In light of its deep ties and commitment with the design world, FENDI is pleased to announce a new collaboration with the renowned French architect, designer and interior decorator François-Joseph Graf for a unique Made To Order capsule collection. These exceptional collections are created to pay tribute to the audacious creativity of the great names of contemporary design, such as Maria Pergay or Thierry Lemaire.
FENDI first paired up with the limited edition design world in 2008 through Design Miami, which enabled the Maison to support the vital synergy which arises from the commixture of contemporary creative expressions and private commissions, whilst launching and upholding artistic initiatives and encouraging confrontation and reciprocal cultural enrichment.
“This project represents an important step and a new adventure for FENDI in the world of design. We are honoured to work with Graf, one of today’s decorative arts ‘legends.’ This partnership strengthens and confirms our ties with the design world, whilst also highlighting the strong relationship with FENDI Casa, which was and still is a tangible demonstration of our passion for design,” states Pietro Beccari, Chairman and CEO of FENDI.
Educated in the Architectural department of the Beaux-Arts Institute of Paris and Ecole du Louvre, François-Joseph Graf masterly combines a structured and architectural play on light and shadow, his world of sculpted wood with leather and fur, the intimate atmosphere of his cosmos with FENDI’s universe. This collaboration highlights the values which the Roman Maison and the Décorateur share, such as excellence, daring creativity, tailor-made, a profound respect and passion for materials and for all that is handmade, the interest in the contrast between rigorous aesthetics and luxurious extravagance, and a real penchant for imaginary journeys and boundless creativity.
Among some unique furniture, lighting and objects, FENDI and François-Joseph Graf will present, as a preview, exclusive made-to-order pieces at the 2014 edition of ‘AD Intérieurs, ‘Decors à Vivre’, the exhibition that will take place from September 10th to November 23rd, at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, located in one of the wings of the Louvre Museum. This capsule Collection will be available to be ordered starting from September 2014.
For the occasion, FENDI and the interior decorator will create a ‘Pavillon Chinois’, or Chinese Pavilion, featuring FENDI MTO pieces, where the space will be decorated with a precious collection of Chinese Yuan, Ming and Qing cloisonné objects, donated by Baroness Salomon de Rothschild to the Louvre Museum in 1922, and now in the fund of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs.
“I have decided to showcase a precious group of enamels cloisonnés from the Rothschild collection, a part of which was stocked in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and has never been shown to the public. The pieces will be presented in a very contemporary and modern way, in a chinese pavillion where the architecture has been purified and transposed into our century. A collection of sofas and furnitures, directly inspired by the development of Fendi in China, has been exclusively created for this occasion,” affirms François-Joseph Graf.
The atmosphere is oriental, rich, opulent of dark tones, prospectively serene, of geometric poetry, intense, and of twilight sensuality and human-centricity.
“With FENDI Casa, we are very pleased to play an active part in this unique project which will provide us with the great opportunity to collaborate with François-Joseph Graf. Thanks to this partnership, FENDI Casa will continue to convey FENDI’s savoir-faire and creativity in elegant and timeless pieces characterized by exceptional workmanship,” says Alberto Vignatelli, Founder and President of Club House Italia.
ABOUT FRANÇOIS-JOSEPH GRAF
Architect, acknowledged influential patron, decorator, worldwide famous “interior designer”, François-Joseph Graf has a deep passion for French luxury. To him, Art is a vocation that he expresses with generosity, rigor and talent. François-Joseph Graf has become a master in set design of supreme sophistication.
François-Joseph Graf is the eternal world traveler and citizen. His quest for modernity has not ceased to evolve over the past 30 years during which he has designed ephemeral settings for his patrons and their surroundings that sometimes even go as far as reflecting their convictions.
François-Joseph Graf started his career at the Castle of Versailles between 1981 and 1984, under the tutelage of the former Head Curator, Pierre Verlet. His classical training made him fall in love with the splendor of the past and he has not stopped restoring, renovating and redesigning some of our national treasures, sometimes even as a patron himself.
Architecture and Decoration
A specialist in spatial proportions, François-Joseph Graf likes to be in full control of the amount of light available, to harmonize the colors and materials used.
An indefatigable virtuoso of French style, inspired by Decorative Arts and an ingenious interior designer, the “Prince of Taste” combines the old and new and local and exotic materials with style.
He has created truly powerful abstract designs using highly innovative techniques, which has often meant pushing his cabinet makers, painters, blacksmiths, embroiders and artisans to the limit– all working in harmony.
Design
A remarkable creator of fabrics, silk goods and trimmings involving a lot of collaboration and experimentation, for François-Joseph Graf, this is just a pretext to reinvent himself and his art.
When embarking on another real or imaginary décor, if the perfect furniture does not exist, François-Joseph Graf simply designs and creates it.
Be it a single item or part of a “collection”, this is how his recent furniture collections were designed, created and decorated by the finest French artisans.
A mystical nomad and passionate about music, culture, travelling and the Orient, François-Joseph Graf conceives his collections of exclusive furniture by juxtaposing precious and common materials: metal with wood, ivory with horns, rusty steel with ebony – all in his quest to create the most sublime fabrics.
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