Home truths

London-based Cypriot designer Michael Anastassiades may have celebrated his eponymous brand’s tenth anniversary this year – and designed the Cyprus Pavilion at the 2017 Venice Biennale – but he still made time to sit down at his home with Cutler and Gross. The film forms part of the optical eyewear brand’s ‘Visionaires’ series.

We’ve long been fascinated with Anastassiades’ approach to design, so much so that in 2013 we asked him to collaborate with the marble specialist Henraux, on an installation as part of our annual Handmade exhibition. Cutler and Gross, too, have been on our design radar recently. Founded by Graham Cutler and Tony Gross in 1969, we worked with the optical brand for this year’s Holy Handmade! (opens in new tab) showcase at Salone del Mobile. It collaborated with London design duo Doshi Levien on a time-capsule clutch, handmade from the same Italian acetate used to make Cutler and Gross frames.

Anastassiades’ approach to design inspires the Cutler and Gross film, as he discusses the need for creative freedom, resisting creative categorisation and maintaining focus among the noise of today’s ‘saturated’ modern world.