DE S IGN CENTRE
wallcoverings and trimmings, which has been designed by five BADG members and is available at Turnell & Gigon, celebrates indigenous craft traditions and first- world origin stories from three culturally rich parts of the world: Bhutan, Zanzibar and the Pacific Islands. “Throughout this entire process, it was about trying
to marry what we gravitate to as designers and being respectful of the culture and traditions that inspire us,” explained designer Beth Diana Smith as part of an online Creative Collaborations talk at Focus/21. Each of the fabrics has a story: for instance, ‘Bhavana’ is inspired by a Bhutanese headdress; ‘Ukili’ highlights a type of basket weaving taught to the women of Zanzibar from early childhood; and ‘Moko’ references the permanent markings, carved shields and painted bark cloth used by the Asmat people of Papua New Guinea and the Māori people of New Zealand. Just as S Harris is paying homage to craft traditions,
so other brands also recognise the value of designs that come into existence through time-honoured skills and steadfast dedication. SA Baxter Design Studio &
Foundry champions the wax-casting process; Watts of Westminster uses hand blocks to make wallpapers; and favoured techniques at Porta Romana include glassblowing and gilding. Visionnaire, a new arrival at the Design Centre, also puts craftsmanship first, with a network of 30 artisanal workshops across Italy producing the 3,500 pieces of furniture, upholstery, lighting and accessories in its collection. “We have a dedication to technological research,” says CEO Leopoldo Cavalli, citing the ‘Lego’ console by Draga & Aurel as an example. “We approach industrial materials with an artistic attitude. Before pouring the concrete for the ‘Lego’ console, Himalayan salt is placed at the bottom of the mould; the result is an irregular, tactile stone that looks like lava.” Similarly, when Pierre Frey wanted to diversify from
fabrics and wallcoverings into furniture, it first took over one of the oldest manufacturers in the north of France – then began working with young designers and specialist craftsmen to create contemporary pieces using traditional know-how. Lebanese design duo david/ nicolas were behind Verso, a series of modular furniture influenced by travel and transatlantic liners; most recently Constance Guisset has referenced Icelandic geology in Dolmen, 14 furniture elements, including footstools, benches and tables, that work together or separately. “We don’t know how to design furniture, so we approach the best, most talented designers who we think work really well with our brand and our history,” explains director of communications Pierre Frey. All positive proof that whether it is legacy,
craftsmanship, narrative – or a winning combination of all three – a new collection is a way for a design house to push boundaries and evolve.
ABOVE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Visionnaire’s new showroom at the Design Centre; products such as the ‘Lego’ coffee table
(pictured centre) demonstrate the Italian brand’s emphasis on craftsmanship, via its network of 30 workshops. Designed by William Turner, Sanderson’s ‘Roslyn’ fabric revives an archival pattern that was first created as a fabric in the 1920s
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