The World of Azzedine Alaia

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The strong, clean undulating lines of Pierre Paulin’s red and purple sofas create a bright counterpoint to the dramatically dark and immaculately presented pret-a-porter pieces in Azzedine Alaïa’s new Paris shop, while simultaneously complimenting the sculptural nature of Alaïa’s work and his admiration of the female form.

The pyramid form modular shelving racks and Martin Szekely’s angular steel clothing racks underline the curated experience that has been created for the visitor. Translucent circular light fixtures by Marc Newson add a soft hovering presence, which seem to reference the circular cut-out stud motif in many of Alaia’s most iconic couture pieces. The simplicity of the dark Perriand tables create a poignant reference to another visionary designer for those who recognize her work in this setting, while quietly and firmly contributing to Alaïa’s personal aesthetic. An intricate chandelier of brushed steel garlands by Kris Ruhs, floats ethereally down the centre of the three-floor spiral staircase… Magnifique!

This cohesive statement of Alaïa’s singular vision is truly inspirational. He has always followed his own path, confident of his choices and the creative statements he is making in fashion and now we can experience the entirety of his vision in this interior setting.

What does your interior say about you? Artecase can find the objects to help you make your personal statement.

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Mattia Bonetti and Elizabeth Garouste at Christie’s Paris

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Mattia Bonetti is a provocative Swiss-born designer based in Paris whose curvaceous wooden standing vases and lamps caught our attention in Les Puces last year and quickly found there way to the home of a Paris client!  We also featured Bonetti’s work here on our blog last spring when he was showing new work in NY. The first two photos above are from that incredible exhibition.

He worked with Elizabeth Garouste for a period in the 1980s through the late 1990s creating works that explore the line between art and design, which is a theme finding it’s way into more and more designers work and consequently some important collections. This is evidenced by the sale of their work that was presented in the Sotheby’s Paris sale of 20th Century Decorative art on November 26th. The above gold chevet (bedside table) sold for 47,100 Euros (Estimate 12,000-15,000 Euros)!  And this black console (Estimate 4,00-6,000 Euros), which could be a stunning counterpoint to more traditional objects, didn’t sell while the signed rug in the same image above sold within it’s estimate of 3,000- 5,000 Euros. There are still great opportunities here!

We are enchanted by the idea of living in an artistic interior that reflects our sensibilities in terms of the form of the objects. This work truly merges the world of art and functional design and opens the door to new experiences through design.

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Manuel Simon

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Manuel Simon (1978-)

In the great and rich tradition of the decorative arts in France, Manuel Simon’s amazing design pieces in glass and metal resonate deeply with us. Hailing from the South of France, Simon began to work in metal (iron, steel, bronze, copper and brass) during his time in the studio of sculptor François Thévenin (2001to 2003) and his pieces can truly be called functional sculpture, a term we hear often but which is apt here. Simon draws his inspiration in large part from nature and this you see reflected in the organic structure of his work. The sweeping lines dance and flow with purpose and absolutely own the space they inhabit.

This table in glass and stainless steel, makes reference to the work of Claude Lalanne with its lyrical qualities, but the choice of steel as the material and the firmer forest of lines gives it a cutting edge that is entirely Simon’s own. There is something challenging about the labyrinth of lines which is even more emphatic when viewed from above through the glass tabletop.

The guéridon in brown patinated steel copper with glass top is exquisite. The swirling lines at the base make one think of the expressive lines of the Art Nouveau period but that is where the reference ends! The uneven surface texture of the lines of the base and the large cushion-like shape with deep indentation adds another dimension to the piece, creating volume and depth and saving it from any hint of sentimental over-decoration. Simon manages to balance the decorative element perfectly with the functional element in his work, a feat which is not easy.

Images: Both the table in stainless steel and glass, and the guéridon in patinated steel copper (2013), are signed and dated and are unique pieces.

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Revisited – Murray Moss Quote from intro to Phillips du Pury Catalogue October 2012

‘I’ve always regarded most of the non-life-saving material world as ‘souvenirs’ of more or less profound thought expressed through functional ‘things’, which, by definition, possess therefore a divine duality for which they are sometimes considered inferior to Art, rather than the other way around.’

Murray Moss, in his introduction in the Phillips du Pury catalogue for the sale he curated last fall (October 2012).
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Artecase believes it’s the other way around.

Pierre Cardin Furniture

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I like designing out-of-context, without the limitations of angles, corridors, rooms or walls. It’s all the same to me, whether I am doing sleeves for dresses or table legs.”

These are two of Cardin’s earliest designs … both are quite hard to come by these days. The first is the wooden Pyramide Unit, 1977, by Giacomo Passera for Pierre Cardin. The second is the Demi-line chest, 1978, which we recently spotted!

Pierre Cardin presented his first collection of haute couture furniture, called Utilitarian Sculptures in 1977 at the Evolution Gallery in Paris. He was not interested in function but rather in expressing his sculptural sensibility that was so wildly successful in fashion to a new medium. Incorporating his now famous love of geometric shapes and ‘space-age’ materials he created free standing functional sculpture.

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Charlotte Perriand and Louis Vuitton

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We are fascinated by the links between design, art and fashion and explored this creative cross-current in our recent Paris Fall Art and Design Program (http://arte-case.com/exclusive-art-and-design-events-in-paris/). During our event at Elsa Schiaparelli’s 1930s atelier in Place Vendome we viewed her very personal collection of art and design which reflected her creative collaboration with the Surrealist artists of the era.

Along the same lines, we are interested to see that the 2014 Louis Vuitton Icones fashion collection is a tribute to one of the most influential furniture designers and architects of the 20th century, Charlotte Perriand. In a nod to Perriand’s famous words, “Like always but never the same”, the collection is designed in modules that can be combined to create new looks and its simple block colors and clear lines reflect the distinctive and clear design philosophy that so characterizes Perriand’s work.

Second image: Originally designed by Perriand in 1951 for student accomodation, this set of five metal-framed tables is being reissued by Cassina from a surviving prototype, with the permission of the Perriand family.

We can source works by this designer for you. Please contact us with inquiries.

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Design spotted at FIAC? Andrea Branzi

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Andrea Branzi’s work was pointed out to us at FIAC recently as ‘design’ within the art fair. According to his gallerist, it is a statement on the whole human being and what that encompasses. Branzi’s composition includes live birds representing nature and the wild on the left side. On the right side there is a vase filled with flowers below books on a shelf. This arrangement represents domestication and control. The whole message being that we can’t exist completely on one ‘side’ or the other but must acknowledge, share and embrace both sides of our nature.  And more specifically in today’s world the artist encourages us to remember our animalistic nature!

We do love the sculptural vase! … and the poetic message of this work.

Branzi is an Italian architect, industrial designer and professor of industrial design at the Politechnico di Milano University. He was one of the founders of Archizoom.

We can source works by this designer for you. Please contact us with inquiries.

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Max Ingrand

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We recently came upon this fabulous light (first image) by Max Ingrand, the master glass worker and designer (1908-1969). In painted metal and glass it was produced circa 1955 by Fontana Arte. The shade here has been replaced in the style and shape of the original. We love the inherent lyricism in the design of the base with its sinuous form and sweeping curves melding perfectly and effortlessly with the beautiful oblong glass in the centre. Utterly covetable!

Ingrand was the artistic director of Fontana Arte from 1954-1964. He designed his ‘1853 light’ in 1953 which has gone on to be an icon of design still in production now. It is a testament to the ingenuity of his vision and his universal reach.

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Melchiorre Bega’s lights for Milan Central Station

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We usually focus mainly on French design but couldn’t resist this amazing pair of wall lights (one of the pair in our image) which we saw in Paris last week! We were utterly enchanted. In tubular acrylic and painted metal, they were made for Milan Central Station c 1959 by the Italian designer and architect, Melchiorre Bega (1898-1976) and produced by Stilnovo. They are true statement pieces, monumental in size (each 151 x 42 x 85cm) and radiating out striated light from between the acrylic tubes. We loved the oval form and can imagine them perfectly setting the tone in a chic interior!

Bega was a powerhouse in Italian architecture and design in Italy in the mid fifties, designing the Galfa Tower skyscraper in Milan in 1959 and heading Domus magazine from 1941-1944.

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