In reaction to our increasingly
techy cultural milieu, artisan craftsmanship and old-world pieces—like
Kilim textiles,
kiln-baked ceramics, and
hand-
crafted everything—are in high demand. Keeping with this trend toward tactility is a renewed interest in traditional weaving. No longer relegated to the grandmotherly shawl, woven details are making striking appearances in contemporary objects such as art and furniture and even high-performance kicks.
Destination: Mexico: The most recent focus of
MoMA’s globally minded
Destination: Design series is Mexico, indigenous home to the weaving tradition. Fittingly, some of the
series’ most striking pieces feature a woven element with a modern slant. Elias Abadi employed a traditional Mayan technique to weave strips of recycled plastic into the
Day of the Dead clutch; the
Jam Collapsible side table by Rodolfo Samperio is fastened with a lace-up cotton rope hinge; and the
Maria Bonita table features a hand-braided draped embellishment that suggests a loom. Elsewhere in the MoMA shop, Jessica Carnevale’s
stretch chair and
stool cleverly juxtapose traditional hand-woven construction with modern materials like bungee and latex cording.
Nike Flyknit: Following fellow shoemakers’ efforts at improving
footwear sustainability, the new
Nike Flyknit was designed to minimize waste during production. The sneaker features a woven fabrication that allows for a one-piece upper, no longer requiring multiple smaller pieces to be cut and cobbled together. Tightknit woven construction provides
strength and support without sacrificing closeness of fit, and the shoe has been applauded for its impressively light weight (a size nine weighs in at just 5.6 ounces). The Flyknit line will premiere in stores this summer in the lead up to the
2012 Olympics. Design-minded sneakerheads can find a chicer take on the shoe in Nike’s corresponding
HTM Flyknit line.
Marni Lawn Chairs: On the heels of its
much-anticipated collection for H&M, fashion house
Marni made a colorful impression at this year’s
Salone del Mobile furniture expo. The brand debuted its inaugural, fashionable attempt at home furnishings, featuring 100 wicker lawn chairs designed in the traditional Colombian style—with thin, curved metal frames, and vibrant PVC thread woven into color block patterns. In a charitable twist, Marni transformed its manufacturing process into something of a rehabilitation program, employing former inmates of Colombian prisons to
cut and weld the iron frames and weave the seating. Proceeds from the chair sales were donated to
ICAM, an institute that provides for the children of imprisoned mothers.
