As the first major design fair of the year, the January presentation of Maison et Object reveals key design industry trends that gain traction through the year.
This is my edit of the top five designers and products that we will be seeing more of.
Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance
The Paris-based interior architect and designer debuted Folia, an unprecedented, cross-disciplinary 25 piece collection that is the first to combine the textures of crystal and wood. Developed over a period of 30 months in close collaboration with the crystal manufacturer Saint-Louis, the collection speaks to the Maison’s home of Moselle, France, and is informed by the dense surrounding forest. A unique collection of diverse pieces with a singular aesthetic, it offers a new direction to the manufacturer’s aesthetic as the cut of Folia crystal is inspired by a leaf, that is translated into geometric, regular and contemporary forms.
Ini Archibong
The Erosion Collection for Lapicida demonstrates a new form of craftsmanship through the use of the latest technology. Reflecting Lapicida’s unique approach to stone, the collection was inspired by a dialogue between nature and technology, that has resulted in remarkable statement pieces. Responding to Lapicida’s brief, Archibong explores marble and its relationship with the forces that give it shape, taking the natural eroded formations of stone as inspiration. By replicating this natural erosion process as digital pathways, and by programming specific digital tool paths into the CNC machine, a delicate eroded surface pattern emerged.
Kiki van Eijk
For her first collaboration with Bisazza, the Dutch designer created two floral decorations in glass mosaic, made in the traditional artistic technique upon a digitally-created background, and a series of patterns for the Wood collection, in pre-finished parquet embellished with laser-engraved decorative elements. ‘What’s growing between the tiles?’, she muses.The inspiration for this family of designs lies in Eijk’s personal environment.
“I live in a natural protected environment between the fields, flowers and weeds,” she says. “Wild flowers are growing in my garden, between the tiles of my house, they are everywhere. All patterns are inspired by weeds. If you look at them, closely, with a macro eye, you discover they’re actually very beautiful.”
By Lassen
Architect Mogens Lassen’s classic candleholder, Kubus, is an essential part of Danish design history. In 1962 the local artisans in Ordrup completed work on the very first Kubus candleholders. At that time, Kubus was reserved exclusively for close friends, architect colleagues and the designer’s own family. Today, Kubus with its distinctive square shape is an international design icon cherished by connoisseurs the world over. The brand pays homage to the Lassen brothers — often regarded to as pioneering innovators in architectural modernism — with a nickel-plated version of the iconic design piece.
Maison Dada
Maison Dada was born from the founders — Thomas Dariel and Delphine Moreau — vision to inject everyday life with the unexpected and extraordinary. The brand’s portfolio includes furniture, lighting and accessories that lend humour, humanity and a dreamy quality to the living environment. The Ticking Clock collection features a curved-band that builds on the familiar comforts of a traditional rocking chair, but in the hands of Maison Dada, it is transformed into a contemporary piece. With its precisely orchestrated flowing lines, thickening and tapering to form a pleasing rhythm, this rocking chair is a signature expression of contemporary design.
