It was only a matter of time before the forward-thinking furniture manufacturer Knoll joined forces with OMA, one of Europe's most forward-thinking architecture practices. Last night the two design stalwarts sneak-previewed the fruits of their first collaboration - a 12-piece furniture collection to be launched at the Salone del Mobile - as a backdrop to the Prada A/W menswear fashion show.
The bubblegum-pink textural swivel armchairs, stacked-wood coffee tables and long, lean sideboards provided just the right setting for Prada's pops of colour and butter-soft leather. The pieces, which will debut at the Salone as part of Knoll's 75th anniversary celebrations, 'extend the Knoll tradition of exploring dynamic space-planning ideas based on datums for the contemporary work,' said the brand.
OMA's relationship with Knoll may be new, but its links with Prada were forged many years back: the architecture practice has designed the fashion brand's retail spaces over the past decade, and OMA's think-tank AMO has magicked fearless sets for Prada's catwalk shows since 2004. For last night's presentation, AMO modelled a radical vision of the 'ideal house' at Prada's vast Fogazzaro show space, incorporating items from the new OMA-Knoll collaboration - the first time the team has showcased furniture design alongside its fashion collections.
Wallpaper* has covered these remarkable collaborations before; last year AMO sat viewers on a 'field' of 600 cornflower-blue foam blocks on a bright green artificial-grass ground. But this season the architects reversed out the traditional catwalk configuration entirely, seating guests on a pyramidal island at the centre of the space while, around them, men walked among a perimeter lined with futuristic furnishings.
To bring home the domestic theme, the team projected images of 'ideal home' life on the walls, each scene picture-window size to make the audience feel like peeping Toms on a well-lit street. The 'woman of the house' popped up in silhouette in one window, but it was the models - in thick-soled, hard-wearing loafers and cropped trousers - who were the clear stars of the show. Someone should have pulled up a chair.
The geometric furniture and objects are a sneak preview of a 12-piece collection by OMA that Knoll will launch at the Salone del Mobile this year
The geometric furniture and objects are a sneak preview of a 12-piece collection by OMA that Knoll will launch at the Salone del Mobile this year
Dubbed 'The Ideal House', the set was lined with windows that gave glimpses onto urban scenes or rooms
Dubbed 'The Ideal House', the set was lined with windows that gave glimpses onto urban scenes or rooms
The furnishings complemented the sleek collection of colourful blazers, butter-soft leather and cropped trousers that made up Prada's A/W 2013 menswear offering. The models weaved their way through the set, acting as characters in AMO's domestic environment
The furnishings complemented the sleek collection of colourful blazers, butter-soft leather and cropped trousers that made up Prada's A/W 2013 menswear offering. The models weaved their way through the set, acting as characters in AMO's domestic environment
OMA's furniture is built in wood, metal and Plexiglas, featuring paper textures, while objects are realised in blue foam and painted wood
OMA's furniture is built in wood, metal and Plexiglas, featuring paper textures, while objects are realised in blue foam and painted wood
The finalised collection of furniture and objects will be launched as part of Knoll's 75th anniversary celebrations at the Salone
The finalised collection of furniture and objects will be launched as part of Knoll's 75th anniversary celebrations at the Salone
