Welcome to the latest edition of Behind the Brand, where KBB seeks to illuminate – somewhat! – the creative process from the perspective of top product designers in the kitchen and bath fields. Being able to look at everyday objects in a radically different way is the [un]common denominator of these talented individuals.
This month, we hear from:
Antoine Baudouin, Director of La Compagnie du Verre
Arielle Lopresti & Teegan Cocchiaro, Co-founders of Lo & Co
Marissa Geoffrey, Chief Creative Officer and Brand Leader of Sherle Wagner International
As a product designer, my greatest responsibility is…
Baudouin: To understand what the glass can become, and then put it at the service of a space, a project, an intention. Architects and designers come to us with a vision. My role is to make sure the glass doesn’t just illustrate that vision, but amplifies it.
Lopresti: Creating pieces that stand the test of time. We want every design to feel as relevant in twenty
years as it does today, balancing beauty, functionality and craftsmanship in equal measure.
Geoffrey: To create objects that achieve all functional necessities without sacrificing their formal elements. Our ethos at Sherle Wagner is that the visual and tactile joy that a faucet, for example, brings to a space is as important as its function as a source of flowing water.
“Blossom Tree” shower partition by La Compagnie du Verre. Photo: La Compagnie du Verre
One of my creative touchstones is…
Baudouin: Early twentieth-century Parisian architecture: the glass roofs of the old department stores, the Art Deco brasseries. In those places, glass isn’t decoration; it tells a story. I keep coming back to that idea that glass can say something without saying a word
Lopresti: Travel, particularly throughout Italy. The architecture, materials and appreciation for craftsmanship constantly remind me that the most enduring design is often the simplest and most considered.
Geoffrey: The incredible legacy of our own brand, and the original masterpieces designed by my grandfather. While designing new and fresh collections for the contemporary audience, we are always mindful of the standards and attention to detail true of our founder’s creations.
An industry trend that I’m watching is…
Baudouin: The return of texture. For years, everything was about perfectly clear, perfectly smooth glass. Today, designers are looking for grain, depth and a measure of controlled imperfection. Techniques we have practiced for years, such as bush-hammering and hand engraving, are becoming genuine design choices again.
Lopresti: A move away from fast, trend-driven interiors towards investing in fewer, better pieces. People are becoming more intentional about the products they bring into their homes, choosing
quality, longevity and timeless design over what’s simply fashionable.
Geoffrey: The increasing incorporation of eclecticism into interior spaces. Designers and homeowners are less and less constrained by a given style, incorporating personal and disparate objects into a home while maintaining a cohesive and harmonious point of view. We see our traditional collections being installed in more contemporary environments, and our modern collections finding homes among more historical motifs.
Lucia pull by Lo & Co. Photo: Courtesy Liam West
The best part of my job is…
Baudouin: The moment a piece meets the light in its final space for the first time. Even after all these years, there is always a surprise: the way light passes through it at a certain hour, or how the glass interacts with the wall or the floor. That moment makes everything else worthwhile.
Lopresti: Seeing a design that started as a sketch or a clay moulding become part of someone’s
home. Knowing our pieces become part of people’s everyday rituals is incredibly rewarding.
Geoffrey: Working with the artisans in our Massachusetts workshop to incorporate their masterful understanding of material into our new designs. And also, witnessing the breathtaking environments in which designers situate our pieces; it is always so much fun to see how our vision of a piece combines with their vision of a space.
Acanthus kitchen faucet by Sherle Wagner. Photo: Marissa Geoffrey
If I had a week off from the studio, I would…
Baudouin: Spend it in museums and exhibitions, looking at what other artists do with painting, sculpture and other materials, and asking myself how I could translate that into glass. That is often where our best ideas come from.
Lopresti: Be traveling with my family, exploring beautiful architecture, discovering local design stores and
galleries, and inevitably coming home with a camera roll full of inspiration for the next collection.
Geoffrey: Split my time between my family and my own fine art practice. As much as product design fulfills me creatively, I still treasure the opportunity to paint and draw abstractly.
