This year at Salone del Mobile 2019, Hermès presents its new Home collection “Living Materials”.
The collection, created by artistic directors Charlotte Macaux Perelman and Alexis Fabry, is all
about the praise of materials and craftsmanship.
Intrinsic in the name the materials constitute an object, a shape, and through these signifiers it
postulates a message that is different for every situation. Often, it is really its composition to convey
a part of this message, either it has a smooth consistency to the touch, either rough, almost primordial, then sensual, materials are the purest form of expression.
courtesy of hermes.com
The French House wants to celebrate the very large spectrum of action that an artisan has when
shaping the original matter and how many representations it can take depending on the colour, the
shape, the materials implied in the creative process.
An example of this are the two lamps created by designers Barber & Osgerby, Halo and Hecate.
They seems to create an eternal contrast between one another. First of all, the names suggest just that: Halo evokes images of purity and light, the second one recalls Hecate, goddess of the shadows and ghosts, of magic and charms in the ancient Greek culture.
The two lamps are at opposite ends but sort of complementary: Halo is extra white Limoges porcelain, very delicate, Hecate is black granite, resistant and elegant.
The collection goes on by showing some graphic motives inspired by jockey’s jerseys recurring on
mahogany H Casaque watch and cigar boxes.
Once again, the French Maison brings forward the precious ability to treat different materials in
order to create something unique, out of any given category, ultimately defined as authentic,
timeless pieces.
The exposition will be available to visit from the 9th to the 14th of April at the Show-room
Collections Maison from the 10 th to the 14 th of April at Pelota both in Milan.
written by Ludovica Mucci