Eugeni Quitlett has been named designer of the year at this year’s Maison et Objet. The Ibiza-born Catalan designer unveiled his latest Dream Catcher here at the fair, and the aluminum chaise lounge is truly a thing of dreams.
“I want to bridge between dreams and design,” says Quitlett with emphasis as he leads a group of Japanese press through his exhibit, hands slowly caressing the contours of the Dream Catcher. The cobalt blue piece is the only new piece Quitlett is debuting here in Paris. “I don’t want too much,” he says before posing boyishly for the cameras snapping at every turn. “Do you want me to breakdance?” he jokes.
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A sense of humor has afforded the Escola de la Llotja art school graduate a bit of ease and readiness throughout his career. Starting under the tutelage of designer Philippe Starck and then moving on to eventually open his own studio, Quitllet has cut his teeth on an expansive path of paying dues and forging his own way. His own way has lead him to his appearance here in Paris, where he’s been awarded to title “Designer of the Year.”
Eugeni Quitlett, “Dream Catcher”.
Much of his recent catalog features the stunning work we’ve come to expect, demonstrating his capacity to harness all the ideas he’s been influenced by over the course of his career. In 2015, the influence of dreams first took shape with Dream Time and Dream Tools. Dream Tools form a part of his Lexon collection, featuring office items and accessories such as a pen and pen holder, desktop organizer, smartphone hub and a constellation of other accessories for placing and organizing business cards, pencils and a tape dispenser. According to his site, “These objects are microarchitectures, small crystalline, colorful and transparent landscapes to cast an eye upon, then dream, work and think more clearly.”
Dream Time for its part takes you out of the office and into the bedroom, where a fun rotary alarm clock with buttons that jut out on both sides provide easy access for those of us clumsily incapacitated by sleep.
Eugeni Quitlett, “Dream Tools”.
For lighting, Quitllet has rendered a lookbook of designs fit for the home or for larger gathering and work spaces. In collaboration with Italian design brand Kartell, Quitllet created Shine, a line of vases that, from a distance, play with light. More recently he added and expanded the Light Air series he also undertook with Kartell.
The Light Air Pendant series builds upon the earlier success Quitllet discovered with his table lamps and introduced the public to hanging and wall lamps made from polymethacrylate material, which is also used for headlights. Opting to fully take advantage of light display, he employs a conical parabola for diffusion and light projection. He describes the fixture as a “ballerina,” appropriate given the way light flits and dances through the conical shapes.
Eugeni Quitlett, “Shine” Collection.
For tables and chairs, Quitllet rendered some functional and yet chic pieces for Spanish brand Vondom. His Marisol table is purposed to withstand the elements, constructed with aluminium legs and going beyond just the chocolate charcoal color one might expect to find on terraces. Vondom and Quitllet opt to give customers a chance to stack the table outside or furnish their interior spaces with it as well.
Last but not least, exclusively at the Pompidou Museum Boutique one finds his fun and playful Din-Amic, stackable plastic eating utensils, bowls and table and dishware. But you won’t need to venture to Paris or to Spain to see Eugeni Quitllet’s work up-close. The darling of the design world has a laundry list of collaborations with some of the industry’s top brands.
