posted by Tony Whitfield
BIOGRAPHY
Marcel Wanders
Wanders brings his elegance and star power to bear whenever he is in the company of the great and lesser-known lights of the design world.
He doesn’t need the clown nose; his height and thick head of hair, along with his talisman, the ever-present bead necklace, are enough to silence, then bring to a hushed whisper, a room full of people.
He is an eminent design pro, a complex mix of confidence and well-concealed timidity, of depth and excess, of generosity and exuberant talent; a larger-than life figure, in keeping with his dreams and his plans, much like his prestigious projects: the Kameha Grand Hotel in Bonn, the Mondrian South Beach Hotel in Miami, the Villa Moda boutique in Bahrein, among other exceptional projects.
He is an eminent design pro, a complex mix of confidence and well-concealed timidity, of depth and excess, of generosity and exuberant talent; a larger-than life figure, in keeping with his dreams and his plans, much like his prestigious projects: the Kameha Grand Hotel in Bonn, the Mondrian South Beach Hotel in Miami, the Villa Moda boutique in Bahrein, among other exceptional projects.
Forêt des Songes votives & vases
He is both Wanders, a international design star and jetsetter with a brutal work load, traveling
first class—to accommodate those long legs—to the four corners of the world; and Marcel,
entrenched in the provincial rhythm of Amsterdam, getting around the city on foot or by bike,
unless he is in his vintage, ageless Mercedes.
first class—to accommodate those long legs—to the four corners of the world; and Marcel,
entrenched in the provincial rhythm of Amsterdam, getting around the city on foot or by bike,
unless he is in his vintage, ageless Mercedes.
Marcel Wanders, hedonist designer and poet, imbued from childhood with his Dutch roots, linked
directly to Vermeer’s light, the blue of Delft porcelain (the Delft blue pieces from the MOOOI
2008 collection), lace (the Crochet Chair, 2006) and macramé (the Knotted Chair, 1996).
Wanders His sense of humor, his romantic extravagance and his poetic and whimsical approach
to all archetypes first appeared in the Droog design projects, then in the collections of the company
he co-founded, MOOOI, where he is also the current art director. And he’s everywhere,
showing up as a model for GAP’s international ad campaign and working for nearly every major
design label for whom he designs one bestseller after another, year after year.
Baccarat has also joined in, claiming Marcel Wanders as one of its own, for his whimsical
inspiration drawn straight from the Arts Décoratifs. Channeling the natural world, Marcel Wanders
dreamed up “United Crystal Woods” for Baccarat, a collection bringing together several facets
of the company: “La Fôret des Songes,” multipurpose candle jars decorated with a lace pattern
etched to various thickness; “Les Rois de la Fôret,” monumental cut vases of polished metal
or marble bases (the latter available as a limited edition only); “L’Ivresse des Bois,” a set of utterly
elegant wine glasses and carafes. And finally, the pinnacle of this imaginary forest,
“L’Esprit des Bois,” an improbable family of deer and stags, made of polished stainless steel
and wood encased in etched crystal; in candlelight, these poetic, graceful shapes look like
dreams come to life.
directly to Vermeer’s light, the blue of Delft porcelain (the Delft blue pieces from the MOOOI
2008 collection), lace (the Crochet Chair, 2006) and macramé (the Knotted Chair, 1996).
Wanders His sense of humor, his romantic extravagance and his poetic and whimsical approach
to all archetypes first appeared in the Droog design projects, then in the collections of the company
he co-founded, MOOOI, where he is also the current art director. And he’s everywhere,
showing up as a model for GAP’s international ad campaign and working for nearly every major
design label for whom he designs one bestseller after another, year after year.
Baccarat has also joined in, claiming Marcel Wanders as one of its own, for his whimsical
inspiration drawn straight from the Arts Décoratifs. Channeling the natural world, Marcel Wanders
dreamed up “United Crystal Woods” for Baccarat, a collection bringing together several facets
of the company: “La Fôret des Songes,” multipurpose candle jars decorated with a lace pattern
etched to various thickness; “Les Rois de la Fôret,” monumental cut vases of polished metal
or marble bases (the latter available as a limited edition only); “L’Ivresse des Bois,” a set of utterly
elegant wine glasses and carafes. And finally, the pinnacle of this imaginary forest,
“L’Esprit des Bois,” an improbable family of deer and stags, made of polished stainless steel
and wood encased in etched crystal; in candlelight, these poetic, graceful shapes look like
dreams come to life.
ROIS DE LA FORÊT & IVRESSE DES BOIS COLLECTION
BIOGRAPHY
Jaime Hayon
In Jaime, one can almost hear “gem”—a perfect word to characterize artist and designer Jaime Hayon.
Like a conquistador, this adventurer of design embraces life with an extraordinary creative zest, an immediate empathy for his nearest and dearest, and an infectious vitality. Skipping from one language to another in a heartbeat, he simultaneously chats in English as well as French, Italian and Spanish, all with a singular nonchalance and ease. Born in Madrid, this Almodóvar of design is on a continuous quest for encounters and new lands. The paradox rises from the overlap of this free-wheeling spirit and his inspirations, drawn entirely from the sensuality of his background: fragrances, sounds, languages, visions of childhood and his Iberian roots.
Jaime Hayon at work
The primary colors, the excess, the organic baroque shapes of the furniture and ceramics, the manga-meets-Iberia “toys”: his imagination flows as freely as a stream from the tip of a colored pencil or brush with the talent of a master draftsman. His “Rencontre” with Baccarat is typical of this atypical talent. His masterful stylistic undertaking between colored cut crystal or pieces engraved with gold and metallic ceramics successfully bridges the gap between sumptuous transparency and velvety opaqueness. Hayon’s sense of humor reframes the importance of his creation in a limited edition of monumental works. In 2011 Hayon created the Baccarat Zoo, a crystal menagerie, reminiscent of an astonishing bestiary. With Zoo, the Spanish designer combines the sparkle of crystal with porcelain and gives birth to a wildlife triptych, both playful and democratic, resulting in pieces that are halfway between glamorous candy jars, and decorative objects..
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