006: Jamaican Independence & Simone Leigh

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 🗞️

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DISPATCH — 006

In the market for limited edition ceramics? Here’s an Algerian brand to keep in mind. Plus: celebrating Jamaican independence, another H&M collab already sold out, and a champagne toast for visual artist Simone Leigh. But first, we’ve rounded up a few of the industrial designers du jour.

EYES ON INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Similar to architecture, industrial design is somewhat marked by its ubiquity and its functionality. It is both literally everywhere and yet its function is just as critical as its form. We are often struck by a beautifully designed object that serves a purpose in our lives. Auction houses have contributed to entire economies around editions of time-favored designs alongside originals for increasingly unattainable prices.

Who can forget the late Virgil Abloh’s impact on transforming the everyday object into something desirable for his legions of acolytes? The enamor for a ‘designed’ object, however quotidian, seems to have staying power as evidenced by the craze over collectibles and the drop model of accessing these objects. With little signs of stopping, here are a few industrial designers of note.

nmbelloStudio

Founded by Nifemi Marcus-Bello, nmbelloStudio designed The LM Stool (pictured below), which has since been added to the permanent collections of design at the Denver Art Museum and the Design Museum in London. Since 2018, the stool has been released in small drops in different color ways. Beyond product design, nmbelloStudio is conducting research into anonymously designed objects on the continent in order to highlight the ingenuity in indigenous design. www.nmbello.com

Mabeo Studio

Based in Botswana, Mabeo Studio is a must-know name in contemporary furniture design. A broad ranging practice, Mabeo Studio was founded by Peter Mabeo in 2006 leveraging craft economies across core materials including wood and metal. Beyond furniture, a prior partnership with Fendi reimagined the classic peekaboo design in metal and a book Furniture for Everyday Life 2006-2017 captured the ethos of this beloved practice. www.mabeofurniture.com

Samuel Ross & Associates (SR_A)

Samuel Ross is a multi-hyphenate semi-trained up in the school of thought certain figures like Virgil Abloh embraced (in fact, Abloh employed Ross as an intern and design assistant over a decade ago). That said, the through line between his disparate projects is rooted in this pursuit of legacy and contributing what he deems as missing from the canon. He’s tackled vodka, headphones, cologne, and we hear a faucet and tap is in the works with Kohler to launch this December. www.sr-a.com

HAPPY JAMAICAN INDEPENDENCE

Award-winning designer and creative director Bianca Saunders (behind the eponymous label) is steadily carving out a path for her sharp and minimalist clothing. While traditionally known for menswear, she did recently unveil a custom wedding dress this summer that surprised us all. For Jamaican Independence Day, Saunders launched a fresh homage to the culture that has grounded her work. Not to mention the fortuitous timing — the Jamaican Women’s Team just beat a record in the World Cup by becoming the 1st Caribbean nation to reach the knockout phase.

This is not the first time for cultural celebration — Saunders released a line of t-shirts entitled Patois in reference to her heritage back in 2021. For this Spring / Summer 2024 collection, the brand will soon release the Air t-shirt online to signify yet another milestone. If you can, collect them all. www.biancasaunders.com

ON OUR RADAR

A new release of limited editions ceramics by IBKKI are the touch of lemon and rose your shelf deserves — each piece is an invitation to the Berber culture and ancestral techniques from North Africa espoused by this Parisian Algerian brand. (Link)

While not quite sub-line or diffusion, this new capsule collection from designer Felisha Noel (behind long-time label Fe Noel) is more of a new expression for the brand. Meet Reception by Fe Noel, a series of ethereal silhouettes suited for special occasion dressing. (Link)

South Africa-based Rich Mnisi is back with another cheerful collaboration — this time with H&M. Fellow creatives Selly Raby Kane and Trevor Stuurman were seen showing their support for the unisex label. Of what we’ve gathered, the collection of printed hoodies and tees have already sold out in a few days. Here’s hoping for a re-stock. (Link)

Creative director Jerry Lorenzo behind powerhouse brand Fear of God teased the launch of its “baby gurl” footwear collection — its first foray into women’s high heels as part of Collection 8 coming this holiday season. (Link)

Visual artist and sculptor Simone Leigh has secured a permanent acquisition for her bronze piece Sentinel (2022) by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Originally shown at the U.S. pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale (where she was the 1st black woman artist to represent the U.S.), the sculpture is beyond words — major congratulations are in order. (Link)