Hermès launches a trio of Miguel Castro Leñero’s animal-printed blankets at Salone del Mobile

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‘Cheval Debout’ and ‘Double Cheval’ blankets, by Miguel Castro Leñero, for Hermès
Left, limited-edition ‘Cheval Debout’ blanket with Kantha embroidery. Right, limited-edition ‘Double Cheval’ blanket, prices on request, both by Miguel Castro Leñero, for Hermès. (Image credit: Thomas Chéné)

‘Miguel Castro Leñero is one of the most important artists working in Mexico today,’ says Alexis Fabry, deputy artistic director of Hermès’ home universe, who first discovered the work of the Mexico City-based painter in the early 1990s. Castro Leñero is known for his graphical representations of objects and natural elements, and Fabry was especially taken ‘by the way he uses animal forms and imprints’.

Hermès has now given a new life to the artist’s stylised animal silhouettes – specifically his horses, to reflect the French brand’s equestrian credentials – on a trilogy of blankets to be unveiled at Salone del Mobile. Each is made of bicoloured, hand-dyed double cashmere decorated with block prints, appliqué and embroidery. To create each horse outline, one single hand-cut piece of cashmere was sewn to the main fabric, then finished with tiny coloured glass beads. Traditional Kantha embroidery stitches were used to emphasise some of the details.

In the background are naïve, irregularly-placed block prints of houses and abstract forms. These nod to architectural rhythm and texture as part of the ‘nature in the city’ theme of Hermès’ new home collection.

As originally featured in the May 2018 issue of Wallpaper* (W*230)

INFORMATION
See the limited-edition blankets and Hermès’ latest home collection, 17-22 April, at Salone del Mobile. For more information, visit the Hermès website

ADDRESS

Il Palazzo della Permanente
Via Turati 34
Milan

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Nick Vinson - Art Direction

Also known as Picky Nicky, Nick Vinson has contributed to Wallpaper* Magazine for the past 21 years. He runs Vinson&Co, a London-based bureau specialising in creative direction and interiors for the luxury goods industry. As both an expert and fan of Made in Italy, he divides his time between London and Florence and has decades of experience in the industry as a critic, curator and editor.