Living Edge Milantrace 2016

LIVING EDGE

MILANTRACE

A glimpse into ����'s greatest design show.

LIVING EDGE IN PRINT EDITION O3 2016

FROM YELLOWTRACE

E

ver since the launch of Salone del Mobile in 1961, Milan has been an international design hub. Over the years, Salone has grown into the world's biggest and undisputedly most important furniture trade fair, this year attracting an unprecedented 372,151 attendees from more than 160 countries.

Now celebrating its 55th year, Salone del Mobile has officially changed its name to Salone del Mobile.

Milano.

In parallel with the furniture fair, the biannual EuroCucina (Kitchens) and Bagno (Bathroom) exhibitions took over six of the fair's 24 halls. Visitors also flocked to the 19th SaloneSatellite—a personal favourite—which showed the work of 650 young designers under 35, under the theme New Materials>New Design.

© Nick Hughes / Yellowtrace

Of course, the fair is just part of the magic of Milan Design Week.

The city comes alive, with design taking over even the most unexpected places. Apart from more established design precincts like Brera, Tortona, Ventura Lambrate, 5Vie and San Gregorio, a myriad of more remote, stand-alone shows popped up in all manner of spaces—restaurants, garages, warehouses, galleries, churches, courtyards, palazzos (oh, the palazzos!), and even an occasional train station. This is the true magic of Milan Design Week. You never know what you’re going to discover year on year.

“So much heart, so many ideas, so many brilliant minds, so much hard work, so many late nights... Blood. Sweat.

Tears. Negroni.”

It's what keeps us coming back for more, though the everincreasing volume of immersive designs, events and experiences can beat even the most experienced and ruthless amongst us.

Team Yellowtrace had the most brilliant week in Milan this year— meeting old friends, making new friends, discovering new talent and being inspired by stellar performances from old favourites. And yes, there may have been a tear or two shed in sheer excitement during the week (trust me, this is a very good thing!)

I personally felt that 2016 was a very strong year for both Milan Design Week and Salone del Mobile, with record crowds in attendance, and what feels like more events and more areas popping up around the city in the ultimate celebration of design.

There was a certain energy and sense of renewed optimism amongst both the large brands and young designers alike.

Each year I am amazed at the amount of effort that goes into producing everything we see during the week—from each individual product, to group shows, events, installations and ingenious brand extensions. So much heart, so many ideas, so many brilliant minds, so much hard work, so many late nights and in some cases, bags of money. Blood. Sweat. Tears. Negroni. (Or in my case, Aperol Spritz).

It's an appreciation for all of this, coupled with a relentless appetite for design, ferocious curiosity, and profound respect for other designers’ work that drives us to try to distill it all into a Salone del Mobile and Milan Design Week wrap up that truly does it justice.

We want you to feel like you were there with us the entire time.

Minus the blisters.

Dana Tomic Hughes, Yellowtrace

BASSAMFELLOWS ESSENTIALS With the same sophisticated aesthetic and production values that brought BassamFellows acclaim for their furniture range, the brand's cashmere knits, eyewear, shoes, bags and other lifestyle accessories have won a dedicated following since their release to market in 2014.

The essence of the lifestyle brand reflects the personal values of its designers. "Initially BassamFellows began because I couldn’t find furniture to fit within buildings I was designing." says Craig Bassam.

"We figured, why not take that a step further and design luxury clothing that is to our taste?"

“In general, everybody is so inundated with stuff," explains Fellows.

"We’re trying to have this superedited collection. We’re being very particular about the singular things we love and cherish,” he said.

“I always talk about how if I removed everything I own that doesn’t fit well or that has details I don’t quite like, what would be left is the kind of stuff that we want to create.”

Among recent releases are Sylvan and Petrichor, fragrant candles in elegantly crafted brushed brass cups. Their delicate, woody scents take inspiration from the modernist architecture and vibrant surrounds of BassamFellows’ residences on the East and West Coasts of America.

The duo plans to extend the 'essentials' collection with pieces like a tailored jacket and select outerwear. But perhaps unsurprisingly, given the expanse of Milan's Design Week activities, the product most highly prized by attendees was the label's comfortable, handmade Italian boots.

NEOCLASSICAL AND INTERGALACTIC: THE UNCONVENTIONAL WORLD OF LASVIT When a commission to restore a series of precious Bohemian crystal chandeliers created for Napoleon Bonaparte comes your way, it must be joined by a certain sense of validation. In less than a decade, LASVIT has clearly established itself as the authority in bespoke lighting sculptures and installations of hand-blown glass.

The ancient splendor of the restored chandeliers was on view during Design Week at the Sale Napoleoniche of Palazzo Serbelloni, where Napoleon Bonaparte once resided during his stay in Milan.

In the same setting, LASVIT presented "Via Lucis", a journey through unique and contemporary projects in glass and light.

Featuring renowned names like Andre Fu, Moritz Waldemeyer and Maurizio Galante alongside Czech legends and young designers, the exhibition combined a sense of the Neoclassical with a contemporary twist, made possible by the artisanal know-how and fine craftsmanship of the Czech glassmakers.

At Salone del Mobile, Daniel Libeskind, the Campana Brothers, Arik Levy and other leading designers continued their collaboration with LASVIT, reinterpreting past collections in the theme 'art de la table' with extraordinary glass objects and tableware. In homage to one of Czech's greatest visionaries, LASVIT also introduced a champagne cooler

by Jan Kaplicky.

LASVIT's extraordinary ability to breathe life into unconventional artistic visions was highlighted by dynamic lighting sculpture Intergalactic, from designers Petra Krausova and Libor Sostak. Inspired by moldavite, a semi-precious stone resembling green “cosmic glass” and found almost exclusively in the Czech Republic, the sculpture was made up of more than 1500 individually lit hand-blown glass elements that pulsed with changing light like an asteroid entering the atmosphere.

LIVING EDGE IN PRINT EDITION O3 2016

BD BARCELONA

Cultivating Beauty

© Nick Hughes / Yellowtrace

Committed to cultivating beauty above all, Spanish design institution BD Barcelona continues to release pieces that have a closer proximity to artwork than industrial design.

BD Barcelona has a long history of collaborating with the biggest names in design and this year was no exception, with new products by the Campana Brothers, Jaime Hayon, Oscar Tusquets and Farge & Blanche.

The striking Aquario Cabinets by the Brazilian Campana Brothers was the pair's first design for BD Barcelona and two years in the making.

A clear favourite of design blogs this year, the cabinets were inspired by aquariums. Their design plays on the concept of hybrids.

“We love creating hybrids using distinct materials, one warm and the other cold. This has become part of our language when designing—playing with ideas of different weight and light aspects of glass against solid wood,” says Fernando Campana.

Coloured glass fills irregular, blob-shaped holes in the cabinet's wooden frame allowing a view through to the interior. Glass internal shelves conserve the transparency and also let light pass through.

This year also marks the 10-year anniversary of Jaime Hayon's Showtime Collection for the brand.

When BD Barcelona first launched the collection in 2006, Jaime Hayon was considered an emerging designer on the Spanish scene.

Over the decade Hayon has added many successful collaborations to his portfolio, ranging from furniture to tiles, rugs and many more, evolving from designer-to-watch to one highly regarded internationally.

Both brand and collaborator have grown together with pleasing synergy. This synergy is also apparent in the Showtime range— a range famous for its personality, elegance, the right touch of romanticism and versatility, classism and modernity—and the essence of the BD Barcelona brand.

Special ten-year anniversary releases include the Showtime Chairs in new colours, lacquers and upholstery; the Showtime Credenza in a variety of glossy finishes and marbles, and the Showtime Vase range with gold-plated details. In addition, the range has been extended with two new products, the King and Kong mirrors, which carry Hayon’s distinct hallmark.

Monkey Side Table (above), also by Jaime Hayon, was released in a new charcoal edition.

TEN YEARS OF NEW NORDIC

GUFRAM PSYCHADELIA

With an industry presence that belies the brand's relative youth, Muuto celebrated ten successful years at Salone del Mobile 2016.

Avant-garde Italian brand Gufram celebrated 50 years of radical design at 2016’s Salone del Mobile with two installations in Milan.

Muuto's founders, Kristian Byrge and Peter Bonnén, met while working at advertising agency DDB. Back then Byrge had recently launched Noma in Copenhagen.

In this project he had endeavoured, to ‘reinterpret components of Nordic culture’. It fueled his appetite for design and provided the impetus for him to develop a business that would select and promote the best of Nordic lifestyle and culture.

Inspired by their shared, culturally-ingrained appreciation for good design, Byrge and commercially savvy Bonnén formed a partnership, and set out to reinvigorate Scandinavian design by exploring their heritage and carrying it forward into the 21st century.

Their idea gained immediate traction. Before they had even printed their business cards, Bonnén and Byrge had signed some of Denmark’s biggest names in design to create the initial Muuto range. The 'new Nordic' concept resonated with Louise Campbell (famous for her work with Danish lighting brand Louis Poulsen), Ole Jensen and Harri Koskinen, who all agreed to collaborate.

Ten years later, Bonnén has relocated to New York to expand the brand's presence in North America, and the duo is toasting their recent success at Rho Fiera. Throughout this meteoric rise the brand has stayed true to its original vision, and its distinctive character has earned it a dedicated following amongst design lovers the world over.

Gufram on the Rocks: 50 years of Design against the Tide explored the brand’s back catalogue of symbolic projects, including couch Bocca

by Studio65 (1970), Cactus by Guido Drocco and Franco Mello (1986) and Pratone by Giorgio Ceretti, Pietro Derossi and Riccardo Rosso (1971).

Alongside these Italian design icons sat more contemporary pieces like Magnolia by Marcel Wanders (2014) and Soap by Toiletpaper (2016).

“Sir Paul Smith re-imagined the cactus by drawing inspiration from the hallucinogenic vibes of that crazy time period (the 70s). The outcome is psychedelic, a creativity peyote.”

– Charley Vezza, Gufram Global Creative Orchestrator

An established icon in Italian design, Gufram is best known for creating pop culture designs with unique ways of capturing the public’s imagination. Gufram pioneered the use of polyurethane in furniture design and continues to use this substrate exclusively; taking advantage of its strength and durability to create unusual and complex shapes that retain a beguiling tactile softness.

The brand's counter-culture thinking was also in evidence at the brand’s other Salone exhibition – the Gufram & Paul Smith Psychedelic Cactus.

Renowned British designer Smith collaborated with the creative directors of Gufram on the limited edition, multi-coloured version of the coat-rack. Produced in a limited edition of 169, many of the psychadelic cactuses had already been snapped up by keen collectors by the exhibition's second day.

MADE IN RATIO AT LABO.ART A year after its successful debut, Made in Ratio,

by Australian-born Brodie Neill, returned to Milan with another impressive showing.

Joining forces with fashion label Labo.art at their Brera store, Made in Ratio's sinuous dynamism made for high impact against a backdrop of elegant, minimalist, wearable designs.

“Both brands hold the same principles close to our hearts," said Neill. "A focus on the lines, volumes and geometry of the design, all combined with uncompromising quality.”

Made in Ratio launched a new variation of the well-recognised Cowrie Chair, featuring a moulded leather seat pad that perfectly mimics the contours of the chairs undulations.

LIVING EDGE IN PRINT EDITION O3 2016

HERMAN MILLER PRESENTS

The Double Dream of Spring Sam Grawe explores the design behind the metaphysical still life by Michael Anastassiades, his new Spot Stools and Stasis tables for the Herman Miller Collection, and what keeps him coming back to Milan every year.

Tell us a little about the rationale behind the exhibit you created in Milan this year.

Michael: What interested me immediately—even though I had really only seen the space in photographs—was the proportions of the room itself.

It was almost like a cube because the ceilings are so high. I also wanted to try to create a quite intentional delineation between this space and the showroom beyond it. My first instinct was to create a kind of white cube, and neutralise all of the surfaces: floors, walls, ceiling.

Then a very interesting relationship of scale emerged between the very small objects and the room itself, which is quite large. I almost imagined it as a kind of overpowering sort of game. There was something quite unexpected about it—almost surreal. And because I had the freedom to use some other objects in the space, I thought it would be good to enhance that tension even further by introducing some oversized elements. So I scaled up the lighting to a point where the contrast between the furniture and the room became even more pronounced.

The repetition of the furniture pieces also inspired me. It kind of removes the preciousness from the object, makes it a little bit more accessible, and a little bit more informal. So I immediately thought of chess pieces— the pieces being repeated with slightly different scales—and imagined a kind of chess board to place them on. It seemed like the perfect match, but I didn’t want it to be that obvious, so I started thinking about the idea of a grid that could be mapped all over the room—a kind of threedimensional chess board. You still have this small grid at the centre, but it's wrapped in this larger grid, which in the end brought it back to this kind of envelope for the entire environment.

And where did the name, The Double Dream of Spring, come from?

Michael: Well, I mentioned this kind of surreal relationship between the small objects being dwarfed inside the big space, and by the large mobiles, so there was an almost metaphysical quality to the whole environment that was being created. It reminded me very much of surrealist or metaphysical paintings like those by de Chirico, so borrowing the title of a de Chirico painting made perfect sense.

“It reminded me very much of surrealist or metaphysical paintings like those by de Chirico, so borrowing the title of a de Chirico painting made perfect sense.” ­—Michael Anastassiades, designer.

It's your first collection for Herman Miller. How did the project start?

And in your mind, what are those?

Michael: I received a fairly specific brief asking for a stool in three sizes that could live in both office and domestic environments, utilising wood as the primary material. So my starting point was really about deconstructing all the components—the elements of what a stool is made out of—and trying to reconfigure those elements into an arrangement that made sense in terms of balance. Not balance in the literal sense, but balance in the sense of a kind of holistic object.

Michael: Well, it’s not necessarily about an immediate impact. There needs to be a certain directness, but one of the best compliments of an object I design should be its anonymity in the sense that it’s not about being in your face, it’s about being a part of the backdrop and if you notice it, then that is when you begin to discover the all qualities that it actually has. That it has been exquisitely realised. That everything has been thought of so it feels in balance with the architecture around it, and with the scale of the human body.

And did that immediately lead to the final design?

Michael: Pretty much. We were working in the studio with little scale models coming up with various ideas, and as soon as this particular design emerged, I said, “That’s it. That’s the one.” We literally scaled it up to the proportion of the height we needed without altering anything— somehow the toothpicks and tubes that we used in the little scale model were so right in terms of the proportions. The choice of diameter was right. The relationship between the two vertical pieces was right. The thickness of the seat and the base was right. So we simply scaled it up, and made a 1:1 model from cardboard. Of course, you have lots of work to get from there to a final product.

Did the language of the stools inform the design of the tables?

Michael: It was a slightly different exercise. I was interested in how the legs of the table could hold the top—placing them at such a point where if you moved them any further out, the top would fall. I also liked the symmetry of the arrangement between the top and bottom and the placement of the legs.

You’re well known for your lighting. Has designing furniture been a departure for you?

Michael: No, not really. I’m still guided by the same philosophy—just applying it in a different way. Everything I design is in relation to the human body. Not necessarily in terms of the usability of the object, but in terms of our relationship to it both psychologically and physically. I’m interested in these subtle qualities of what makes an object desirable.

On a different note, how long have you been coming to Milan for the Salone?

Michael: I came here fresh from the Royal College over twenty years ago.

There was a lot less happening then, and it was quite different with the fair in town. What was very clear, even at that time, was that it was a celebration of design, but for a very select few designers. I think for me that really opened my eyes to the dynamics behind the design world and how it’s structured.

Now it seems there’s a lot more going on, and it’s a bit more open.

Somehow things are a lot more democratic and accessible now, but then there’s another side of me that sees things as more superficial at the same time. You gain from one side, but lose from another.

When you come to Milan do you have any rituals? Anything you must do?

Michael: I always try to do something that I don’t associate with design.

Of course, we all eat well here, but I try to do something like visit a monument or see something else. A few years ago, I decided to go see The Last Supper, for example. I don’t think that many people who are here for Salone even realise Da Vinci’s great masterwork is right here in the centre of Milan. It’s nice to get a little bit of insight into what this city has to offer beyond design.

With thanks to Herman Miller's WHY Magazine.

Words by Sam Grawe. Photography by Ben Anders.

LIVING EDGE IN PRINT EDITION O3 2016

THE COLOURFUL HOSPITALITY OF

CASA VITRA

Nearly a decade ago, Vitra initiated a joint research project with Dutch designer Hella Jongerius to study the properties and possibilities of the colours, textures, finishes and materials in the company’s product portfolio. The project's result is the Vitra Colour & Material Library, which came to life during Milan Design Week 2016 in Vitra’s ‘Colour Machine’ installation at the temporary CasaVitra.

The Vitra Colour & Material Library aims to "establish an intelligent system of colours, materials and textiles that makes it easy to create rich environments in offices, homes or public spaces", according to Eckart Maise, Vitra’s Chief Design Officer. It serves to enhance or refresh the special character of both classic and contemporary designs in the collection.

"A colour can lift a product to greater heights by accentuating a material or emphasising certain details. I want people to recognise Vitra not only by product or form, but also by the material and surface," explains Hella Jongerius.

In collaboration with Vitra’s contemporary designers and the company’s development team, Hella Jongerius creates designerspecific colour and material worlds. Simultaneously, updates of the classics are developed in consultation with their originators’ descendants. The classification scheme makes it possible to combine furnishings in vibrant and expressive collages with maximum expressive intensity, while producing a harmonious overall arrangement.

"The library is like a living and growing organism—no colour is static, everything is open to change," explains Jongerius. "There is no room, however, for thoughtless coincidences. Every choice is inspired and consciously determined."

The temporary CasaVitra installation formed part of the Fuorisalone events in Milan’s city centre. On entering, visitors encountered giant spinning tops twirling on the floor, representing the full range of Vitra materials in four colour worlds: lights, darks, greens and reds. These four worlds form the foundation of the library, organising textiles, plastics, woods and colours in many sizes and shapes.

Nine suspended colour wheels revolved in space above the spinning tops. These wheels celebrated particular parts of contemporary and classic furniture pieces by iconic Vitra designers, including the bases of Prouvé’s EM Table and the Eames® Plastic Chair.

The wheels offer insights into the way colour is affected by volume, shape and material, and how much these elements influence one another. Shiny or matte, large or small –these elements together determines how loudly something shouts or how softly it whispers.

"My goal is to call attention to colour as an ever-changing entity.

Questioning colour’s appearance, our relationship to it and speculating about its nature, is in essence a never-ending process.

There are no mistakes in choosing colours, only variations of subjective expressions. A good colour library, though, can help make a decision," states Hella Jongerius.

“There are no mistakes in choosing colours, only variations of subjective expressions.”

The lounge on the second level of CasaVitra (above) was furnished with products from the Vitra Home Collection, providing an inviting space where visitors could linger and enjoy the atmosphere.

—Hella Jongerius, designer.

In her book ‘I Don’t Have a Favourite Colour‘ (above), Hella Jongerius describes her method of research and the application of its results to the Vitra product portfolio. Published by Gestalten. Available at Living Edge.

LIVING EDGE IN PRINT EDITION O3 2016

THE QUIET INFLUENCE OF

Farah Ebrahimi e15's Art Director and a key team member at Philipp Mainzer Office for Architecture and Design, Farah Ebrahimi's multi-disciplinary design experience and intuitive sense of colour and form brings a refined drama to each of her projects.

Born in Iran but raised in California, Farah Ebrahimi was influenced by the film, music and street culture of her childhood and drawn to art and fashion. On finishing school, she became a student at Otis/ Parsons School of Art and Design in Los Angeles. After graduation, Ebrahimi worked and lectured in the fashion industry, and founded her own fashion label. In 1996, she was appointed Design Director for BCBG Max Azria, which was followed by a tenure with Donna Karan as Design Director for DKNY in New York.

It was during this time in New York that Ebrahimi met her husband and working partner Philipp Mainzer, architect and co-founder of German furniture company e15. Relocating to Frankfurt in 2001, she worked with e15 to transform Bergman, Germany’s first concept store, into a pioneering retail and show space; while at the same time curating several notable art and design exhibitions.

Farah Ebrahimi’s creative contribution to e15 is evident in the brand's communication, colour palette and materials. The modular sofa system SF03 SHIRAZ that Farah designed with Philipp Mainzer won E15 the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2008.

Living Edge caught up with Farah on her return to Germany from Milan.

Tell us about your current role at e15.

My current role is art direction for the brand. This entails product development, presentation, communication and the overall creative statement of the brand. Philipp and the team are great partners in all this. My work routine moves through different stages of the creative process. I am vigilant in maintaining a consistent link to the DNA of e15 and its overall stance as a unique, artistic, brave and intelligent brand that inspires life and real living needs.

You were originally trained in art and fashion and have had an enviable career in the fashion industry. How did you make the transition to industrial design, interior design and architecture?

Growing up in California, I was very much drawn to Hollywood film archives, scenography, how fashion reflected the furniture of its time on film, music (from Jazz to hip hop with punk in between), mid-century architecture, the local Hispanic culture and the overall influence of Los Angeles where I attended art school with one or two very dear and inspiring life long friends and teachers.

Meeting Philipp in New York, falling in love and the exciting exchange of ideas and interests for e15 was the best introduction for my future career in design and architecture.

What would you like to bring from the fashion world to architecture and interior design? Do you think your experience in this field would influence your approach to fashion design?

Influences from fashion to architecture and interior design, and vice versa already exist for me, I simply play with the established set of rules to refine those disciplines in my own way, communicating through colour, form and material. Refining ideas in design and defining intriguing contrasts in my work is what interests me. Culture, politics and art play a big role in my creative process.

Good fashion has an inherent sense of drama, impact and experimental freedom that can positively influence good furniture and architecture—not to mention quality and craftsmanship. If I were to return to fashion design, I would focus on those same sets of enduring elements in fashion, and try not to be pushed to simply produce for the sake of manic seasonal sales.

You also work on projects for Phillipp Mainzer Office for Architecture and Design. In what capacity?

Do you have a consistent design process? How do your designs usually begin?

I develop interior concepts through a collage of materials, palette and specified needs. I’m not an architect; however that is the very thing that frees me from all the perceived limitations. At Philipp Mainzer Office, I work on diverse projects and mainly interiors, such as the new colour and material scheme for the Louis Pretty deli in Berlin and the Aesop store in Frankfurt, among others. I suppose the love for strong architecture, my design background, and years of experience allow me to confidently move forward with core ideas that people can primarily feel for and be excited to experience. The rest is up to the fabulous architects in the office!

No, I don’t have a consistent design process. My designs begin with a feeling or desire for another way.

Which of your designs is closest to your heart?

SHIRAZ is the closest to my heart. Because it is a simply a love note to my homeland, and is designed with the person I love.

E15 X ECAL

KERMAN, a new sofa by Ebrahimi and Mainzer, strikes a balance between elegant repose and modernist sensibilities. A sculpted silhouette, flexible modules, and removeable covers combine to create a design ideal for expressive contract environments, evoking ease with monumentality. Cushion NIMA in the new ALICE fabric enhances the setting.

Marking the twentieth anniversary of modern design classic BACKENZAHN™, e15 invited Master Product Design students of ECAL/ University of Art and Design Lausanne to develop their own interpretations for furniture and accessories utilising the same materials available to the company's co-founder Phillipp Mainzer when he conceived the iconic stool.

With a focus on sustainability, the BACKENZAHN™ stool was created using wood offcuts from the production of celebrated table BIGFOOT™, For its signature form and detail, seasoned heartwood is used, resulting in characteristic cracks, which make every stool unique.

Under the guidance of designer Camille Blin, the students produced a series of 14 objects that reflect everyday functions, such as book shelves, children's toys or paperweights.

LIVING EDGE IN PRINT EDITION O3 2016

FRENCH MODERN DECO Making its fifth appearance in Milan, French design house La Chance drew the attention of fair goers with a Salon de Mobile stand covered in striking monochromatic wallpaper.

The modern, graphic wallpaper pattern is an adaptation of an original 1911 design by Art Deco superstar Jacques Emile Ruhlmann, who initially drew it for engraving on glass.

La Chance's expertly curated selection placed newest releases alongside others that have become signature pieces for the brand.

New rug Orgie by Malika Favre appeared with the Float table by Luca Nichetto, the X Ray sofa by Alain Gilles, the Bolt stool by Note Design Studio and the Salute Tables by Sebastian Herkner.

Light shines in an upward direction through the perforations in the mask, creating an illumination that is both graphic and subtle.

The lamps evoke a different personality depending on the selected combination of colours, textures and perforation patterns.

Š Nick Hughes / Yellowtrace

Š Nick Hughes / Yellowtrace

Also new and noteable were Marta Bakowski's Sorcier Mask wall lamps. Inspired by the ritual Ngil masks of the Fang tribe in Gabon, the pieces are more sculpture than sconce.

STELLAR WORKS AND DAVID ROCKWELL New Stellar Works creative directors Neri&Hu unveiled 30 new items in Milan during Salone del Mobile 2016. The high profile and well-received Valet Collection by David Rockwell illustrates the evolving aesthetic and exciting trajectory of the brand.

© Nick Hughes / Yellowtrace

Founded in 2013 with the aim of inspiring 'a renaissance in Asian aesthetics', Stellar Works takes forms, styles and motifs that have characterised Japanese design across the centuries and "filters them through the lens of the European tradition to create something new and timeless."

Three years later, the brand has established genuine cross-cultural resonance and a considerable presence in the hospitality industry.

Founder and CEO Yuichiro Hori attributes this success to a unique combination of Japanese strategic and operations management, with the sophisticated craftsmanship and technical proficiency of its Shanghai production team. By taking ownership of the production process, Stellar Works assumes end-to-end control. It enables the company to guarantee the ethical and sustainable values of its product, and gives it the flexibility to custom-make pieces with an ease notavailable to most furniture manufacturers.

The establishment of its purpose-built production facility in Shanghai is an integral part of the Stellar Works story. While the city is a well-known international hub for furniture production, the Stellar Works founders discovered a wealth of untapped technical know-how and traditional craft skill buried by the machinery of high-volume manufacture. Hori set out to change that.

"In this sense, one of the most important roles that Stellar Works plays is the preservation and nurturing of craft skills that the ease of mass production has placed under threat. Japan and France both have a great tradition of handmaking, but technological advancement and the rise in outsourcing have eroded the skills base in both countries. In Shanghai, we keep those traditions alive."

Its unique business model has attracted highly sought designers, who have contributed their talents to a series of furniture collections. Each collection is distinct, yet together they form a harmonious whole.

Following a string of collaborations—including Ming, Utility, Chambre, Secrets & and Bund Collections—Chinese design duo Rossana Hu and Lyndon Neri of multi-disciplinary studio Neri&Hu were recently appointed the brand's creative directors.

In Ming Collection the duo references their Asian heritage. The collection comprises intricate indoor/outdoor stacking chairs and tables that mix ornamental motifs with modern Western functionality.

Bringing sophistication to an industrial aesthetic, the Utility Collection features lounge chairs, barstools and stools in a palette of old-world and luxurious materials. ‘secrets &...’ by Neri&Hu is the first edition of A Cabinet of Curiosity, an ongoing series that will be released individually over time. The wooden cabinet with glass doors rests on a metal trolley, inspired by a scene from a ceramic factory, before the cart enters the fiery furnace.

The James collection by Yabu Pusheberg explores modern masculinity—bold and defined, but also light and elegant. Subtly inspired by the world of performance cars, the range includes a chaise, desk, stool and bar cart, each meticulously proportioned and ergonomically shaped.

The Valet Collection, product of Stellar Works recent collaboration with founder and president of the Rockwell Group, David Rockwell, extends the brand's impressive hospitality offering.

© Nick Hughes / Yellowtrace

In Valet, Rockwell explores a new furniture typology that supports everyday living, working, and entertaining. It represents a crossover of hospitality functionality with residential appeal.

Eschewing the idea of contriving a 'special' statement to announce their new role at the brand, creative directors Neri & Hu plan to maintain continuity with the creative output that has proven successful for Stellar Works over past three years, focusing on strengthening, refining and clarifying the brand identity.

LIVING EDGE IN PRINT EDITION O3 2016

LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD

Sadi Ozis was one of the foremost designers of Turkish modernity. In 1956, Ozis co-founded "Kare Metal" in Istanbul, the first atelier for metal furniture in Turkey. When raw materials became scarce after the Second World War, he experimented with materials such as wire, mesh and water pipes in his sculptural work.

But the market for fine art was limited, and Ozis decided that 'useful art' in the form of chairs might secure a more viable income. A special creative phase ensued, and Ozis produced a sequence of classic designs in the period between 1956 and 1967. Ozis also worked as a professor at the Art Academy in Istanbul and won numerous awards for his artistic works.

Above, top row: Fishnet Chair by Sadi & Neptun Ozis. Originally designed in 1959.

Above, second row: Rumi Chair by Sadi Ozis.

Originally designed in 1961.

Historical significance.

Select materials, precise finishing, timeless appeal: the values that have shaped Walter Knoll over more than 150 years continue to define the brand. With an imposing presence at 2016's Salone Internationale del Mobile spanning over 600 square metres, the company's growing strength was in evidence.

The stand was created in collaboration with award-winning Stuttgart studio Identity Architects Ippolito Fleitz Group. The firm recently became the first German interior design company to be included in the "Interior Design Hall of Fame" of the renowned US magazine, 'Interior Design'­­—an accolade highly coveted in the industry. The studio joins a list that includes Warren Plattner, Patricia Urquiola and Shigeru Ban. Walter Knoll presented twelve new products in Milan this year, including rediscovered classics of midcentury modernity and rereleased archival designs by artist Sadi Ozis, and designer Arno Votteler.

Truly timeless, these rediscovered classics appear as modern today as they did more than 50 years ago.

Walter Knoll is issuing upholstered versions of these designs, upholding the value of the original and instilling it with superior comfort through meticulously crafted upholstery.

Among other new items were an additional sofa and armchair in the Isanka range, and the Saddle Chair Barstool, shown for the first time by Walter Knoll in Milan. New fabrics and leathers extended the brand's philosophy or 'Natural Elegance'. New fabric 'Anni' is a tribute to the Bauhaus and fabric artist Anni Albers, and takes cues from the design language of the living culture of the fifties.

Above: Votteler Chair by Arno Votteler.

Originally designed in 1956.

LIVING EDGE IN PRINT EDITION O3 2016

LOCAL OBSERVERS ON MILAN 2016

In general...

In what was a slightly conservative year due to European financial pressures there were some amazing exhibitions in beautiful palazzos like Litta, Turati, Serballoni and the Rotonda della Pesanna.

The vintage and limited edition pieces at Nilufar Depot and Leclettico were incredibly stimulating to anyone who enjoys the history of design as much as they enjoy conceptual pieces. — David Harrison, freelance stylist, writer and editor of the Design daily blog

I thought it was interesting to find global brands outside the furniture industry using Milan as a platform to engage with design in a more open ended way. Nike and Lexus both created large scale exhibitions of specially commissioned works that are not intended for production but which invited designers and visitors to reflect on particular aspects of each of their brands. Formafantasma designed exhibition spaces for Lexus, which included beautifully presented kinetic sculptures.

Nike engaged Max Lamb, Greg Lynn, Bertjan Pot, Sebastian Wrong, and Martino Gamper among many others to develop installations that reinterpret the brand's materiality, performance and priorities. —Tomek Archer, architect and industrial designer

On nations to note...

Noteable trends...

It was interesting to see a lot of small Chinese brands. Some lovely new pieces by Stellar Works. —Adam Goodrum, industrial designer

I personally loved the trend for indigo and inky blues (the second most dominant colour trend after pink and plum) and a strong trend towards the unabashed use of hard edged industrial materials and processes. (DH)

The fact that there was a united group of Australians showing under the Local Design banner was great. They worked incredibly hard to create their own space in 5vie. But in terms of nations that produced the most consistently great work you have to hand it to the Dutch, the Swedes and the Norwegians. (DH) Designers to watch...

Lee Broom and his Salone Del Automobile. Lee recreated an Italian palazzo in the back of his delivery van to showcase his new lighting range. He drove the van all the way from East London to Milan, presumably before he installed the light fittings! In Milan he parked the van in each of the different districts and opened it up for everyone to see. It was a really clever way to get maximum attention whilst showcasing a relatively small collection.

—Angela Ferguson, managing director, Futurespace I came across Germanbased design Studio Oink at Ventura Lambrate and have since trawled their beautiful interior architecture and object designs online. Also some really interesting designs from Miif Design Collective—a group formed at Kobe Design University, Japan.

—Lisa Green, editor in chief, Australian House & Garden, Bauer Media

LIVING EDGE IN PRINT EDITION O3 2016

Standout new designs and collections...

For me the reissuing of a few Achille Castiglioni pieces by Karakter Copenhagen was what I really got excited about.

His genius keeps surprising me. On a more poetic level, Hozan Zangana's ‘Hune’ bench was a standout – carved from one piece of wood, dyed with indian ink and waxed so it has a beautiful lustre. It is remarkably sensual. (DH)

Terracotta – the colour and the material. Beautifully bridging the gap between the dusty pinks, deeper coral and “Primer” red that were also prevalent. (LG) It’s always difficult to pinpoint one trend during such an enormous, intense, global event.

I did notice fastenings/structure on the outside of furniture, perhaps hinting at a desire for more authenticity/honesty in design. Terracotta and deep burgundy seemed to be the fair's standout colours and patterns stamped onto unexpected materials such as timber and concrete were popular. (AF)

I loved the little folding chair spotted at a fabulous showroom in the Cinque Vie district, BDDW Milano (via Santa Marta 19A). (LG) The new accessories from Muuto, particularly the curved, framed mirrors by Anderssen & Voll. Made of powdercoated steel with clear, bronze or rose mirrors these were so simple and elegant and beautiful. I can see these being used in a home, a workplace, a hotel—anywhere really!" (AF) Danish brand Karakter at Rossana Orlandi. (AG) The Moooi installation was stunning as always. The art direction of that showroom and the richness of each space was beautiful. My favourite piece was Paul Cocksedge’s new Compression Sofa for Moooi. A lovely idea (perhaps not realised as beautifully as it could have been). —Trent Jansen, industrial designer The new collection by David Rockwell for Stellar Works (who can resist tan leather with brass detailing?) and all the rugs that cc-tapis have released

by Studiopepe and Chiara Andreatti. As a porcelain devotee I was in love with many pieces in the 2016 Arita collection curated

by Scholten & Baijings. (DH)

Definitely the Hay ‘rooms’ at La Pelota in the Brera district. Reached by Escherlike staircases, each room had a different theme and was carefully curated with new and existing items from the Hay collection. Not only that, a Danish chef relocated to Milan for the week to create a beautiful Copenhagen-esque café. The outdoor area was an oasis in the madness of Milan and showcased the Bourellec brothers' new Palissade outdoor collection. (AF) Curated by Kenya Hara, the Takeo Paper Show exhibited in La Triennial was titled Subtle, and consisted of a series of the most lightweight tables you’ve ever seen, supporting beautiful finally crafted works in paper by 15 architects and designers. (TA) Most prolific designer Patricia Urquiola! (ALL) I don't think she sleeps. (LG)

Great installations...

Nendo's 50 Manga Chairs. Love the way his mind works. The Triennale Design Museum’s program of exhibitions was also really strong this year…

'Celebrating Italian Women in Design', the exquisite 47th Takeo Paper Show “Subtle”, and the fabulous Sempering exhibition at Zona Tortona which explored process and pattern in architecture and design.

Brilliantly curated. (LG)

She had two new pieces with Cassina (what a stir that has caused after being partnered with B&B for so long) a collection for Spazio Pontaccio, rugs for cc-tapis and of course several new seating collections for Moroso.

Konstantin Grcic also released a lot of work – for Cassina, Magis and ClassiCon. Doshi Levien were also hugely prolific with new work for B&B Italia, Kettal, Hay, Bolon and Moroso. (DH)

Living Edge @livingedge #livingedgeinmilan Yellowtrace @yellowtrace #MILANTRACE2016 David Harrison, Design Daily @designdaily Angela Ferguson, Futurespace @futurespacedesign Lisa Green, Australian House & Garden @houseandgarden Tomek Archer @tomekarcher Adam Goodrum @adamgoodrumstudio Trent Jansen @trentjansenstudio