04/04/2019 - The new DL Lounge Chair and DL Bench will be launching at Milan Design Week 2019 at DesignByThem’s solo show in the Isola Design District, celebrating 12 years of producing Australian Design.
DesignByThem presents a new furniture collaboration between industrial designers/DBT founders Sarah Gibson and Nicholas Karlovasitis and Australian fashion designer Dion Lee. The new DL Collection is the first interdisciplinary collaboration for DesignByThem, merging fashion and industrial design principles. The DL Lounge Chair and Bench couple the iconic sculptural tailoring recognized in Dion Lee garments with the timeless structural details of GibsonKarlo designs.
Sarah Gibson explains: ‘The design originally started with a concept Dion and I discussed during a visit to Milan. It was important to us that the product demonstrated the experimental aspects of Dion’s work together with our experience in furniture detailing, manufacturing and commitment to creating a timeless design’.
Referencing the iconic Bauhaus slung leather furniture typology, the DL Lounge Chair and Bench combine organic materials and angular silhouettes with the use of Italian saddle leather tensioned over a steel frame. The challenge was to translate the movement of wearable textiles/materials in to a static functional object. Taking inspiration from Dion Lee’s signature weaving techniques, the durable saddle leather is woven throughout the metal frame to construct a fluid yet geometric form that champions the natural material.
The crossover between furniture and fashion stems from ideological foundations, Dion Lee explains: ‘In a similar way to fashion, furniture takes something functional and purposeful and explores innovation and technique to create something inspiring. I believe Sarah, Nick and myself share a technical approach to design and a desire to create’.
‘I have always loved the slung leather designs of the Bauhaus era and designing with saddle leather has always been something that I’ve wanted to do. I love how the leather is a warm, soft yet structural element of the design. It is a unique quality of this material. Along with utilising the saddle leather, we wanted to reference Dion's woven and structured design elements, combining these with traditional furniture making methods to create a visual lightness and interactivity’, says Nicholas Karlovasitis.
The DL Collection is available in a range of saddle leather colors with a powder coated or polished chrome frame. The DL Range will be showcasing April 9-14 at Milan Design Week 2019 in the secluded courtyard of Viafarini Gallery in the Isola Design District. The show will be a welcome opportunity for international guests as well as traveling Australians to touch, try and meet the new range and designers for themselves.
DesignByThem at Milan Design Week
Studio Via Farini
Via Carlo Farini 35
9 - 14 April
Tuesday 12pm - 7pm
Wednesday to Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 9am - 4pm.
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