P.H.I. Interior transposes the codes of haute couture to furniture and decoration. How does this haute couture influence manifest in your designs and choice of materials?
The apparent simplicity of shapes and forms and their timelessness, the glorification of materials, the know-how behind the hands and the gestures, and the passion to overcome the obstacles during the making of a piece, are all the manifestations of couture in our work together with the masters of craft and artisans we work with to bring the pieces to life.
Your collections draw inspiration from travel diaries in Iceland and Mongolia. Can you elaborate on how these experiences shaped the colour palettes and materials used in the Préambule and Philein collections?
I still cannot recollect other places where my mind wandered so freely, where I felt absorbed by these infinite landscapes, and where my sense of belonging grew by the day. Your connection with nature becomes natural, through the palettes you see, the natural elements you touch.
I left both countries with a strong envy to connect back: the more soothing colours came back to my mind. While they are structural ones, they bring that understated & comfortable feel.
Collaboration with artisans and artists is a cornerstone of your work. How do you select the craftsmen and artists you work with, and what qualities do you look for in these collaborations?
Admiration for the craftsmanship and an obvious bond that emerges during the first brief: it is incredible to meet outstanding artisans in Europe, and outside Europe. But only a few become people we want to work with, just because of that special bond and coming understanding of expectations for each piece, their adventurous mindset to explore beyond what is established.
The Préambule collection features collaborations with Studio Högl Borowski and Milla Vaahtera. Can you share your most proud achievements regarding this collection and collobrations?
I was then working on creating custom-made pieces for a residential project and exploring new materials. As we could not find in the market anything that was satisfying for the creative direction of this project, we decided to create the pieces for our client.
We certainly met quite a few amazing artisans along the way, but the obvious was really sticky: Stefanie & Mathias from Studio Hoegl Borowksi and Milla Vaahtera won our hearts! They played a cornerstone role in the launch of our first bespoke furniture collection, and we are so glad that we have been able to expand our relationship and collaboration through our Harlequin Collection launched in Milan in April this year.
P.H.I. Interior emphasises a strong connection between material and design. How do you approach the selection and sourcing of materials for your collections?
Wood and metal are certainly our daily earth and fire at the studio. We are exploring further every year the possibilities through lava stone with the wonderful assistance of the Italian master of craft Ranieri located in Terzigno, south of Naples. Glass and resin remain our two exploratory materials for research on texturing and coloring.
Last, but not least, we are blessed to be able to meet numerous « métiers d’art » every year, which leads to further research on what is relevant to the stories we want to tell through our pieces. Next year will be a good occasion for us to present the result of our work from this research.
You work with various traditional techniques, such as enamelled lava and ironwork. How do you ensure these techniques are integrated into contemporary designs while preserving their traditional essence?
This pertains to the unique relationship we have with our artisans. They are the masters of their art, techniques, and gestures. The counter between them and us around a new piece is always a fragile moment: the confrontation between the idea and what is feasible.
Our usual stubbornness to not compromise on our initial idea meets with the reality of nature and materials. Their passion and ours join together to reach the initial idea as closely as possible, giving ways to new gestures, exploration of the new finishing, and methods of glazing to obtain the perfect colour...
With your collections also presented in the Metaverse, how do you see digital spaces influencing the future of furniture design and the way customers experience and interact with your pieces?
We created our Studio’s Metaverse in collaboration with Milan-based Évoque Lab, with the intention to represent what matters to us. First and foremost, we believe in blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor. We further believe in re-wilding interiors.
Last but not least, we do not wish to assign our bespoke furniture pieces to a unique usage. Our metaverse relays all these principles and allows us to present our pieces without boundaries or pre-conceived prospects. Our collaboration with Évoque Lab is based on the shared creativity between our respective studios, creating dreamt new realities.
What upcoming projects or collections are you most excited about, and how do they continue to push the boundaries of craftsmanship and design?
We are thrilled to bring together multiple craftsmen on a single project. The conflict between materials and ultimately their delicate and fragile cohabitation is part of our creative journey this year.
We also look forward to unveiling our current residential project in Warsaw, and an unusual luxury corporate office in Bangkok which brings home and hospitality to the workplace.
