Anglo-Indian design duo Doshi Levien is once again playing with the technical wares of Danish textile stalwarts Kvadrat. Launching at London Design Festival, the pair has created a first range of curtain fabrics, along with an immersive installation to celebrate this, titled ‘Pilotis’.
Made up of four fabrics, their inspirations for the contrasting collection are wide-reaching. The rough lines, graphics and dusty hues of 'Utopia' and 'Lake' stemmed from the mouldings of solid architectural surfaces like concrete and aluminium, while 'Rocket' and 'Fiction' take their light, perforated cues from science fiction and hi-tech fashion fabrics. Both alternating worlds open new gateways in curtain experimention; working with multiple choices, layering colours and textures to build an individual look that is both sculptural and contemporary.
These textile narratives are visualised via the 'Pilotis' that flow around the showroom as a maze of material. Much like the sweeping architectural contours of Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh that the pair often reference in the collection, the draping fabric’s curves and rushes of colour creates a theatrical and architectural city of their own in the East London space.
‘The machine-like texture of "Utopia" is combined with the smooth iridescence of "Lake",’ the design duo explains, ‘[and] the perforations of "Rocket" are layered with opaque "Fiction", together forming a naive and playful fabric Metropolis.’
Comprising four fabrics, 'Utopia', 'Rocket', 'Fiction' and 'Lake', the inspirations for the contrasting collection are wide-reaching. Pictured left: 'Pilotis' installation view. Right: 'Rocket' fabric
These textile narratives are visualised in 'Pilotis', which flows around the showroom as a maze of material. Pictured: 'Pilotis' sketches
Both alternating worlds open new gateways in curtain experimentation; working with multiple choices, layering colours and textures to build an individual look that is both sculptural and contemporary. Pictured left: 'Pilotis' installation view. Right: 'Fiction' fabric
INFORMATION
’Pilotis’ runs until 25 September. For more information, visit the London Design Festival website
ADDRESS
Kvadrat
10 Shepherdess Walk
London, N1 7LB
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