Textile leader Kvadrat pays careful consideration to details in their fabrics—whether it be color, pattern, or craft.
On March 22 at the National Academy of Design, we got a special look at, and feel of, the new collection, “Ria,” under supervision of Kvadrat CEO Anders Byriel, of its partnership with designer and current creative director of Calvin Klein, Raf Simons. In 2014, the brand first partnered with Simons to create a unique collection, and now, they’re celebrating their fourth.
Kvadrat x Raf Simons “Ria” collection (2017).
Photo by Brian Ferry.
Courtesy of Kvadrat.
The two first crossed paths back when Simons was at Jil Sander and he stopped by Kvadrat’s booth at Salone del Mobile in Milan. “He met us, and saw our materials, and was super excited about them … the colors, and really, the quality of what we did,” said Anders. They realized they had a friend in common, the graphic designer Peter Saville, and when they first got together, they mostly spoke about art and design. This latest collection is their fourth, and working with Simons, Anders said, is full of inspiration “for the clientele, but also, for ourselves.”
Appreciating its many textures, colors, and crafted prints, we saw the new collection last month upholstered on furniture like large poufs and chairs. There was a range in color—from light and bright to striking and bold. Other pieces featured famous Isamu Noguchi designs, and some came from Simons’ personal furniture collection.
Kvadrat x Raf Simons “Ria” collection (2017).
Photo by Brian Ferry.
Courtesy of Kvadrat.
“He’s so into mid-century, and has been for many, many years… and for us living in Scandanavia, mid-century has always been very, very heavy for us,” said Byriel. “The great thing about this is that we’re being hit with history—and we’ve always been very contemporary. It being 2017, we are very much about the next thing and being experimental. To work with Raf, who’s so aware of history, and in a way interpreting history, that’s been very exciting.”
There are 15 colorways available, ranging from neutral to bold, and the textures have expanded the previous collections to include new tones for the velour textile Harald 3 and the large-grain bouclé Vidar 3. In addition, the collection features new cushions, and the brand’s Argo 2 is now available in a modern yellow, pink, and blue. “It’s relatively quiet,” said Anders about the new accessories. “But just quality, quality, quality.”
Kvadrat x Raf Simons “Ria” collection (2017).
Photo by Brian Ferry.
Courtesy of Kvadrat.
