Louis Vuitton decodes its design ethos into the home with its latest Objets Nomades collection presented at this year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan.
Louis Vuitton anchored itself at the heart of the design industry by presenting its Objets Nomades collection at Fuorisalone 2019 this year, a design fair that takes place during Milan’s Salone del Mobile. The French maison launched 13 new exceptional design-focused objects in collaboration with a host of creatives, including two new designers. The result? A table that seemed to defy the laws of wood as a material, and a functional, hand crafted sofa using Vuitton’s leather as a starting point.
For the prestigious art fair, Louis Vuitton has a long history of teaming up with creative artists to build unique installations that evoke the nomadic sprit of travel – something the brand is synonymous with. This year, the French heritage house teamed up with Milan-based design studio, Atelier Biagetti for the first time to present a unique dining table with a glass top and wavy base covered in soft leather (left). Founded by Alberto Biagetti and Laura Baldassari, the studio sought inspiration in the idea of a table as an object that brought people together. “We wanted to create an experiential object that suggested a journey more psychological than physical”, explains Biagetti. “We did not want to create a portable object; on the contrary, we wanted the object to transport us. So, we thought about a table – the domestic object par excellence – because it brings people together; it is convivial and inspires the telling of stories and sharing of tales.”
Vuitton also collaborated with Giorgia Zanellato and Daniele Bortotto, the Italian design duo from Venice behind Zanellato Bortotto, who wanted to explore the brand’s long history of using leather as a material, resulting in an eye-popping red leather sofa (bottom left). “We were immediately fascinated by the idea of working for a brand with such an incredible historical and cultural heritage as Louis Vuitton,” the duo explains. “[Inspiration] came from the weaving, patterns, and typical motifs used by certain nomadic populations that use fabric and leather to build baskets, rugs, and other everyday objects. We used leather because it is an iconic material for the brand and the Objets Nomades collection; the result is so detailed and wellworked thanks to the house’s innovative techniques and craftsmanship.”
The two Italian duos join a line-up of renowned architects and designers that have already previously worked alongside Louis Vuitton’s in-house artisan team, including India Mahdavi, Patricia Urquiola and Tokujin Yoshioka. The brand unveiled a total of 40 new pieces this year, including past editions re-proposed in new colors and materials. Updated objects included the Campas Brothers’ kitsch Bomboca sofa puzzle, now available in a neon yellow, and their suspended Cocoon chair in a faux red fur, evidence that the brand’s legacy lies long beyond fashion and the shop floor.
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