the San Francisco-based Swiss designer Yves Béhar. His Port_All tower in the public gardens of the MAAT museum references the city’s defensive towers, which were “once used for protection but are now welcoming elements”. Clad in hexagonal tiles

made from compressed cork, the tower sits bang in the middle of the pathway, inviting you to duck under its arched entrance and enjoy the micro-environment of relative coolness and stillness that the cork creates within. Other works respond to the challenges of modern-day public space and city living. New York’s Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s Second Skin sees cork bookshelves snugly wrapped 360 degrees around trees, full of books that the public are welcome to borrow and bring back. “I live in a city where public space is privatised all the time, and the studio is very interested in the ‘publicness’ of public spaces and what they mean,” says architect Liz Diller, whose work includes New York’s celebrated High Line. “There’s something about the institution of a

112

Above Left to right: Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s Second Skin, a library wrapped around the trees; Sagmeister & Walsh’s text-based installation helps to deaden the echoes of Belém's pedestrian tunnel

ARCHITECTURE / Lisbon

library that’s still sacred; it protects knowledge and freedom of speech.” A short hop away, Leong Leong’s Lily Pad installation springs from the same core idea of a more democratic public space: three convex and concave corkclad structures invite you to sit, lie down or scramble over as you wish. They are the physical and philosophical opposite of “defensible space” (sloping benches, or metal-studded steps) that discourages unwanted lingering. There may be some big, serious ideas behind City Cortex, but it’s also a feelgood experience, whether it’s making a prosaic underpass a more fun place to cross Belém’s train tracks (thanks to Sagmeister & Walsh’s cork installation on the ceiling) or providing a shady spot away from the sun as you wait for the ferry in

Trafaria (courtesy of Collaborative Architecture Lab’s undulating pink cork meeting place, which has been granted permanent status). As for Amorim, it recently expanded from a cork processor to owner of a number of cork forests, having recognised that not enough new trees were being planted to sustain industry growth (production is a long game, with a cork oak taking 43 years before its bark is of good enough quality to be harvested for a topquality wine-stopper). This new regeneration project anticipates a world where cork lives up to its full potential as a wonder material that can infiltrate every area of our lives, from the shoes on our feet to the insulation in our homes – including a public realm that makes urban living a pleasure rather than a chore.

113

Above Left to right: Leong Leong’s Lily Pad, whose curves invite people to sit, lay and linger; Yves Béhar’s Port_All tower, clad in compressed cork tiles, pays homage to Lisbon’s defensive history

Invest in an annual subscription to Design Anthology UK to receive three issues a year, anywhere in the world

Start your subscription designanthologyuk.com/subscribe

Imaginary Conversations exhibition at Chatsworth. Read the full story on p122 Image by India Hobson

STYLE Fashionable pursuits

Most wanted

Valentin Hennquin

Clothing, self-care and accessories that are thoughtful, expressive, beautiful and good

STYLE / Products

Le Monde Béryl The founders of London footwear brand Le Monde Béryl, Lily Atherton And Katya Shyfrin, were initially inspired by the comfort and style of the Venetian slipper, as worn by the city’s gondonlieri. Things have progressed from there, and while Le Monde Béryl is still known for stylish flats (such as the Luna slipper pictured opposite), now there are

boots, sandals and heels (like the Ballet Mary Jane Pumps pictured above) in the mix, too. Everything is made from Italian fabrics and leathers, with a focus on an ethical supply chain and minimal waste. Luna Slipper, £385; and Ballet Mary Jane Pump, £485; lemondeberyl.com

117

STYLE / Products

Prounis New York City jeweller Jean Prounis’ work springs from her family history, ancient and modern. Her Greek heritage comes to the fore in her classicallooking creations – you might feel unsure about whether you’re looking at a new piece, or something from an ancient civilisation. But she is also inspired by the fashionable crowd who once frequented

her great-grandfather Otto Prounis’ nightclub in Manhattan, The Versailles, in the 1940s. The oneof-a-kind earrings pictured here feature liquid-like green amber drops topped by hazy grey-blue blocks of moss beryl, set in 22ct gold. £11,454; prounisjewelry.com

118

STYLE / Products

Hannah Scott Stevenson

Baina Founded by fashion industry friends Anna Fahey and Bailey Meredith, Baina’s products are intended as “a gentle reminder to take your time” with your bathing routine. The Australian brand’s organic cotton towels have simple graphic designs – think stripes and checkerboards – and palettes inspired by fine art, architecture and colour theory. Baina’s

collection is your best companion for bathroom, beach or pool: pictured is the reversible Roman pool towel in sage and chalk, which is available in several other colour combinations, including grey and burgundy, and black and chocolate. £85; shopbaina.com

119

STYLE / Products

Commune “Nature is our reprieve” reads the packaging for Commune’s products, a reflection of its natural approach to body and bath care. Launched in Somerset in 2002 by Kate Neal and her husband Rémi Paringaux, Commune’s products are free from synthetic fragrances, sulphates, parabens and dyes, with a single scent, Seymour, that includes

grapefruit, lemongrass, lavender and cypress. The bottles are made from aluminium, with a metal pump, so that you can recycle the bottle but keep the pump for a refill. Seymour Bath salts are the latest product to join the commune. Seymour shampoo and pump, £60; commune.cc

120

STYLE / Products

Dinosaur Designs Is prehistoric chic a thing? Australian jewellery and homeware brand Dinosaur Designs seems to think so, with pieces from its Chalk collection possessing a certain Betty Rubble-like appeal. The resin and silver rings and bangles pictured are complemented by oversized beaded necklaces and silver-edged circular pendants threaded on to leather, with bowls,

plates and vases available, too. Look out for the Sydney brand’s latest Moss collection, which has the same soft swirls of colour, but in cooling shades of green that will transport you to a lush forest. Chalk bangles, from £50, and rings, from £38; dinosaurdesigns.co.uk

121

122

STYLE / Exhibition

A magnificent muse

Erdem’s romantic, eccentric collection pays homage to the late Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire – currently on show at her former home, Chatsworth

ritish-Turkish fashion designer Erdem Moralıoğlu often creates collections that pay homage to formidable female figures. Former subjects of his sartorial tributes include Radclyffe Hall, author of the 1928 lesbian novel The Well of Loneliness, and Maria Callas playing Medea in Pasolini’s eponymous 1969 movie. Moralıoğlu seems indifferent to passing trends: instead he dreams up clothing that mirrors personal passions. His SS24 collection is a detailed portrait of the late dowager Duchess Deborah Devonshire, the youngest of the celebrated Mitford sisters. In the 1950s, Debo, as the family knew her, played a major role in restoring Chatsworth House, seat of the Duke of Devonshire in Derbyshire, and tirelessly promoted the house and its estate until her death in 2014. During the second world war it was occupied by 250 pupils from a Welsh girls’ school and was overrun by makeshift dormitories. “The seed of the Debo-inspired collection was planted when I created my autumn/winter 2018 collection celebrating Adele Astaire,” explains Moralıoğlu. The American dancer – and sister of Fred Astaire – married Charles Cavendish, the 9th Duke of Devonshire’s son, and was the duchess’ aunt. “I was able to do research on Adele at Chatsworth where I discovered its archive and material about Debo, and I knew I’d come back to it.” Moralıoğlu did indeed later revisit Chatsworth to research his complex collection, which references the duchess’ life and her eclectic, eccentric taste in clothing. Fittingly, this is now on show at Chatsworth’s exhibition, Imaginary Conversations: An ERDEM Collection Inspired

by Duchess Deborah, which runs until 20 October. Displayed in the house’s atmospheric, interconnected Regency Guest Bedrooms, it juxtaposes Moralıoğlu’s ensembles and a recreation of his atelier, with items from the duchess’ wardrobe and portraits of her by Cecil Beaton and Lucian Freud, an indication of her engagement with contemporary culture.

Words Dominic Lutyens Images India Hobson

Moralıoğlu wasn’t concerned with faithfully recreating the duchess’ style: “What you see is not an exact portrait of someone but something through a lens,” he says. His collection reinterprets her fashion sense in a witty, joyous, more colourful way. That said, some Erdem garments are made of classical 19th-century chintz curtains in subdued hues, which once hung at Chatsworth. The house’s textiles curator Susie Stokoe allowed this because the archive holds other curtains made of the same fabric. Moralıoğlu took the unconventional step of showing finished garments in the first room of the exhibition and, near the end of the show, recreating his atelier (with toiles and fabric swatches) to highlight the earliest stages of producing a collection. It will surprise some that the duchess was an ardent Elvis Presley fan, evidenced by a scarlet handbag bearing the word “Elvis” in diamanté. One Erdem piece riffs off this obsession – an Elvis-inflected, rhinestone-studded petrol blue biker jacket with fringed sleeves. Yet she also favoured understated, peasant-chic quilted jackets, fashionable in the 1970s. The duchess loved keeping chickens, and the first Erdem outfit on display is a tweed suit, pierced near its hem, that humorously imagines they’ve pecked holes in it. “She was as happy

123

Facing page Inspired by the late Duchess of Devonshire, Erdem’s collection includes pieces made from Chatsworth’s chintz curtains

“What you see is not an exact portrait of someone but something through a lens”

Above The duchess’ love for a crisp white shirt melds with Moralıoğ lu’s fascination with the unseen inner construction of historical garments

Facing page Top to bottom: Erdem Moralıoğ lu, who founded his label in 2005; the show recreates Erdem’s atelier to give insights into how collections are conceived; the duchess was gifted an insect-shaped brooch annually by her husband Andrew Cavendish

124

STYLE / Exhibition

tending to her chickens as she was hosting a president,” says Moralıoğlu (the duchess was a close friend of John F Kennedy). The tweed get-up could also be seen as a subversive take on Chanel’s signature, bourgeois suits. The duchess loved Paris couture, and the show includes a dandelion-yellow tulle underskirt she wore with a Jean Patou dress. The collection also features pieces once only worn as undergarments, as well as coquettishly low necklines cut to look déshabillé, which perhaps echo the duchess’ informal streak. Jean-Paul Gaultier’s 1980s bras and corsets reconceived as overgarments also spring to mind. “I love looking at the inner construction of dresses that once were never exposed,” says Moralıoğlu. On show, too, is Beaton’s photograph of the duchess in a velvet cocktail dress. Surrounding it are insect-shaped brooches that her husband, Andrew Cavendish, would give her every year. Elsewhere, another Erdem design – a black bra appliquéd with glittery butterfly and dragonfly motifs – references these.

Tom Mannion

A final room resembles a shrine to the duchess, with a crowded display of cherished possessions and memorabilia, including the Turnbull & Asser men’s shirts that she regularly wore, a straw bag with her name woven into it, family snaps and a Freud portrait. Moralıoğlu points out that the wartime message of make-do-and-mend was deeply ingrained in the duchess, who tended to repair rather than replace well-worn clothing. He says this is reflected in the many unfinished or raw edges in his collection. In his hands, however, they are not ragged, but romantic.

125

Above Erdem’s creations include a dress inspired by the one that the duchess wore to sit for a Cecil Beaton portrait; and a pink tulle dress strewn with beaded insects

126

Above The chintz and chinoiserie of Chatsworth’s Regency bedrooms provide a fitting backdrop

127

MY CULTURE EDIT

Michael Anastassiades The Cypriot-born, London-based designer swims and daydreams for inspiration, and switches off to Jurassic Park

When I’m not working, I love to… Swim. I often escape my studio to go to the pool, a five-minute walk away. It helps reset my thoughts and look at my work from a different angle.

I started collecting art more than ten years ago. A lot of the time it is through an exchange with some of my own works, thankfully, with artists who I admire. It would be hard to pick one of these pieces as my favourite as each helps me build my imaginary world.

A book that changed my life is… Autoprogettazione by Enzo Mari. It contains poetic ideas, put in a very straightforward way.

An exhibition that resonated with me was… Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, at London’s Design Museum in 2002.

The best film of all time is… Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Werner Herzog’s documentary about the Chauvet cave in the south of France. Emotional documentation of the ancient cave paintings is intercepted with interviews from the various people who were lucky enough to have viewed them during the very limited time the caves remained open. There is something very powerful about realising that the act of creativity has remained unchanged since these primitive times.

Currently I’m watching… Jurassic Park – all of them. I can watch these over and over again! Perfect when I don’t have to think.

When I’m home alone, I listen to… The random sounds of trains as they brake on the tracks approaching Waterloo station. I once apologised to a visiting friend because the noise was so loud at times that it was interfering with our conversation. She immediately referred to them as “the sounds of singing trains.” How beautifully different they have sounded ever since. A place I’ve been recently that everyone should go is… Athens’ National Archaeological Museum, my favourite museum in the world, especially since the old archaeological museum in Cairo is no longer around. Nothing can replace the immediacy one can experience with these incredible

The restaurant I go to time and again is… Platania at Horafia, on the Greek island of Kastellorizo. When I need inspiration, I head… Back to my daydreaming sessions. If money was no object, I’d buy a piece of art/design by…

128

The design world needs more… Poetry and less theory. A piece can have the power to move you without the need for long explanations. The most memorable hotel I’ve stayed in is… Ammos hotel in Chania, Crete. Unpretentious, on a beautiful beach, with impeccable service and food. My most prized possession is... Every stone I have collected over the years, since childhood. I am completely fascinated by the role of nature as a designer. My creative hero is… Sri K Pattabhi Jois. Discipline at its best.

Eirini Vourloumis

ancient artefacts. I really hope that their quality can be retained.

© Copyright 2024 Design Anthology UK All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, scanning or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except where noted. Views expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the publisher. FSC™ certification ensures that products come from well-managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits.

Drink responsibly