The northern hemisphere's summer months make for a quiet moment on the design circuit. Festivals take a break, and with that, launches are largely paused until things pick back up in September.
That said, we've still managed to pull together a huge list of things we saw and loved in July (and a little bit of June), before whittling them down to this final 10. Some we spotted in sunny Copenhagen during 3daysofdesign, and others while doom scrolling. All of them, however, deserved a spot in Hypeform's best of July. Check them out below:
Forest collection
Formafantasma and Artek
Formafantasma and Artek are set to release the "Forest" collection this September, building on their collaborative research published last year. Since its foundations in the 1930s, much of Artek‘s furniture has been crafted from carefully selected birch wood felled in central Finland. In adherence to aesthetic expectations, logs free of irregular markings have been preferred to give a clean look. Instead, Formafantasma created a set of recommendations for making use of more of the tree – which is exactly what the Forest collection will do.
Archivo
Jaime Hayon and &Tradition
It's always nice when a designer creates something for their own home, because you know they'll have *really* put effort into thinking about it. Archivo is just that. Hayon wanted some shelves for displaying books and objects that he has collected on his travels, and &Tradition helped him bring it to life. Now, you can have it too, in either a sky blue, black grey, or natural oak.
Hongkong outdoor furniture
Hannes & Fritz and Vero
Swiss-German duo Hannes & Fritz has created Vero’s first ever outdoor collection, naming it "Hongkong". As suggested by its name, the series derives its design inspiration from Hong Kong, specifically the look of stainless steel front door gates that can be spotted throughout many of the city’s old residential buildings. The range consists of a chair, a stool, a bench and two tables, all exuding a blend of avant-garde boldness with simplistic lines.
Matsuri chair
Rudy Guénaire
This interior project really caught our eye, not least for the custom-made furniture. For Matsuri on rue Victor Hugo in Paris’s 16th arrondissement, Rudy Guénaire created a version of a futuristic canteen. At the heart of the restaurant is a conveyor belt displaying an array of freshly prepared food. Here, diners are seated on chairs that take on a nostalgic look, and we love them.
Dunk vase
Bob Verhelst for Serax
Bob Verhelst has worked across most facets of design – from theatre costumes, to shop windows, and visual arts to scenography. Now, he reveals his first collection for Serax – titled Sculptural Confluence. The whole collection is beautiful, and inclides mood lamps, trays, multi-functional side tables and an armchair. But a standout are the vases, which arrive in a series of angular shapes that Vehelst first crafted from cardboard.
3019_TableLamp
Standard Equipment and Caliper
Madrid-based fabricator Caliper runs a so-called "Editions Programme", whereby they work with designers to produce limited-edition objects. Previously they collaborated with Nifemi Marcus-Bello on the "Selah Lamp 2.0", but now – they're working with Standard Equipment to create the "3019_TableLamp", which is crafted from aluminium with a vibrated finish, custom silicone washers and handmade acrylic diffuser.
Árboles
Klas Ernflo and Marc Morro
These stools were on show at "Árboles", a dual exhibition by Barcelona-based artist Klas Ernflo and designer Marc Morro. The pair work in studios closeby, and decided that they wanted to see what happened when they came together to create work. As such, Ernflo's etchings are carved into, and then painted onto, the surfaces of a selection of Morro’s solid wood furniture works.
Wahaaj tables
Shaikha Al Sulaiti
These hand-finished tables are inspired by stained glass windows seen in Qatari architecture. Each is made from acrylic, with patterns arriving from recylced yarn that is trapped within the base material. "The yarn is actually what gives each piece its color,"Shaikha Al Sulaiti says. "Wahaaj means bright and lustrous, which is what the celebration of culture should be all about."
Rugs
SUNNEI and CC-Tapis
A bumper seven rugs make up the SUNNEI for CC-Tapis collection. Using "robotufting", otherworldly animal shapes are blurred into the fibres, which make a statement in bold hues. The collection was born from the first collaboration between the Milanese brands, which saw CC-Tapis create a giant rug for the SUNNEI FW24 show.
FP-Pickney speaker
Friendly Pressure, with Charlotte Taylor and EBBA Architects
These speakers were created by Friendly Pressure's founder Shivas Howard-Brown for a project designed by Charlotte Taylor and EBBA architects. Located in London, "Space Talk" is on a mission to create real, community interaction, with members able to attend events that encourage them to "live in the moment". With an custom audio set up that looks as good as this – crafted from hand finished Aluminium faces and stained Oak veneer –you can only imagine what the rest of the space is like.
Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast
