GRAY Magazine No. 65-66: Design Titans / Shelter

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Bubble 2. Curved 3-4 seat sofa, designed by Sacha Lakic. Astréa. Armchair, designed by Sacha Lakic. Rocket. Cocktail tables, designed by Nathanaël Désormeaux & Damien Carrette. Sun Tropic. Rug, designed by Nany Cabrol.

French Art de Vivre

pratone chair designed in 1971 by rosso, derossi & ceretti - made in italy by gufram

INTEL

21. FIRST LOOK

New and noteworthy in global design, from Studio Paolo Ferrari’s latest furniture collection to the seriously fun fashion collaboration among AZ Factory, designer Thebe Magugu, and artist Chafik Cheriet.

DESIGN DNA

28. BACKGROUND CHECK

Five women who forever altered the design industry.

48. ON THE RISE

Refractory design studio debuts its collection with an installation rooted in the spirit of the American frontier.

54. FASHION

Meet five independent designers leaving their mark on the fashion landscape while staying true to their roots.

62. CHANGEMAKER

Two designers talk about equity in design, what drives them in their practices, and what it’s like to be the only Black woman in the room.

68. BODY OF WORK

A furniture industry veteran ushers an iconic modern design brand into the 21st century.

70. KITCHEN + BATH

Two kitchens and a bathroom that find elegance through simplicity.

ON THE COVER

A look inside Nichetto Studio headquarters, a charming pink villa located just outside Stockholm center

By Rachel Gallaher Photograph by Max Rommel See page 90

90

100

74. GENESIS

A wardrobe-styling agency steps out of the closet to offer full-service interior design.

76. OBJECTS OF DESIRE

A roundup of the latest furniture and décor finds, from modern glass pieces to items perfect for small spaces.

FEATURES

89. COMMUNITY CRUSADER

Luca Nichetto—one of the most in-demand designers today— sees collaboration as the highest form of creative innovation.

100. HISTORIC GROUNDING

A 17th-century house on an Amsterdam canal is given a fresh aesthetic that respects its historic roots.

LAST CALL

109. CONCIERGE

Exceptionally designed spaces to visit.

122. AGENDA

A look at this year’s Interior Design Show (IDS) Vancouver.

130. TRANSPORT

The Microlino car aims to change the landscape of urban mobility.

MASTHEAD

Publisher Shawn Williams

EDITORIAL

Deputy Editor

Rachel Gallaher rachel@graymag.com

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No. 65–66. Copyright ©2022. Published by GRAY Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. While every attempt has been made, GRAY cannot guarantee the legality, completeness, or accuracy of the information presented and accepts no warranty or responsibility for such.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Lauren Gallow

(“Breaking the Glass Ceiling,” page 28) is a writer and editor covering architecture and design. She holds a master’s degree in art and architectural history and writes regularly for Interior Design, Dwell, Metropolis, and Cereal She also serves as the editorial chair of Seattle-based nonprofit ARCADE.

Shyam Patel (“Vote of Confidence,” page 54) is a fashion writer and market editor based in New York. His work has appeared in Surface, Paper, Coveteur, and Cool Hunting, among other publications.

Natalia Torija (“Leaders By Example,” page 62) is a New York City–based architecture and design writer. She has served as content director for PIN–UP magazine and her writing is published interna tionally, including in Apartamento, Gestalten, and T: The New York Times Style Magazine

Michael Wilson (“Material World,” page 48) is a Brooklyn-based editor, writer, and the author of How to Read Contemporary Art: Experiencing the Art of the 21st Century (Abrams, January 2013). He has also curated exhibitions at venues including Site Gallery in Sheffield, United Kingdom.

Additional Contributors

Jonathan Allen, Riccardo Gasperoni, Brook Holm, Ewout Huibers, Nadine Ijewere, William Jess Laird, Dion Yu Yan Lin, Ben Lindbloom, Morgan Norman, Ema Peter, Kevin Scott

Thanksgiving at the green o

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ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE + INTERIORS

The following design firms are among the best in the world, and are included here on an invite-only basis. We are proud to call them our partners. Consider them first for your next project.

To learn more about each firm, visit graymag.com

Evoke International Design evoke.ca

babienko ARCHITECTS pllc babienkoarchitects.com

Atelier Drome atelierdrome.com

BC&J Architecture bcandj.com

Baylis Architects baylisarchitects.com

Board & Vellum boardandvellum.com

Designs Northwest Architects designsnw.com

Garret Cord Werner Architects & Interior Designers garretcordwerner.com

Steelhead Architecture steelheadarchitecture.com

workshopad.com

Minarik Architecture minarikarch.com

JPC Architects jpcarchitects.com

Guggenheim Architecture + Design Studio guggenheimstudio.com

Design

Hyde Evans Design hydeevansdesign.com

SCOTT | EDWARDS ARCHITECTURE LLP seallp.com

Tyler Engle Architects tylerengle.com

Uptic Studios upticstudios.com

Mutuus Studio mutuus-studio.com

22 SHOWROOMS

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Pierre Frey, parade, represented by Jennifer West

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U.S. DEBUT

Making its U.S. debut with a solo exhibition this fall, Canadian multidisciplinary design firm Studio Paolo Ferrari presents Edition 4, the latest installment of its contemporary furniture collection, and the title of its coinciding exhibition. Opening on October 13 at New York’s Colony cooperative gallery, the twoweek showing will celebrate the intricacies of furniture-making, showing Ferrari’s exploration

of form. “Studio Paolo Ferrari is consistently excellent, with thoughtful attention to detail and a rare ability to zoom out and see the bigger picture of their brand,” says Jean Lin, founder and creative director of Colony. “Working with them has always been an absolute pleasure, and I am so excited to introduce their latest collection of work to our market.” »

INTEL

New and noteworthy in global design.

DESIGN FOR THE PAGES

This October, design company HAY celebrates its 20th anniversary with the release of HAY, the first book about the innovative Danish brand. Published by Phaidon and organized into four sections, the monograph explores HAY’s origins (the company was founded in 2002 by husband-andwife Rolf and Mette Hay), the brand’s collaborations with international

CLAY CRAFT

Peruvian architect Caterina Moretti, founder of Mexico-based Peca Studio, is known for her dedication to authenticity in materials and processes. Working with Seattle- and Amsterdam-based design studio Graypants, Moretti has designed the ceramic-and-glass Barro pendant light, a piece made using an ancient, region-specific process that involves gathering earth to make clay that is poured into handmade plaster molds. Before firing, the clay pieces are hand-burnished with a smooth stone to achieve an iridescent color and smooth feel. During firing, a process known as reduction of atmosphere takes place: At a specific moment, the kiln vents are closed to reduce the amount of oxygen inside, generating a chemical reaction that turns the clay a deep black hue.

designers and architects, and how the brand earned global acclaim for a new, creative generation. Featuring a foreword by Nike’s chief design officer, John Hoke III, essays from various designworld luminaries, and an illustrated timeline of milestones and key collabo rations, the volume presents the most comprehensive look at HAY to date.

SERIOUS FUN

Earlier this year, AZ Factory, the Paris-based fashion label launched in 2019 by the late Alber Elbaz, tapped South African designer Thebe Magugu as its first guest designer. The first part of the resulting collection, Intersection, was released in June, with the second half set to drop in September. The garments mix elegant craftsmanship with daring form, highlighting a new era of African couture. Putting a premium on collaboration, AZ Factory connected Magugu with Parisbased Algerian artist Chafik Cheriet, and the latter created prints that appear on key items in the collection. With signature details that mark Magugu’s work—pleated skirts, bold colors, eye-catching patterns—Intersection exudes a playfulness that reminds us that serious fashion can be serious fun. »

FIRST LOOK

VANITY AFFAIR

Midwest brands Room & Board and Cambria are expanding their ongoing collaboration with a line of bathroom vanities and a stateof-the-art wine cabinet. Called the Amherst cabinet, the latter is an artisan-crafted unit that comes in multiple sizes (including a kitchen island option) and is outfitted with refrigeration from True Residential. All pieces are topped with Cambria quartz surfaces.

—Rachel Gallaher h

ONE-STOP SHOP

Over the summer, as people returned to their offices and Seattle’s downtown core flourished with increased activity, a new mixed-purpose, design-forward destination opened just blocks from the waterfront. Called the Shop and opened by Porter (a work and multifamily space solutions company), the 4,000-square-foot space combines a commercial interiors showroom, retail, a lounge, design lab, rentable meeting spaces, and a full-service café. “We believe that welcoming, hospitable environments foster meaningful relationships that last,” says Kyle Haakenson, a co-founder of Porter and the Shop. “We also recognize that the workplace has changed forever.” Designed by Graham Baba Architects, the Shop features furniture, lighting, and accessories by brands including Carl Hansen, Steelcase, Uhuru, and Moooi, and also showcases products from established and emerging independent makers, with an emphasis on BIPOC artisans.

KEVIN SCOTT; COURTESY ROOM & BOARD

DREAM, DESIGN, BUILD

Designed to exceed industry performance standards, Marvin windows, doors, and skylights bring a sense of comfort into every room, and our thoughtful features and unsurpassed design flexibility will support you in your efforts to create that exceptional space and truly inspiring experience.

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©2022 Marvin Lumber and Cedar Co., LLC. All rights reserved. ®Registered trademark of Marvin Lumber and Cedar Co., LLC.

fieldworksconcrete.com

Architecture: Chadbourne + Doss Concrete: Fieldworks Custom Concrete

Photo: Kevin Scott

DESIGN DNA

The concepts and creatives shaping our lives.

JESSE FROHMAN

Landscape designer and artist Maya Lin.

BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING

GRAY celebrates the accomplishments of five women who forever altered the design industry.

By Lauren Gallow

Pick up any design history book published in the last 50 years, and chances are it will poorly represent a key segment of the world’s population: women. Even though the dominant narra tives of history have traditionally focused on men, it doesn’t mean that women have been absent from the design profession over the last century. Far from it.

Around the world and through the decades, female-identifying creators in the disciplines of architecture, fashion, landscape, interior design, and product design have led major developments in their fields, charting courses defined by groundbreaking innovation and thoughtful humanity. Although often overlooked or disregarded, the contributions of women to the built and material culture that defines our lives are undisputed.

As women fought (and continue to battle) for equal rights and acceptance in society, we are reminded that representation matters.

Celebrating and elevating female voices has a profound impact on defining social norms and shaping a world that is inclusive and safe for everyone. Although we still have far to go in achieving gender equality in the workplace and the world at large, these five female trailblazers demonstrate that when it comes to design, women have long been a force to be reckoned with. »

JOHNSON PUBLISHING COMPANY ARCHIVE. COURTESY J. PAUL GETTY TRUST AND SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE; MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FORD FOUNDATION, J. PAUL GETTY TRUST, JOHN D. AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION, THE ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION, AND SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

This portrait of fashion designer Ann Lowe appeared in the December 1966 issue of Ebony magazine with the following caption, “Telephone is key to business for Miss Lowe. It is difficult for her to travel unescorted, since battle to preserve sight has been as great as financial struggle. She orders fabrics by phone, chats with clients and dickers with trade people.”

ELSIE DE WOLFE

“Who rides a tiger can never descend.” With this bold declaration emblazoned on one of her signature needlepoint cushions, Elsie de Wolfe fearlessly charted a path for the multihyphenate woman creative: one who masters many fields of art and design. Never one to be put in a box, de Wolfe was an actress, author, and socialite, but is perhaps best known as America’s first interior decorator—a field she herself is credited with inventing.

Born in New York City in 1865, de Wolfe was a product of the Victorian era, which prescribed interiors furnished with heavy fabrics and dark, stuffy, ornate decorations.

A self-proclaimed rebel, de Wolfe splashed onto the scene with a call for interiors defined by simplicity and proportion. She outlined her

proclivities for light colors, mirrors, painted furniture, and chintz (the printed cotton often seen in English country houses) in her best-selling 1913 book, The House in Good Taste, which envisioned the home as a medium for personal expression—a shocking stance at the time.

Today, de Wolfe’s legacy lives on, as does her European-influenced style, which often mixed antiques with modern finishes and fabrics— an approach still embraced by interior designers the world over. Perhaps even more everlasting is de Wolfe’s fearless embrace and cultivation of her own personal taste—and, by extension, that of her followers. As she put it, “After all, what surer guarantee can there be of a person’s character, natural and cultivated, inherent and inherited, than taste?” »

THIS PAGE: Elsie de Wolfe is often credited with inventing the field of interior design.

OPPOSITE: Villa Trianon, de Wolfe’s French residence.

DESIGN DNA

BACKGROUND CHECK

THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: An image from de Wolfe’s 1913 book The House in Good Taste illustrates the use of simplicity in design. A garden tent at Villa Trianon. OPPOSITE: Another image from de Wolfe’s 1913 book The House in Good Taste

A self-proclaimed rebel, de Wolfe splashed onto the scene with a call for interiors defined by simplicity and proportion.

EILEEN GRAY

For women designers of the Modern Movement (which emerged during the first half of the 20th century), coping with the rebukes of male designers and critics was common place. Architect, interiors, and furniture designer Eileen Gray experienced this hostility firsthand, as Le Corbusier, one of the leading male modernists, openly admitted to vandalizing her best-known architectural work, a seaside villa in France called E-1027. Nevertheless, Gray found acclaim in her lifetime, and today is regarded as one of the pioneers of modernism.

Born in Ireland in 1878, Gray spent her childhood living between there and London. Originally a student of painting and drawing at schools across Europe, Gray eventually turned her attention to more functional artistic pursuits,

driven by her interest in the East Asian craft of lacquer. After training with the Japanese lacquer master Seizo Sugawara, Gray quickly developed her own technique, which she applied to screens, panels, and cabinets.

Along the way, Gray experimented with fabric and carpet design, and her abstract, geometric rug patterns continue to be favorites among design aficionados, along with her iconic chair and lighting designs, many of which are still in pro duction today. Her use of chrome, steel tubes, and glass in furniture was revolutionary, although male designers of the era often received more attention for working with these materials. For Gray, the point was to continue experimenting and expressing, no matter the resistance she faced. »

IMAGES SUPPLIED BY ARAM, HOLDER OF THE WORLDWIDE LICENSE FOR EILEEN GRAY PRODUCTS.

THIS PAGE: Architect, interiors, and furniture designer Eileen Gray. OPPOSITE: Gray’s Non Conformist chair.

IMAGES SUPPLIED BY ARAM, HOLDER OF THE WORLDWIDE LICENSE FOR EILEEN GRAY PRODUCTS.

DESIGN

BACKGROUND CHECK

THIS PAGE: Modernist furniture and accessories designed by Eileen Gray. OPPOSITE: The Bibendum chair, E1027 table, Roquebrune rug, and Tube lamp.

IMAGES SUPPLIED BY ARAM, HOLDER OF THE WORLDWIDE LICENSE FOR EILEEN GRAY PRODUCTS.

IMAGES SUPPLIED BY ARAM, HOLDER OF THE WORLDWIDE LICENSE FOR EILEEN GRAY PRODUCTS.

When Italian-born architect Lina Bo Bardi moved to Brazil in 1946, she brought her progressive politics and tenacious work ethic to her new home country, along with a modern aesthetic that prioritized raw materials and efficient solutions. Working across mediums, and dab bling in scenography, illustration, furniture design, curation, and editing, Bo Bardi wholeheartedly embraced the potential of design to bring people together.

Among Bo Bardi’s most influential buildings is the São Paulo Museum of Art (also known as MASP).

Completed in 1968, it is a massive building suspended over a 70-meterlong public plaza. An expression of what Bo Bardi called “Rationalfunctional simplicity,” the museum

is intentionally anti-pretentious, relying on the simple expression of glass and concrete and a bright pop of color to convey a feeling of monumentality. For her, architecture was a social art, most powerful when it was advancing society in a collective, accessible way.

Bo Bardi’s recognition continues to grow, even after her death, and in 2021 she was awarded the Special Golden Lion for Lifetime Achieve ment award at the Venice Biennale of Architecture. Hashim Sarkis, the biennale’s curator, put it best when he noted her efforts to tap into the collective consciousness of her community: “Her career … reminds us of the role of the architect as a convener and importantly, as the builder of collective visions.” »

LINA BO BARDI

THIS PAGE: Architect Lina Bo Bardi.

OPPOSITE: Bo Bardi designed the Glass House, in São Paulo as a gathering place for artists, and as her own home.

COURTESY INSTITUTO BARDI

DESIGN DNA

BACKGROUND CHECK

The São Paulo Musuem of Art, designed by Bo Bardi.

BACKGROUND

ANN LOWE

Fifty yards of ivory-colored silk taffeta, an intricately pleated bodice with a sharply defined portrait neckline, and a cascading train of folds and rosettes. These elements, along with hundreds of hours of labor, went into the wedding dress that designer Ann Lowe crafted for Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, the woman who would soon be Jackie Kennedy. While the future first lady went on to become a fashion icon, Lowe did not receive any public credit for the dress until many years later.

Working in New York during the mid-20th century, Lowe was highly sought after among the city’s social elite. The first African American fashion designer to open a store on Madison Avenue, she operated several gown shops and couture salons in New York over her lifetime,

including three on the famed fash ion retail strip—and her undisputed sewing skills and opulent designs made her an in-demand couturier through the 1970s.

Lowe’s regal, fairy-tale gowns appeared in magazines including Vogue and Vanity Fair, and she regularly received commissions from high-end stores like Neiman Marcus and Montaldo’s. The decora tive flowers on many of her dresses became her calling card—a detail Lowe developed while growing up in Alabama, where she would sew small blooms that mimicked the ones she saw in her family’s garden. The flower also signifies something of Lowe’s story as a designer: some times in bloom, sometimes dormant, but always striving toward beauty. »

THIS PAGE: A shot of Ann Lowe from the December 1966 issue of Ebony magazine with the following caption, “Ann Lowe puts finishing touches on debut dress for Alberta Wangeman, whose father is the executive vice-pres ident of Hilton Hotel Corp.” OPPOSITE: Lowe photographed in her New York atelier in 1966 with model Judith Palmer.

JOHNSON PUBLISHING COMPANY ARCHIVE. COURTESY J. PAUL GETTY TRUST AND SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE; MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FORD FOUNDATION, J. PAUL GETTY TRUST, JOHN D. AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION, THE ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION, AND SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

JOHNSON PUBLISHING COMPANY ARCHIVE. COURTESY J. PAUL GETTY TRUST AND SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE; MADE POSSIBLE BY

THE FORD FOUNDATION, J. PAUL GETTY TRUST, JOHN D. AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION, THE ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION, AND SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

BACKGROUND

When it was revealed that Maya Lin—a 21-year-old, first-generation Chinese American woman—won the blind design competition for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., controversy erupted. In addition to her identity, critics decried her minimalist, abstract design as unfit for such a significant memorial. Holding steadfast to her winning design, even after being forced to defend it before the U.S. Congress, Lin would go on to become regarded as one of the world’s foremost landscape designers and artists, with the 1982 Vietnam Veterans Memorial upheld as one of the most powerful commemorative

MAYA

monuments in the world. Born in Athens, Ohio, Lin has built a career spanning the fields of architecture and art, creating large-scale environmental instal lations, studio art, buildings, and memorials. Her work quietly reveals big truths that ripple just beneath the surface of our physical world, asking viewers and users to pause and contemplate the threads that connect us to something deeper, and the paradoxes that define our lived experience. “I’m drawn to things that have a slight ambivalence, or they’re of two minds, so an ebb and flow seems natural,” Lin explains. Today, Lin continues her work on architectural design and art installations alongside a growing environmental activism practice. Currently, she is completing a new outdoor sculptural fountain for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Whether advocating for urgent climate change action or encouraging slow inner contempla tion, Lin strives to move people. “I hope I’m doing something that gets people to take a pause,” she says. “Now is the time to really lean in and do something.” »

THIS PAGE: Landscape designer and artist Maya Lin. OPPOSITE: The Lin-designed Riggio-Lynch Interfaith Chapel in Clinton, Tennessee.

DESIGN

BACKGROUND CHECK

The Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research Cambridge Campus. The project was designed by Lin Studio with Bialosky + Partners Architects. h

DESIGN DNA

ON THE RISE

Chicago-based design studio Refractory debuted its first furniture and accessories collection in Milan this past June. The studio’s installation, Holotype, was part of Alcova, the independent, roving design showcase that took place on the grounds of an abandoned military hospital for the second year in a row.

material world

Refractory design studio debuts its collection with an installation rooted in the spirit of the American frontier.

By Michael Wilson Photographed by Jonathan Allen

ON THE RISE

t was difficult and intimidating— the space was windowless, dark, and dilapidated—and we were halfway around the world, so we couldn’t even visit. We had to take a leap of faith.” Angie West—who, along with Alberto Vélez, cofounded the Chicago-based design studio Refractory in the fall of 2021—is describing the firm’s striking presentation for independent design platform Alcova at Milan Design Week this past June. “We felt that the display needed to be multisensory,” she continues, “not just focused on sight, but also on scent and sound. We [tapped into] imagery of the [American] frontier—of a place that can look otherworldly—by coating the walls in turmeric, so you walked into this yellow concrete cocoon. And we had Ry Cooder’s theme from Paris, Texas echoing around the space.”

The installation, Holotype, which also incorporated ethereal images by Austin-based photographer and doc umentarian Sarah Wilson, presented some 20,000 visitors with a heady mix of sensory experience and rich thematic context. It transformed the unusual setting of an abandoned former military psychiatric facility

into a memorable showcase for Refractory’s debut, 40-piece collec tion of furniture and accessories. Anchor pieces include the cast-bronze Tributary dining table and circular upholstered Ammonite ottoman, while sculptural lighting and objects (the cast-resin Cofre box doubles as an incense holder) provide smaller-scale interpretations of the studio’s industrial-forward design.

“I was skeptical all the way through to the end,” Vélez says with a laugh. “But the whole thing really came together, the combination of this strange space with a hint of the American West. One of the best parts was that we had a seriously powerful spotlight pointed straight at the entrance, so when people came in, it was like they were walk ing into punishing sun.”

Vélez and West are well-positioned to pursue work with an emphasis on crafted materials. West is the founder of West Supply, a foundry and glassworks studio that now functions as Refractory’s production partner and sister company. Vélez benefits from time spent working in the mill work, custom, and licensed design divisions of New York design firm

Studio Sofield. The partners first met at another venerable studio, Chicago’s Holly Hunt, and formed Refractory years after leaving the firm. “When the pandemic hit, Alberto called,” West says. “We started meeting in the summer of 2020. We could see that there was going to be a significant pause in the field—a chunk of time that we wouldn’t normally have—and we hoped that in the middle of a night mare, we could find a silver lining.”

Holotype reflected Refractory’s ongoing interest in “frontier aes thetics,” and conveyed Vélez and West’s strong belief in the potential of unexpected collaboration. It also underscored the significance to their practice of the natural process of wear and tear, and the memories and histories to which such decay is often linked. Conveyed in part through subtleties of texture, this focus has an appeal that many of the duo’s contemporaries fail to consider. “Cast-bronze work can look precious and untouchable in a showroom,” West reflects. “We want our work to be the opposite of that; it’s meant to be touched and lived with.” »

FROM LEFT: A cast-bronze Loma console sits in the ivy-lined walkway leading to Holotype. The Promontory dining table in the Holotype exhibition. A cluster of Promontory standing lamps.

DESIGN DNA

ON THE RISE

In addition to Refractory’s furniture and accessories, Holotype included textiles and a video installation featuring images by Austin-based photographer and documentarian Sarah Wilson. h

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

Meet five independent designers leaving their mark on the fashion landscape while staying true to their roots.

By Shyam Patel

FASHION

A look from fashion label Lùchen’s Fall/Winter 2022 runway show.

What makes an emerging designer noteworthy? The ability to break through social media and retail clutter with decisiveness and clarity is a good start. Too often, heavily PR’d fashion speak and gimmicky marketing rise above those with a real point of view. Fortunately, a cohort of spirited up-and-comers are drowning out the noise and cementing their place in an industry in need of change— and good taste. With community, curiosity, identity, and unwavering convictions at the forefront of their practices, these five designers are challenging convention without losing sight of what’s important— being true to oneself.

KINGSLEY GBADEGESIN

Nightlife and activism go hand in hand for queer communities. For first-generation Nigerian-Amer ican designer Kingsley Gbadegesin, the vibrant crossover of celebration, protest, and community organizing gave way to a distinct design perspective. The 29-year-old’s label, K.NGSLEY, launched in late 2020 with a collection of seductive tank tops dubbed Collection 0: BQ Essentials (BQ as in “butch queen,” for those wondering). Striking a balance between sensuality and strength, the much-coveted capsule was inspired by a tank top the New York–based designer skillfully cut up for a night out. Since then, he’s launched a ready-to-wear line complete with playful jewelry that takes the shape of PrEP pills and a refined version of combat boots that teeters between fashion and fetish. Defined by unconventional cutouts, sensible »

Launched online during the pandemic, designer Kingsley Gbadegesin’s K.NGSLEY label presented its first live runway show in New York this year. INSET: Designer Kingsley Gbadegesin.

DESIGN DNA

FASHION

Conner Ives’ Autumn/Winter 2022 collection, Hudson River School, taps into Y2K fashion nostalgia. INSET: Designer Conner Ives.

DANI MAIRANO; COURTESY CONNER IVES

Cynthia Merhej’s label, Renaissance Renaissance, is a celebration of women-led couture. A look from the Fall/Winter 2022 La Douceur collection effuses bold femininity. INSET: Designer Cynthia Merhej.

PHIL ENGELHARDT; COURTESY RENAISSANCE RENAISSANCE

FASHION

yet elevated materials, and the restructuring of familiar silhouettes, K.NGSLEY is about more than party clothes or cheeky accessories. With an aesthetic rooted in the Ballroom Scene (an African-American and Latinx underground LGBTQ+ subculture that originated in New York during the 1990s) and the Black Lives Matter movement, Gbadegesin has captured the world around him while advocating for Black, queer, femme, and trans people to reclaim and redefine their bodies. Although stockists including Moda Operandi and Nordstrom— and celebrities like Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow, and Issa Rae—have enhanced the brand’s visibility, community remains at the heart of Gbadegesin’s work. It’s partly why there’s no “I” in K.NGSLEY; as Gbadegesin puts it, “it’s for the girls.”

Couture production and design development happens at a new Beirut atelier with the help of her mother and a seamstress, Nona, while the ready-to-wear line is produced at a small, ethically run factory in Italy. The label is all about duality. Structured tailoring meets frothy ruched tulle, cinched waists are flanked by ballooning sleeves, and decadence is tempered by pragmatism. It all reflects the push and pull between Merhej’s penchant for experimentation and the tradi tional techniques she learned from her mother. A former illustrator, Merhej finds purpose in creating garments that stand the test of time while reducing waste by using off cuts and deadstock materials for her couture pieces. Although her couture looks to the future, it’s also guided by her familial legacy. To this day,

blueprints for her ready-to-wear line. Rooted in meticulous craftsmanship and fueled by the courage to dream, her design practice recognizes the instability that comes with change, examines the contrast between physical experience and mental perception, and questions designers’ inclination to let the shape of the body lead. The resulting silhouettes are not easily digestible. Chens are concepts one must chew on: de-and-recon structed suiting, outerwear enveloped in overwhelming layers of chiffon, a teardrop evening gown that refuses to conform to one’s legs, and unfin ished dresses still attached to a bolt of fabric. There’s a palpable tension between tailoring and draping, and a bias for muddied identities over clean-cut archetypes. Within a year of launching Lùchen, this cerebral designer has quickly built a strong case for taking on big ideas.

CONNER IVES

CYNTHIA MERHEJ

The female couturier is a rarity. While the maisons of Paris have always depended on the petite mains and vendeuses, male designers have by and large directed the vision. Across the Mediterranean, Cynthia Merhej had a different experience growing up in the Beirut atelier of her mother, Laura. An unpretentious environment where quality was paramount, the studio was a place where women of all shapes, sizes, and socioeconomic backgrounds came to feel seen. Now, following in the footsteps of her great-grandmother (also a designer) and mother, Merhej continues the legacy of women-led couture with her label, Renaissance Renaissance.

Laura’s former clients return to seek her guidance on reworking previous designs for life’s next chapter. And it’s that same emotional connection and know-how that Merhej is bring ing to a new generation of clients.

LU CHEN

To most of the fashion industry, time is best spent feeding a manic production cycle in hopes of rapid growth. In contrast, Parsons graduate Lu Chen carefully considers the passage of time and its relationship to the body. Last fall, the New York–based designer launched her name sake collection with a caveat: None of its garments were for sale. Instead, Chen’s conceptual creations served as

The term “Americana” is chock-full of meaning. Although it’s a deep well of inspiration, the descriptor is interpreted time and again with themes as literal as the Wild West. For New York–born, London-based designer Conner Ives, Americana is layered and almost transhistor ical. The Central Saint Martins alum harmonizes inspiration from art movements, including the mid-19th-century Hudson River School, with references to fashion films and shows like Unzipped and America’s Next Top Model. These threads are skillfully woven into his megawatt collections alongside childhood memories and allusions to female figures he grew up admiring, creating a new image of Americana— entirely personal and unbound by time. Fueled by the desire to produce more responsible clothes, the 26-year-old works primarily with deadstock fabrics and vintage garments. While tangible nostalgia that gives new life to landfill-bound materials could easily become self-serious, Ives is making sure it’s anything but. His exuberant sense of color, love of slinky silhouettes, and fearless approach to prints and off-kilter cuts are pure joy. »

“THE TERM ‘AMERICANA’ IS CHOCK-FULL OF MEANING. ALTHOUGH IT’S A DEEP WELL OF INSPIRATION, THE DESCRIPTOR IS INTERPRETED TIME AND AGAIN WITH THEMES AS LITERAL AS THE WILD WEST. FOR NEW YORK–BORN, LONDON-BASED DESIGNER CONNER IVES, AMERICANA IS LAYERED AND ALMOST TRANSHISTORICAL.”

SHYAM PATEL

It’s what earned him Rihanna’s attention (and a stint at her fashion brand, Fenty), in 2017 when he dressed Adwoa Aboah for the Met Gala. A finalist for the 2021 LVMH Prize, Ives has picked up stockists including Matches Fashion and Net-a-Porter. Ultimately, his clothes are desirable because of his genuine approach. He’s unafraid to show his passion and stand up for what he believes in—be it sustainability or archetypes from Y2K reality TV.

RACHEL SCOTT

In Plato’s Symposium, Socrates is enlightened on the doctrine of Eros by the priestess Diotima. In 2021, Jamaican-born, New York–based designer Rachel Scott launched her ready-to-wear label and named it after the Mantineian seer who put spiritual and corporeal procreation on equal footing. As the VP of design at the coveted New York label Rachel Com ey for over seven years, Scott knows a thing or two about rousing sartori al desire. At Diotima, it begins with the levity of handcrafted Jamaican crochet and the principles of tradi tional European tailoring. Shim mer and sensuality informed by dance-hall culture come up against demure, long-line silhouettes. Scott’s bold use of color complements flashes of skin and palette-cleansing shades of white. Although the collec tions are deeply striking, Diotima does more than entice the senses— it’s a nexus among the intellectual, aesthetic, and physical. A former student of French and art at New York’s Colgate University, Scott closely analyzes the complexities of race, gender, and labor in her work. Her support of craftswomen in Jamaica and New York City’s garment industry coalesces with statements on sexuality, propriety, and attraction. Through Diotima, Scott is dreaming up new ways to wear, share, and think about fashion. h

A look from Diotima’s Pre-Spring 2023 collection, Batty Jaw. INSET: Diotima founder and designer Rachel Scott. JOSH

KOLBO

CHANGEMAKER

LEADERS

BY EXAMPLE

Interior designers Kia Weatherspoon and Little Wing Lee talk about equity in design, what drives them in their practices, and what it’s like to be the only Black woman in the room.

Written and transcribed by Natalia Torija Nieto

Kia Weatherspoon and Little Wing Lee understand design’s ability to change lives. Leading human-centric practices, both interior designers approach their work with sensitivity, empathy, and political and cultural understanding about the commu nities they serve.

Weatherspoon is the founder of the interiors firm Determined by Design and the procurement-service provider Lucidity Procurement. She believes that people are at the heart of good design, and her work focuses on affordable low-income housing.

Lee’s interest in personal histories initially led her to the field of documentary filmmaking, but a summer spent at the Design Discovery landscape architecture program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design inspired a pivot to interior design. The founder of Black Folks in Design, design director at Atelier Ace (the Ace Hotel brand’s in-house creative team), and the founder and principal of design firm Studio & Projects, Lee is drawn to the multifaceted nature of design—and to its ubiquity, which makes the intention behind it so powerful.

In conversation together for the first time, Weatherspoon and Lee share their under standing of what it means to be a woman of color in an industry dominated by white men. Together with their teams, they are challenging the status quo of the archi tecture and design space by prioritizing community and diversity in their practices. Text has been edited for length and clarity. »

RHONISHA

PHOTO

Kia Weatherspoon, founder of the interiors firm Determined by Design and the procurement-service provider Lucidity Procurement. Weatherspoon was awarded Designer of the Year at the 2022 ICFF.

Little Wing Lee—founder of Black Folks in Design, design director at Atelier Ace (the Ace Hotel brand’s in-house creative team), and the founder and principal of design firm Studio & Projects—at the Ace Hotel Brooklyn, where she curated Spotlight One, the inaugural exhibition from Black Folks in Design.

KELLY MARSHALL

KIA WEATHERSPOON: For me, it was my brother being incarcerated for 15 years. [It was while visiting] prison facilities that I really started to think critically about space and its impact on people. When the space was in adequate, demoralizing, and without beauty, it affected not just me, but everyone in that space. After 9/11, I was [deployed] with the U.S. military in the Middle East at a BEAR [Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources] base and I needed some comfort and solace in a tent. So, I hung three sheets around my cot and made three sheet walls. That was the first space I ever created. It was without beauty or decoration; [it was] more about the healing component. When I got out of the military, I knew I wanted to create spaces for people.

LITTLE WING LEE: My mother always taught me to see beautiful things and people in spaces. Both my parents were part of the Black Arts Movement in Boston. Anywhere we would go,

LWL: I never thought of it as a luxury. We didn’t grow up with a lot of money. I wasn’t going to Milan on vacation; I was visiting my grandmother’s house, and she also had good taste and a very strong [aesthetic] sensibility; she collected vintage furniture and antiques. I never associated beauty with money or thought that to be in a beautiful or comfortable space, you had to spend a lot of money. Many of the spaces where I feel most at ease, or that I think are well-designed, are easy but considered. Care has been taken for those spaces. There has been thought, or some intention.

GRAY: How do you make interior design feel less exclusive?

KW: The way I learned to create a de sign concept—I’ve always focused on a concept, not a style or theme—was to search for a community story. And [at my firm], when we talk about community research, we go all the way back to who owned the land—not the site, but the land—which always means there’s an indigenous history

KW: Is shortening the term “interior design” to “design” creating ambi guity about what it is we do—and its value? Should we take greater care to call it “interior design”?

LWL: In general, architecture is always at the top. It could be a gender thing—most architects are men. Historically, I think interior design was often seen as a woman’s pro fession and given this secondary status. On projects where there’s an architect, landscape architect, inte rior designer, and lighting designer, it’s always the architect who gets top billing. It’s important to give equal credit to all of the disciplines in order to convey that it is a team of people coming together to produce a space.

GRAY: How do you find your clients?

LWL: Every project or job I’ve ever had came from a connection I’ve had with someone. Your network is extremely important.

KW: When I first started Determined by Design, we looked for partners who were Black. I knew I wanted to do work in the affordable housing space, to work in communities, and to work with people who looked like me. I wanted to build communities for my people, and I get to do that.

my mom would point out [details] and say things like, “Isn’t that interesting, the way this rug is hung on the wall?” She was very aware of our own inte rior space. I took for granted that I always grew up in beautiful spaces, and when I was in spaces that weren’t so “beautiful,” I felt uncomfortable. I tried to figure out what it was about those spaces that was off. And because of my mother, I started to notice [for example] that bad lighting can really turn a space upside down!

KW: I love this idea of your mom pointing out things that were beauti ful. Did you, at any point, think that beauty was a luxury, or just that it was everywhere?

or a history of color there. We stay hyper-focused on those narratives, and we weave them into spaces through materiality, space planning, lighting. You will never hear us say we’re a luxury design firm. We’re actually anti luxury, pro people.

LWL: [Because] interior design, or design in general, is marketed as a luxury [service], most people don’t think about how design affects their everyday lives. It affects the way you’re learning in school or the way you feel when you go to your office or to the doctor—all those [reactions are responses to] decisions that were made by a designer.

GRAY: Can interior design be used as a tool for creating radical social change?

KW: Interior design is the greatest form of empathy in practice, if we choose it. I’ve started to hear language around the term “traumainformed design.” It’s all specific to homeless populations and minorities, and it involves things like having soft seating at an entry point—but isn’t that just good design? Why would any designer not think that to welcome someone into a space, you need softness and adornment? For designers, social justice has to be about creating spaces that bring people comfort, and not about being hyper-focused on socioeconomic »

GRAY: What led you to pursue careers in the design industry?

“Interior design is the greatest form of empathy in practice, if we choose it.”

KIA WEATHERSPOON, DETERMINED BY DESIGN

RON BLUNT

TOP: Lee is working on the interiors of the forthcoming Ray Harlem development, a project in New York City that will comprise residential units, retail, and a performance space for the National Black Theatre.

ABOVE: Lee was an exhibition designer for the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

standings and demographics. This is where the diversity piece of our industry is key. If I’m a white designer working on a project in an economically challenged community and I can’t see myself in that com munity, then how can I be the best designer for it? If you can’t imagine yourself there, you can utilize empathy to ask yourself, “Is this good enough for someone from my family?” That’s how you implement design as a form of social justice.

LWL: It’s important for designers to think critically about our work and discipline. When I first started working in architecture firms, I was the only Black designer, and the other Black employee would be in a completely different department. That was one of the reasons I started Black Folks in Design, because I know these people exist; I’m friends with them! Creating your own community is a way to create social change. You need to be able to get together, have a drink, laugh over these crazy experiences, brainstorm projects, and ask for advice.

GRAY: How has the design industry evolved for Black women designers over the past 10 years?

KW: I had no real expectation of the industry curating my path for me—I always chose my path. I think certain things within our industry— like pay inequity, race, diversity—are talked about more, but unless com panies address pay inequities, they haven’t really made any real effort, it’s just lip service. That’s not to be pessimistic. If designers of color can hear the narrative that you can create your own path and possibil ity, that’s how change is going to happen.

LWL: I think you see change. Think about Crystal Williams, the new president of the Rhode Island School of Design: She’s a Black woman. Or Juan Du, the dean of design at the University of Toronto. These are major positions in respectable design institutions and these two women are directing education and what’s expected of design education—that’s huge. But as Kia said, you need to

have your own vision for yourself, and work toward representation in that way. Growing up, I’d sometimes say to my mom, “I’m the only Black person here,” and she’d be like, “OK, and what else is new?” I can’t wait for this perfect scenario in order for me to do my work and express myself. It’s rare to be in a space that is crafted for me, so I need to craft it myself. I can’t wait for the rest of the world to catch up.

KW: That’s been my greatest super power: being the only one in the room. But also, “Imma bring another one with me.” We tend to constantly perpetuate the struggle, but not celebrate it. It was good to be “the only one” because maybe I shifted the mindset of the 12 other people not of color in the room, or of the men if I was the only woman. You’re always going to be “the only one” of something—use it as your superpow er, lean into it, and start to shift the narrative ever so slowly. h

THIS PAGE: A common area in Capitol Vista, a multifamily, affordable housing complex designed by Weather spoon’s firm, Determined by Design. OPPOSITE: In addition to affordable housing, Weatherspoon has worked on hospitality projects such as Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books in Philadelphia.

COURTESY DETERMINED BY DESIGN

BODY OF WORK

GIVE ’EM HELLER

Furniture industry veteran John Edelman ushers an iconic modern design brand into the 21st century.

By Rachel Gallaher

If you attended the NYCxDESIGN or NeoCon design fairs last May, you likely encountered a cerulean 1977 Volkswagen van with four colorful Frank Gehry–designed Twist cubes on its roof rack. Whether it was partyhopping around New York’s SoHo district or making its way to Chicago’s Merchandise Mart (the site of NeoCon), the van turned heads—and made frequent stops to allow a passenger to throw open the sliding side door and hand out canvas tote bags emblazoned with a single word: Heller. At the wheel was John Edelman, who had recently purchased the company (in collab oration with business partner John McPhee) and currently serves as its president and CEO.

Known for his outsize personality, innovative approach to marketing, and genuine passion for design, Edelman has been an industry fixture for many years, and is most widely known for his former role as CEO at Design Within Reach, which Edelman and McPhee purchased in 2009 (he stepped down in 2018 after a decade at the helm).

Within weeks of the Design Within Reach purchase, Edelman first met Alan Heller, founder of the namesake furniture and housewares brand. Heller was suing Design Within Reach for producing a knockoff of his popular Mario Bellini chair, and Edelman went to New York City to meet with him in person. The two found common ground, including a strict adherence to authen ticity (Design Within Reach released the knockoff before Edelman had purchased the company), and soon became close friends.

“Even while I was at DWR, I was always trying to get Alan to grow his business,” Edelman says. “We’d have these long, three-hour lunches, and I’d give him 15 ideas for how to grow his business. He’d tell me to go jump in a lake. He had his own way of doing things.”

Founded in late 1971, Heller is known for manufacturing affordable

modern furniture and homewares by some of the world’s most revered designers. The company’s first product, the Massimo Vignelli–designed Hellerware—stackable plastic dinnerware that came in an array of colors—was an out-of-the-gate hit that would become synonymous with the era. Over the ensuing decades, Heller produced pieces by Frank Gehry, Mario Bellini, Philippe Starck, and others. By the time Alan Heller died in 2021, the company had entered the echelon of iconic design, but needed guidance to succeed in a contemporary, crowded, and tech-driven market. Edelman, who had retained a close friendship with Heller, was ready to step in.

“From that first meeting with Alan, I knew I wanted to buy the Heller brand,” Edelman says. “True modern design, which is what Heller is, is timeless. We’re offering pieces at price points that allow people to own true modern design and hopefully dis courage the purchase of knockoffs.”

One of Edelman’s first ventures with Heller was to create an e-commerce site and get the word out about the revival of the brand via social media. The brand used the cheeky hashtag #HellerOn Wheels to promote the blue bus as it traveled around New York City and Chicago. Next, Edelman plans to focus on product. Hellerware will return this fall, along with several archival products. The company is currently working with Mario and Claudio Bel lini on a new collection, and although he won’t elaborate, Edelman is keen to develop fresh products with emerging designers. “We’re currently working with two young designers on brandnew pieces,” he says. “We hope to be able to offer those by mid-2023.”

With Edelman at the helm, Heller is poised to make a significant comeback with an expanding collection and increased inventory. “The foundation that Alan created was legitimate and au thentic,” Edelman says. “I know we can succeed if we keep building off that.” h

The Bellini chair, designed in 1998 by Italian architect and designer Mario Bellini for Heller, is an icon of modern design. In 2001, the piece received the Compasso d’Oro, Italy’s most prestigious design award. With the revival of Heller, the Bellini line is set to expand in 2023.

TOP: An Enzo Mari gorilla print hangs over a custom mohair-and-leather banquette.

BOTTOM: A sliding, etchedglass partition replaced a wall in the kitchen. When the partition is slid open, a black marble counter serves as a bar top and work surface.

DESIGN

SURFACE LEVEL

By Rachel Gallaher

Simple lines and textural surfaces drew us to these two kitchens— one in Paris and one in New York. The latter (shown on this spread), designed by Michael K. Chen Archi tecture, is located in a pre-war Park Avenue apartment. Working with a single window as the only natural light source, Chen relied on high contrast materials—glossy threedimensional tile from Ann Sacks and iridescent wallpaper from Flat Vernacular—to bounce light around the room. Dark cabinetry provides contrast, while an Enzo Mari gorilla print, flanked by Erich Ginder Studio sconces, adds personality. The French kitchen (on the following page) is the work of Pierre LaCroix. Its vintage vibe comes from tinted oak cabinets, a Paonazzetto marble back splash, and geometric-patterned marble flooring. Jean Prouvé chairs flank a custom table designed by Pierre LaCroix, and the overhead pendant is by Rose Uniacke. »

KITCHEN + BATH

THE KITCHEN OF A NEW YORK APARTMENT DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT MICHAEL K. CHEN KEEPS THINGS SIMPLE WITH A STREAMLINED LAYOUT AND A BLACK-AND-WHITE PALETTE.

KITCHEN + BATH

UNIQUE MARBLE ENHANCES A PARIS KITCHEN DESIGNED BY PIERRE LACROIX. MINIMAL, MODERN DÉCOR BALANCES THE PATTERNED COUNTERTOPS AND FLOORING.

Known for creating elegant interiors—most of which are done up in tones of cream, gray, white, and beige—Noa Santos is anything but neutral. For this bathroom, the founder of architecture and interior design firm Nainoa took natural

materials—wood, marble—and made them grand. Minimalist details including a deep marble sink and singular pendant light keep things contemporary, while light-hued millwork imbues the space with a spa-like calm. h

GENESIS

LIFE STYLING

Wardrobe styling agency Cuniform steps out of the closet to offer full-service interior design.

By Rachel Gallaher Photographed by Ben Lindbloom

The COVID-19 pandemic may have put most people’s plans on hold, but for Colton Dixon Winger, co-founder and CEO of Seattle’s Cuniform wardrobe and interiors styling agency, the global shutdown accelerated the timeline for a plan to expand his business. That’s not to say that Cuniform didn’t feel the sting of the pandemic—the bulk of its services involve spending hours on end in clients’ closets—but when faced with the choice to evolve or shut down, a pivot was necessary. Winger started by introducing an e-commerce site offering high-end secondhand clothing and accessories, and at the end of 2020, he launched Cuniform Interiors—a home styling and fullscale interior design studio—an idea that had been simmering since 2019.

“The original plan was to start offering interiors services in the fall of 2021,” Winger says, “but we were at a point where we needed to supplement revenue one way or another, and it was something I had wanted to do for quite a while.”

Before launching Cuniform Interiors, Winger had helped several of his wardrobe clients style spaces in their homes. These first underthe-radar projects evolved out of regular clothes-focused styling visits, during which a client would ask Winger’s opinion about a room or a piece of furniture.

“I’ve always been interested in architecture and designing spaces,” he says. “I love seeing how a change in [clothing] style can affect the way someone moves through their everyday life, and interiors seemed like the next step in that.”

In June 2020, Cuniform opened a showroom in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, just as lockdown-weary homeowners were yearning to rede sign and renovate their spaces.

In August 2021, Winger brought on Bethanie Jones as Cuniform’s head of design. Jones has a back

ground in architecture and art— she spent five years at DLR Group working on justice and civic, K-12, and workplace projects—and advocates for the environment through thoughtful sourcing and by supporting local businesses and makers who consider their environ mental impact.

“It’s really important to us that we’re doing responsible work and not just jumping on the greenwash ing bandwagon,” she says. “We try to be careful, aware, and transparent with our clients about where things come from, how they are made, and what that means in a larger environ mental sense.”

Jones and Winger are advocates of sourcing what they call “pre-loved” furniture—secondhand and vintage items that often last longer and are made from higher-quality materials than mass-manufactured products. Incorporating repurposed pieces into their projects helps eliminate waste by preventing items from ending up in the landfill and by not adding to the demand for fast

furniture, which is often manufac tured using methods that harm the environment. They also offer interior styling services—think of it as a res idential refresh that doesn’t include costly construction bills.

“I like the challenge of working with what people already have,” Winger says. “Similar to working with someone’s wardrobe, their home is so personal, and each project offers a completely different perspective.”

Cuniform has completed resi dential projects in California, New York, and Seattle, and has also ventured into commercial building design, with two hair salons and a photography and creative studio slated for completion later this year.

“It’s special to work with all client types,” Jones adds. “We don’t cater to a specific type of client; we meet everyone where they are in that moment in their lives.” h

The owner of this renovated midcentury house in Seattle hired Cuniform to outfit the interiors. Almost all of the furniture and décor is recycled, including the 300-pound bamboo dining table and the L-shaped Milo Baughman sofa in the living room.

“IT’S IMPORTANT TO US TO HELP MAINTAIN THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY BY WORKING WITH LOCAL MAKERS. ANY TIME WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE MADE OR SUPPLIED BY AN INDEPENDENT DESIGNER, WE REACH OUT TO THEM.”

—BETHANIE JONES, CUNIFORM

THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE:

A roundup of the latest furnishings.

By Rachel Gallaher

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

GLASS

The Luce Orizzontale, a sculptural glass light fixture designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Flos, is inspired by a previous bespoke installation by the French designers at the Bourse de Commerce art museum in Paris. The pendant is modular—glass cylinders rest on a polished aluminum bar—and the Bouroullecs played with the reflection of light on the cast-glass elements. flos.com

A producer of glass furniture since the 1980s, Tonelli has been collaborating with international designers for more than 30 years. The Opalina vanity, by Italian designer Cristina Celestino, is a fresh take on the classic dressing table and is available in smoked or extra-clear glass. tonellidesign.com

Presented at this year’s Salone del Mobile, Fantini’s latest offerings cel ebrate Italy’s glassmaking heritage. Designed by Matteo Thun and Anto nio Rodriguez in collaboration with Venini, the Venezia series of Murano glass handles comes in multiple tex tures, patterns, and colors. fantini.it

Seemingly inspired by the work of American artist Donald Judd (both in name and form), the Donald table, designed by Philippe Starck for Glas Italia, is a minimalist’s dream. The base is made from a mirror-polished stainless-steel plate and topped with a rectangular slab of black or orange colored glass. glasitalia.com

Please let there still be tickets available to the GRAY Awards Party.

An icon of modern furniture design, the Panton chair was the first one-piece canti levered plastic chair ever produced. Swiss furniture manufacturer Vitra worked closely with the family of the late Verner Panton (the chair’s designer and eponym) to launch a limited-edition set of five two-tone Panton Duo chairs, available exclusively through the MoMA Design Store. store.moma.org

In celebration of its 110th anniversary, the Italian design brand Poltrona Frau partnered with Argentinian visual artist Felipe Pantone on a limited-edition collabo ration. Rethinking the look of the company’s Archibald chair, Pantone created a colorful gradient pattern that resembles the cool and warm temperatures on a heat map. poltronafrau.com

Celebrating a turning point in artist Henri Matisse’s career (in 1941, he started experimenting with a new technique: paper cutouts), Fold is a limited-edition series of geometric lights imagined by Italian design duo Formafantasma. The first-ever lighting designs from Maison Matisse come in pendant, sconce, and floor lamp options. maison-matisse.com

Bohinc Studio’s Peaches collection, which celebrates the female form, includes the Big Girl chair, a surrealist delight that comes in bright red or pale pink. Handmade in a North London upholstery shop, each piece in the collection is, according to designer Laura Bohinc, “a pure and unabashed celebra tion of femininity and the female form, celebrating every curvy, voluptuous, and fleshy detail.” bohincstudio.com

Another Salone del Mobile debut, the Loop chair, designed by India Mahdavi for Gebrüder Thonet Vienna, is a playful rendition of the classic armchair. gebruderthonetvienna.com

Ahead of the Curve

Introducing Curve: the latest generation of modular sofas from Resource Furniture. A sinuous silhouette defies traditional linear design, embracing soft edges and creating an aura of comfort and warmth. Movable backrest cushions can be endlessly rearranged into any seating arrangement.

Future Fossils is a collection of new works by Canadian designer Simon Johns. The interior nooks of Cabinet 1, made from gypsum cement and hand-polished aluminum, are finished in the collection’s signature texture, an exploration of positive and negative space. simonjohns.com

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

Home furnishings brand Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams has introduced its first line of 100-percent organic linen bedding. One of the few brands worldwide to offer Global Organic Textile Standard linen, MG+BW has collaborated with the world’s premier producer of artisanal linens, based in Guim araes, Portugal. mgbwhome.com

Marrying industrial toughness with refined details, the Steel bed from Lago is a versatile piece with a headboard that comes in different sizes and finishes for a personalized look. lago.it

The recently released Wave marble sink marks the first collaboration between Antoniolupi and husbandand-wife Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas of the architecture studio Fuksas. The light and sculptural freestanding sink, made from Carrara marble, evokes a thin, bent sheet of paper. antoniolupi.it

The Pipelines console, designed by Amsterdam-based creative collective BCXSY for Mogg, is the epitome of industrial elegance. mogg.it

Formed in 2020 by two creative sisters, Studio Ayumiya made its formal debut at this year’s International Contempo rary Furniture Fair + WantedDesign Manhattan. The Artifact lamp, which the duo presented along with a set of rugs, is a sand-cast, hand-poured, sculptural sconce. The air bubbles, lumps, and stretch marks in the glass were pre served as a metaphor for strength amidst struggles. ayumiya.com

New from architect Alessandro Di Prisco for Mogg, the Talk chair comprises three components, each orig inating from the same shape. The upholstered, geometric piece brings interesting lines to interior settings. mogg.it

Designed by Daniel Orozco Estudio, the Original furniture and accessories is a celebration of materiality. Made by Mexican artisans, each lamp, stool, table, and art object exudes a sense of elegance grounded by hands-on craftsmanship. danielorozcoestudio.com

Making its debut in a Salone del Mobile exhibition space designed by Lorenza Bozzoli, the Thumb lounge chair (also designed by Bozzoli) delivers big style in a little package. Designed to be used as a chair, Thumb can transform into a small sofa by the easy connection of one or more pieces. fratelliboffi.it

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

SMALL SPACE

No matter the size of your cookspace, the Base modular kitchen system from Kettal is designed to fit. The aluminum supporting frame can be paired with several stoneware modules in various combinations, and there are options for integrated burners or a gas barbecue. kettal.com

The new Kvadrat/ Raf Simons Shaker System is the chicest way to sort your things. Fashion designer Raf Simons created the wall-mounted storage system— anchored by a horizontal bar from which various receptacles hang— that can be tailored to an individual’s needs. kvadrat.dk

Italian design firm Dainelli Studio created the decorative Bilbao table collection for Mogg. Characterized by soft lines and simple shapes, the tables can be arranged to create stylish archi pelagos of surface space or used individually in smaller rooms. mogg.it

Over the past two years, working from home has become a permanent arrangement for many people around the globe. For those looking to create a dedicated workspace, the Franny system, designed by Elisa Ossino Studio for Dieffebi, includes a desk with built-in storage, a sound-absorbing back panel (available in three shapes), and a padded stool. dieffebi.com

NEUTRALS

In the late 1960s, rattan furniture manufacturer Pierantonio Bonacina commissioned Italian designer Joe Colombo to design the Basket collection. It was an unusual move for Colombo, who was known for his futuristic style and love of synthetic materials. Now, decades after its discontinuation, the Basket collection is making its comeback through Scandi navian design brand GUBI. gubi.com

Designed by Jamie McLellan (vice president of the popular Allbirds footwear company) for New Zealand furniture brand Resident, the Plane table (the round version is shown here) is an altar-like assemblage held together with clever engineering. resident.co.nz

Add some dimension to your interiors with the handcrafted Squiggle mirror from CAM Design. Founded by Christopher Miano, the Union City, New Jersey–based design and manufacturing studio adheres to traditional woodworking practices. chrismiano.com

Conceived by Note Design Studio for Zilio A&C, the Arkad seating collection is highly flexible—pieces work as standalone poufs or combine to form a sculptural seating solution. zilioaldo.it

The multi-award-winning Eye dining chair from Ethnicraft gets its name from the piece’s curved backrest, which is remi niscent of a winking eye. ethnicraft.com

Embracing the whimsical side of Moooi, designer Cristina Celestino envisioned a contemporary twist on the classic chaise lounge for the brand. With two sculptural backrests, the Aldora sofa is perfect for a laid-back tête-à-tête. moooi.com

Murano-born multidisciplinary designer Luca Nichetto, whose work blends the boldness of Italian design with a Scandinavian sensibility, is a longtime supporter of heritage craftsmanship.

FEATURES

Better than one: designers working together to accomplish big goals.

MORGAN NORMAN

COMMUNITY CRUSADER

Luca Nichetto—one of the most in-demand designers working today—sees collaboration as the highest form of creative innovation.

By Rachel Gallaher

For BemyGuest, a collaborative exhibition that opened during Milan Design Week 2022, Nichetto designed nine anthropomorphic lamps, each representing a unique character: a singer, a journalist, a politician, an influencer, and more. Master tailor Anthony Knight “dressed” each lamp using fabric from Vitale Barberis Canonico.

COURTESY

Italian designer Luca Nichetto does not mince words. Whether talking about his design practice (“I want people to either hate my work or love it. I don’t like when they just say that it’s nice.”), the Venetian glass industry (“So many old companies are totally blind [to the need for moderniza tion] due to their arrogance from being part of the glass mecca for so many years.”), or social media (“I play the game to support what I’m doing, but I’m not going to let these tools dictate the work that I’m making.”), Nichetto’s words are honest, straightforward, and come from a place of integrity—just like his work. Known for playful furniture and lighting designs that are deeply rooted in craftsmanship, Nichetto has become one of the most sought-after individuals working in the field today. And although his talent, creativity, and sheer stick-to-itiveness propelled him to a successful career, he admits that be coming a designer was never his dream. In fact, he spent many of his younger years focused on basketball, using his artistry as a means to make a little extra pocket change during the summers.

“There wasn’t really a moment in my life when I set out to become a designer,” says Nichetto, who was born on the Venetian island of Murano, which is known for producing the finest glass in the world. “Growing up, 99 percent of the people around me were involved in the glass industry [his mother and grandfather included], and I was always around people who made things, so that seemed very normal.”

Born in 1976, Nichetto spent his childhood and adolescent years tearing around Murano with friends. “It was a little bit like being Tom Sawyer,” he recalls. “We were stealing boats, going out to the island in the middle of the Venetian lagoon like pirates, trying to construct these crazy arks … it was a really creative and fun time.”

By the time he reached high school, Nichetto was expected to get a summer »

THIS PAGE: In 2017, Venetian glassmaker and frequent Nichetto collaborator Salviati tapped the designer to create a two-part exhibition with perfumer Ben Gorham titled Decode/Recode for Milan Design Week. The Pyrae installation comprised held 53 stacked-glass works. OPPOSITE: Nichetto is known for champion ing the art and craft of Venetian glassblowing, and he often works with master glassmakers.

THIS PAGE: The Vallonné suspension lamp, a design by Nichetto for 700-yearold Italian lighting brand Barovier&Toso. OPPOSITE: A close-up of the Strata installation in Decode/ Recode by Nichetto and Gorham for Salviati.

Nichetto purchased an old villa in Stockholm and renovated it to serve as his studio’s Swedish headquarters.

job. “I’m part of a generation, probably the last one in Italy, in which the parents pushed their children to work in the summer,” he says. “So, when school was out, I started at a food shop carrying groceries for people and things like that—but I wasn’t really into it.” A budding entrepreneur, and already a talented artist, Nichetto began visiting glass factories with his friends, selling hand-drawn product designs.

“We’d show up with our folders, knock on the doors, and offer them to look at the drawings,” he says. “They would pay us nothing, like 10 euros, but at the end of the day, I had some money in my pocket. It was my first direct experience with dealing with manufacturers.”

After high school, Nichetto was faced with a choice, or, as he describes it, his first real crisis: continue on to university or pursue a career as a professional basketball player. He had played for some major clubs in Italy, and when he was 16, his team traveled to the United States for an international tournament. “I was good,” he says, “but probably not good enough to really make it.” It was a lesson that stuck with him: Talent can get you far, but one must embrace hard work, perseverance, and daily training to be competitive.

Nichetto earned a degree in industrial design at the local Università Iuav di Venezia, and graduated in 1998. “I read the [class] program, and indus trial design was the thing that seemed most appealing to me,” he says. “The first six months were horrible! I didn’t know anything about the technical side of design—everything was related to computer graphics and learning about 3D models and renderings.”

During school breaks and summer holidays, Nichetto continued his routine of peddling sketches to local glass facto ries. One day, he wound up at Salviati— a glass company that had been operating in Murano since 1859—talking to the brand’s creative director, Simon Moore.

“When Simon saw my drawings, he said, ‘I will buy everything,’” Nichetto says, noting that the first thought that went through his head was, “Wow, my summer will be amazing!” Moore then clarified that he would buy all of the drawings, but he didn’t plan to produce any of the products. “Simon said, ‘I want you to see that you have talent, but it’s also pretty clear that you have

no idea what this company needs,’” Nichetto recalls. After purchasing the sketches, Moore invited the budding designer to visit the factory once a week, to learn how each department operated. Nichetto remembers meeting many of his design heroes at the Salviati factory: Tom Dixon, Thomas Heatherwick, Amanda Levete, Ingo Maurer, Ross Lovegrove.

After a year of shadowing Moore, Nichetto received a brief from Salviati asking him to design a piece using a difficult, traditional glassmaking tech nique in which a master glazier embeds large air bubbles in the surface of the glass. The resulting Millebolle vase collection became an instant bestseller. Nichetto was just 24 years old.

“My own studio started in the moment that I signed for those Salviati vases,” Nichetto says, “but at the time I was working in my parents’ basement.” Opportunities started coming his way: an internship with lighting company Foscarini, the rental of his own tiny studio in Venice, and the release of his breakthrough product, the O Space suspension lamp through Foscarini. When that piece hit the market, projects started to flood in.

After six years working as a freelance designer, Nichetto set up his own multi disciplinary practice, Nichetto Studio, in 2006, and began designing under that mantle, while continuing to collaborate on furniture and lighting with inter national brands including Cassina, De La Espada, Lodes, Barovier&Toso, and dozens more. In 2010, Nichetto moved to Stockholm (his wife, who is from Sweden, accepted a job offer there) and started splitting his time between two countries, a move that had a big impact on his work.

“For a designer, Italy is really a jungle,” he says. “People there are so ambitious and always protecting their territory. It’s much easier and more collaborative in Scandinavia. But, at the same time, Scandinavian design tends to be super safe. Designers there aren’t usually looking to do something bold.”

Nichetto’s designs are a considered balance of restraint and playfulness. He’s not afraid of color and his experimentation with form often yields organic shapes, in particular, lots of round elements, smooth edges, and curves. Storytelling comes into play as

“FURNITURE DESIGN. LIGHTING DESIGN. FASHION DESIGN. FOOD DESIGN. THE TRUTH IS THAT CROSSOVER BETWEEN THE DISCIPLINES IS THE MOST INTERESTING WAY TO INNOVATE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE INDUSTRY.”

—LUCA NICHETTO

well, but only if it’s authentic. “I hate when there’s a buildup of story just to make it easy to market something. There are projects that have a strong story born from material or technique, and those are the most successful—that might sound boring, but it’s the truth.”

Nichetto follows a long line of Italian design masters including Ettore Sottsass, Achille Castiglioni, and Piero Lissoni—men with big personalities and bold approaches to their work. Nichetto recognizes their invaluable contributions to the field and influence on his practice, but he believes that the only way to meaningfully evolve the design industry is by expanding practices beyond a singular vernacular or approach. Col laboration and community are frequent topics in his interviews and on his Opin ionated podcast, on which he converses with friends, colleagues, and creatives from around the world.

Nichetto is not afraid to speak out about the state of the glassblowing industry, especially in Murano. In June, the New York Times published a story about the industry’s decline, attributing it to the stagnation of tourism, increased mass-market manufacturing, and the lack of young skilled workers seeking employment by the factories. Nichetto is skeptical of this assessment, and points to Washington’s Pilchuck Glass School as a model for strengthening the industry and bringing fresh perspectives to Murano.

“Since I was born, people have been talking about the ‘crisis’ in Murano,” he says. “The truth is that if the bigger companies there stopped fighting with one another and invested in a common school that embraced people from around the world, it would change the trajectory of the industry.”

In 2021, Nichetto’s love for his Murano roots was on full display when he curated a group show at the InGalleria Art Gallery at Punta Conterie in Venice. Empathic. Discovering a Glass Legacy invited eight designers, including Ini Archibong, Benjamin Hubert, and Elena Salmistraro, to create pieces under the supervision of master glassmakers. Nichetto’s contribution, Mecha—a series of robot-esque busts on stone pedestals— is a nod to the 1970s-era anime series  UFO Robot Grendizer—known as  Goldrake in Italy—one of Nichetto’s childhood favorites.

“Luca’s artistic talents were cultivated by the glassmaking industry,” says Sara Pedrali, head of the design department at Barovier&Toso, the Italian lighting company with a 700-plus-year history. Nichetto has collaborated with the company on several projects. “He truly understands where we come from and the language of glass,” she adds. “He is well acquainted with the gesture of glass blowing: crystallizing an unprecedented moment into a lasting work of art.”

In addition to collaboration, Nichetto is also considering his approach to de sign thinking. “Before COVID-19, I was quite bored of the design industry,” he says. “It’s very repetitive, you’re always working on another chair or another sofa. During the pandemic, I would sit in my office and sketch, and I started realizing that when it comes to design, we put each discipline into a box. Furniture design. Lighting design. Fashion design. Food design. The truth is that crossover between the disciplines is the most interesting way to innovate what is happening in the industry.”

Currently, Nichetto is testing out this approach, and keeping busy, with a large assortment of projects, including a new furniture collection set to come out in 2023. This October, Steinway is debuting a limited-edition Nichettodesigned piano, the Gran Nichetto. More than four years in the making, the instrument, which is available in several different finishes, celebrates elegantly curved form of a traditional Venetian gondola. Other recent projects include a handbag design for fashion brand Angela Roi (also out in October) and the purchase and renova tion of a historic villa in Stockholm that serves as the Swedish headquarters for Nichetto Studio.

“Over the past couple of years, I’ve had the opportunity to think about creativity in a 360-degree way,” Nichetto says. “I’m not only thinking about an object, but I’m also thinking about how I can apply my design approach across disciplines. Say I was designing a raincoat. Could I apply the approach I used for that to de signing a sofa? How would that change or inform the design? Could it push it forward in a new way? After 20 years, in this moment in my career, that’s really what’s driving me now.” h

FROM TOP: The Tabata lamp, designed by Nichetto for &Tradition; The Wolfgang lounge chair by Nichetto for Fornasarig; the first monograph on Nichetto Studio, published in 2022 by Phaidon; the Jeometrica modular home furnishings system, designed by Nichetto for Scavolini, debuted at Salone del Mobile 2022; the Gran Nichetto, a limitededition Nichetto-designed piano by Steinway.

THIS PAGE: Throughout the house, public spaces like the living room have a neutral palette that includes white walls and ceilings, gray tones (as seen here in the furniture upholstery), and oak details.

OPPOSITE: Dutch interior architecture and design studio i29 transformed the interiors of this 17th-century canal house in Amsterdam into a contemporary living space.

HISTORIC GROUNDING

By Rachel Gallaher Photographed by Ewout Huibers

A 17th-century house on an Amsterdam canal is given a fresh aesthetic that respects its historic roots.

Achieving the right fit between client and design team is a bit like maintain ing a successful marriage—it requires communication, hard work, and a certain level of understanding regarding the wants and needs of each party. Such was the case for one couple buying a property back home in Amsterdam after living abroad in France for 30 years (they currently split their time between the two places). While living in Paris, the duo had looked to their roots when searching for professionals to renovate their apartment. After finding a good match in the forward-thinking Dutch interior architecture and design studio i29, they hired the firm to create an “invisible kitchen,” a space in which all of the functional elements—appliances, countertops, cookware—were hidden. The clients loved the results, and working with i29, so much that when they acquired their Netherlands property, they enlisted the firm for another, more challenging project: the complete gut renovation of a traditional, nearly-350-year-old canal house. »

THIS PAGE: Architectural renderings show the home’s compartmentalized layout. OPPOSITE: The first-floor kitchen and dining area open onto a small back garden.

“The house has a lot of tiny spaces and split levels. The most challenging thing was to fit all the functions in and, at the same time, keep the original structure visible and optimize the spaciousness.”

“The owners wanted to give this house a new lease on life,” the i29 team explains. “It’s a place where they can reconnect with family and friends after 30 years of living abroad.”

As one might expect, the home, built in 1680, needed work. Located along a canal near the Amstelveld plaza, the structure had been abandoned years earlier and fallen into total disrepair. Canal houses are typically narrow, tall, and deep, and, as is the case with this one, often built directly next to another house, limiting the options for expansion. Additionally, the home is designated as a rijksmonument (state monument), meaning that i29 had to follow a strict set of preservation rules during the two-year restoration.

“The biggest challenge was how to respect the demands of retaining historical features of this rijksmonument—like the wooden staircase, doors, window frames, walls, interior layout, and fireplace—and still create a modern feeling,” i29 says. “We were not allowed to make any structural changes, which makes it even more difficult to make an impactful design.”

The design team was able to add a new founda tion, which provided the opportunity to raise the basement level. On this floor are the kitchen and dining area, which are finished in white concrete and feature light walls and a custom oak dining table. At one end of the kitchen, a green glass volume marks the transition into a guest room with an ensuite bathroom and garden access. »

THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE: The streamlined kitchen and dining area adopt the neutral palette employed throughout the house. The design team couldn’t add any walls to the project, so they devised a green glass volume to separate the kitchen from an all-white guest room.

“We used color-blocking to create separate areas in the house without building any physical walls,” i29 explains. “The different spaces are connected by allowing color or finish to continue from one space to another.”

Like the kitchen, the second-floor living room features light walls and gray-toned details. The existing wood floor was restored, bringing warmth to the space. Down the hall, i29 used sage-green paint to highlight an awkward nook that they transformed into an office; another niche, this one for reading or relaxation, is hidden behind the living room’s rotating book wall and awash in a calming hue.

The third floor, with its original peaked ceilings and canal views, holds the primary suite. Its bath room’s shower walls are constructed with two-way mirrors, providing direct views of the canals; a traditional Japanese freestanding tub creates a spa-like atmosphere. Throughout the house, minimal modern furnishings—from Foscarini, Maruni, and Norr 11, among others—complement the renovation’s fresh updates while still allowing historic details to shine.

“Inventiveness and surprise are very important to us,” i29 says. “[But so is] the democratic aspect of a design; a sense of relative modesty in the use and display of luxury and use of material and color.” h

THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: Wall cutouts create peek-a-boo views from the living room to the study above and the entrance level below. The designers used sage-green paint to define the office nook. OPPOSITE: A blue-hued room is hidden behind a rotating book wall in the living room.

“Everywhere you look, in all rooms, you can always see the original architectural shell. Never did we really ‘cut off’ spaces. Although graphically, with color and material, we seem to be doing just that. This is a nice paradox.”

PHOTO BY NICOLE KANDI

LAST CALL

One more round of inspired design.

At Vancouver’s AeR Skinlab, architect Michael Leckie worked with local art and design studio Tangible Interaction to create a ceiling installation made from thousands of Tyvek filaments.

EMA

PETER

Exceptional spaces to eat, play, work, and stay.

By Rachel Gallaher

CONCIERGE

AER SKINLAB

When it comes to design, many wellness-focused spaces employ an aesthetic softness, through textiles and color, to evoke a sense of calm. But at Vancouver’s AeR Skinlab, a cosmetic derma tology clinic where serenity is indeed top of mind, architect Michael Leckie turned to a tougher material to achieve it. Taking inspiration from geology, he clad the walls in marble quarried from Vancouver Island.

The stone’s soft gray tone changes subtly with the light, an effect Leckie emphasized by giving the stone a raked finish that creates a variegated appear ance. “The materiality draws inspiration from [Canadian photographer] Edward Burtynsky’s Quarries series of photographs,” says Leckie, founder of architecture

firm Leckie Studio. “It evokes the persistent effects of gravity, time, and weathering. A highly tex tured ceiling installation recalls the passage of water through calcium, slowly growing organic forms that mark the passage of time and the process of aging and evolution.”

The ceiling installation, created in collaboration with local design studio Tangible Interaction, comprises thousands of Tyvek filaments and calls to mind crystals forming in underground caves. As Leckie notes: “The architectural approach was to explore a sense of geologic time and grounding through mono lithic form and monochromatic materiality, creating a space that feels excavated from the stillness of rock.”

MEMPHIS GALLERY

Known for bright colors, abstract shapes, and reactive philosophy, the Italian design and architecture collaborative Memphis Group made a splash on the Milan design scene in 1981. Founded by Ettore Sottsass and like-minded creatives, the group sparked a movement that challenged the austerity of modernism. This past summer, in celebration of Memphis’ history and impact, the Post Design Gallery in Milan’s Brera district reopened with a new name and branding: Memphis Milano Galleria.

“The contrast of the gallery with the surrounding context—a historic building in the heart of Brea—is immediately striking,” says Charley Vezza, CEO of Italian Radical Design, which he founded with his mother,

Sandra. “A classic wood Milanese doorway leads visitors to a world of bright colors and patterns.” Radical Design, which also owns furniture brand Gufram, purchased Memphis Milano earlier this year.

The gallery’s walls, floors, and ceilings are covered in bold blackand-white graphic patterns that complement the Memphis furniture and accessories on display, which include original works by Sottsass (his totemic Carlton shelf greets visitors as they enter), Michele De Lucchi, and George J. Sowden. According to Vezza, the gallery will undergo a total revamp each year, with an updated layout and a rotating display of pieces from its historic collection. »

TORONTO ACE

The long-awaited Ace Toronto—the Ace Hotel brand’s first property in Canada—is finally open. The 123room project, designed by ShimSutcliffe Architects (with interiors by Ace Ateliers, the brand’s inhouse design team) is located in the city’s Garment District, which was once populated by brick warehouses and factories.

“We designed the architecture to fit seamlessly into this context,”

says Brigitte Shim, co-founder of Shim-Sutcliffe Architects. “Red brick was selected for the hotel’s exterior to reflect this historic neighborhood and celebrate the role bricks played in forming Toronto’s visual identity.”

In the lobby, guests catch a glimpse of Horizon Line, a three-story sitespecific art installation by A. Howard Sutcliffe, co-founder of Shim-Sutcliffe Architects. A puzzle of weathered and untreated plywood pieces, the

work is an abstract portrayal of the glittering waters of Lake Ontario. The emphasis on materiality contin ues throughout the hotel. A palette of concrete, Douglas fir wood, brick, and copper complements furnish ings in neutral shades of gray, sage green, brown, and tan. Furniture, accessories, and art from around the country give the property that familiar, lived-in quality that an Ace Hotel is known for. h

In the lobby at the Ace Toronto—the first Ace Hotel property in Canada—furniture, art, and accessories are sourced from designers across Canada, including the wooden stools seen here, by Toronto designer Garth Robert.

Hank Drew is a Seattle-based advertising and editorial photographer with more than 30 years of experience—if we’re counting the first ten years as a kid with his grandfather’s 35mm. Hank’s passion for finding beauty from behind the camera is still as strong as ever. Specializing in product photography for fashion and beauty advertisements and editorial images for magazines, Hank has clients including Nordstrom, REI, Starbucks, Amazon, Phillips, and Marios, and his editorial work has appeared in GRAY and Seattle Metropolitan, among others. hankdrew.com

“IT’S THE THRILL OF DISCOVERING THAT THERE IS NO SUBJECT THAT CANNOT BE MADE ENGAGING.”

No, no, definitely not. Definitely not.

Do you think tails are too much for the GRAY Awards Party?...

PRESENTED IN PARTNERSH IP WITH

TICK ETS: GRAYMA G.COM/AWARDS

POV: My buddy when I told him GRAY Awards is December 5th!

New Futures:

Pacific Coast’s premier showcase of new products, superstar designers, and avant-garde concepts from North America and beyond.

Be inspired by the best of the future. Register Now.

AGENDA

IDS Vancouver, the internationally lauded interior design show, returns to the Vancouver Convention Centre (Sept. 22–25, 2022) and GRAY is here for it!

The border is open and we’re headed north for the vast exhibition of Canadian and international design. Centered on the theme “New Futures,” IDS Vancouver continues to draw dynamic talent and brands to the show, such as speakers Alessandro Munge and Massimo Buster Minale, and offers a robust conference schedule, inspiring installations, and more. Here are a few highlights. »

Follow us on social media for live streams, and video clips.

Instagram + TikTok: @gray_magazine

YouTube: GRAY Magazine Presents #graymagazine

STAGE EVENTS

FRI

10 a.m. * Caesarstone Stage Reinventing the Forgotten

11:30 a.m. * Caesarstone Stage

We are Better Together: People, Partnerships, Place

12:45 p.m. * GRAY Stage

When to Trust That You’ve Reached the Tipping Point

1:30 p.m. * Caesarstone Stage Community = Collaboration Over Competition

9:15 a.m. * GRAY Stage

Why the Design World Should Not Be Afraid of the Metaverse

2:30 p.m. * GRAY Stage

Future of Design: The Shapes, Textures, Colors of The Next Decade

3:30 p.m. * Caesarstone Stage Alessandro Munge

SAT

11 a.m. * GRAY Stage

Prototype Awards: Meet the Next Generation of Designers

12:15 a.m. * GRAY Stage

West Coast North: A Chat With British Columbian Designers

1:30 p.m. * Caesarstone Stage

Interior Design, Infinite Possibilities

2:30 p.m. * GRAY Stage

Reconnecting with Karin Bohn

3:30 p.m. * Caesarstone Stage

Little Black Book of Interior Design

SUN

Beginning at 10:30 a.m. * GRAY Stage

GRAY LAB: A Variety of Hands-On Demonstrations

1 p.m. * Caesarstone Stage

The New Mix

2:30 p.m. * Caesarstone Stage Pure Style

MUNGE

JULIA DILWORTH

KATE SNYDER

SEAN PEARSON

KARIN

BOHN

MICHELLE DIRKSE

BRANDON GASTON

MASSIMO BUSTER MINALE

BEN LEAVITT

AGENDA

STUDIO NORTH

FEATURE

GRAY STAGE

One of our favorite IDS features, Studio North, is a curation of one-off and limited-edition furnishings from innovative designers and makers. This year’s showcase includes a new collection from Sarah Lesher (shown) and a collaboration between Irina Flore and Native Shoes.

Caesarstone, renewing its commitment to sustainability, opted to donate exhibit space this year to sustainable designers. The central feature, Dappled, is an instal lation designed by Donohoe Living Landscapes. In reference to one of nature’s most delicate yet powerful performances—the animated display of flickering light across nature’s canvas as sunlight filters through the trees—the feature represents the reflection on life’s enhanced interactions with nature post pandemic.

“COVID-19 cleared our calendars and closed nearly everything but the great outdoors. Amid the chaos, we had the opportunity to slow down and find joy in the smaller details of life,” noted the designers. “This is a time to reflect, not to forget.”

GRAY’s In the Design Lounge video series comes to the GRAY Stage. Host Brandon Gaston visits with designers and visionaries about the global paradigm shift in design and the significant role design plays in our future. Highlights include a lively talk with designer Karin Bohn (House of Bohn, Netflix’s Restaurants on the Edge) and a fascinating panel discussion moderated by Julia Dilworth with Pacific Northwest-based designers featured in her new book West Coast North. On Sunday, we’ll open up the stage for GRAY Labs, a guest series of interactive demonstrations.

For this year’s stage design, we opted for a theme of joy and optimism. We chose Rollout’s vivid Colourinky wallpaper for the stage wall (shown right, top). The pattern, designed by Robert Sangster, is based on a series of paintings he did for the PrideHouse Lounge for the PanAm Games in Toronto. And we tapped Yellowpop to customize LED neon signs for the GRAY logos.

As featured on the GRAY Stage at IDS Vancouver PATTERN: Colourinky DESIGNER: Robert Sangster

manufactured by Hyundai L&C

TRANSPORT

MICRO MOBILE

Vintage design meets contemporary innovation in the Microlino car, which aims to change the landscape of urban mobility.

By Rachel Gallaher

The newly released, two-person electric Microlino—modeled after the 1950s bubble car—brings the concept of the microcar into the 21st century. Commissioned by Swiss company Micro Mobility and designed by Italian firm Icona Design, the Microlino is built with urban living in mind.

“Icona has always been interested in the future of mobility,” says Davide Cannata, design manager for Icona Design Group. “When we talk about intelligent mobility, we are talking about a project that responds to many requests—first of all, to those of the person, who is part of a large ecosystem with various interconnected products. Microlino is a concept that anticipates future trends in urban mobility.”

With a maximum range of 143 miles, the Microlino is the first quadricycle with a frame like that of a standard-size car. The exterior, designed by Antonino Barone, is an

aluminum shell reminiscent of the popular midcentury bubble cars, and the interior (designed by Cannata) includes a bench seat that comfortably accommodates two adults, as well as a spacious cargo hold. Seventy-five percent of the vehicle’s internal materials are made of vegetable fiber. “The main concept is to reduce the number of pieces to avoid complications, and to respect the trend of ecology to save the pollution during production,” Cannata notes.

Measuring just under 100 inches in length, the Microlino requires one-third of the space of an average car, making it easy to cross-park. Its door is positioned at the front of the vehicle, providing passengers with the safest exit possible. As Cannata explains: “You can park at an angle and step out directly onto the sidewalk.” h

Davide Cannata, design manager for Icona Design Group, with the new Microlino microcar. Commissioned by Swiss company Micro Mobility and designed by Icona Design, the Microlino is the first quadricycle with a frame like that of a standard-size car.