Closet confidential

Go behind the scenes at Smallbone’s workshop and witness the making of the Paul Helbers-designed wardrobe for Wallpaper’s Holy Handmade!

By Rosa Bertoli
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For this year’s edition of Wallpaper* Handmade – our temple to divine design at Salone del Mobile – we asked global purveyor of bespoke British cabinetry Smallbone of Devizes to team up with Parisian menswear label Helbers on the design of a bespoke wardrobe.

They responded to this year's brief, which centred on design-minded ritual, with aplomb. ‘Dressing and the way you look is a kind of daily ritual,’ says Paul Helbers. ‘For some people it's really a moment of contemplation.’ And so he presented Smallbone with sketches, intentions and colour palettes to create a cabinet that fulfils our reverent, contemporary dressing habits.

The wardrobe comprises transparent acrylic front and sides, providing a 180 degree view of the clothes – positioning them as carefully curated artefacts. Framed by the highest quality oxidised English oak, the simple bedroom cabinet is elevated to a museum-worthy display.

Rosa Bertoli

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.

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