FÄRG & BLANCHE presents ARMOUR mon AMOUR exhibition for milan design week

milan design week 2017: renown for their tailored approach to furniture design, the swedish-french duo FÄRG & BLANCHE turned to their heavy duty sewing machine to create the ‘ARMOUR mon AMOUR’ exhibition. the solo exhibition questions the relationship between hard and soft, featuring more than ten new objects that explore unusual production techniques, such as stitching into metal. the design duo set their work—influenced by samurai armour discovered during an art-in-residence stay in japan last year— against the backdrop of milan’s teatro arsenale, formally a church and today used as a theatre.

the ARMOUR mon AMOUR exhibition is set against the backdrop of milan’s teatro arsenale
images courtesy of FÄRG & BLANCHE

with a self-proclaimed fasination for sewing, fredrik färg and emma marga blanche of FÄRG & BLANCHE have practiced what they call ‘extreme sewing’ for furniture for many years. the duo pioneered the ’wood tailoring’ technique, and ARMOUR mon AMOUR sees the further stretching of possibilities by turning their heavy duty sewing machine to metal. the idea positions the duo as the first to create upholstered furniture by stitching directly into metal, exploring the opposite attractions of hard and soft by juxtaposing the solid surface with tender stitches. ‘we like to push the frontiers of innovation and experiment, and to be a part of the future, while at the same time keeping old knowledge alive combining craft and technology,’ claim the pair.
the exhibition sees the duo pioneer their METAL STITCHING production technique

following their stay in japan, the design duo looked further into the properties and purpose of armour in general. ‘we wanted to create bold characters that could serve as protection,’ they continue, ‘not only by their shape but also in the choice of materials and proportions.’ the final ARMOUR mon AMOUR exhibition saw the design duo experimenting with hard and soft materials, production methods, and shapes, combining textile, felt, leather, and all different kinds of soft material that sometime can induce a hard feeling.

SCARAB METAL STITCHING sees stitches add a soft feeling to metal furniture

for ARMOUR mon AMOUR, the duo placed their furniture designs alongside large sculptures and light installations. the exhibition featured the julius collection for gärsnäs, the frankie chair for johanson design, the succession tableware for petite friture as well as a new carpet collection for asplund.

METAL STITCHING adds a new feelinggì to upholstered futniture

 
a closer look at the METAL STITCHING application

emma marga blanche pins metal sheets in place ready for sewing

METAL STITCHING for the ARMOUR mon AMOUR exhibition

FÄRG & BLANCHE stitch directly into 0.5mm think sheet metal such as brass and aluminum

ORGAN chair refers to both vital human organs and the church instrument of preference

ORGAN chair is created by two felt pieces stitched together

BIG ARM armchair explores the human character of force and resistance

BIG ARM puts an emphasis on the armrest holding together the whole ensemble

STRONG HEAD armchair takes influence from the samurai helmet

LONG NECK chair has a high back like a protection that surrounds and shields

fredrik färg and emma marga blanche at their ARMOUR mon AMOUR show
image © designboom