Design Miami/: Fendi x Sarah Coleman celebrate an unexpectedness in vision and use of materials

 

 

2020 Design Miami/ (Nov 27–Dec 6, 2020), the global forum for design, has expanded across the Miami Design District with Fendi showcasing their latest design collaboration as a satellite exhibition. The Italian fashion house has commissioned New York-based artist Sarah Coleman to create a series of design pieces using FENDI fabrics and archival imagery to repurpose and renew furniture pieces.

This new collaboration celebrates an unexpectedness in vision and use of materials, a fitting expression of the
creativity and innovation of Fendi.

Fendi has commissioned the New York based artist Sarah Coleman to reinterpret the 2020 Miami Design District
Fendi Boutique and create a series of one-of-a-kind design pieces, centered around Coleman’s design ethos of
repurposing.

The theme takes a literal approach at times, leveraging fabrics from FENDI’s handbags to reupholster furniture in
bold mixed logo prints, or printing Fendi archival imagery onto vintage magazine paper to collage a chair.

Fendi’s iconic FF and Pequin logos are reinterpreted by Sarah Coleman with a vertigo effect and appear on the
façade of the Fendi boutique, as well as on a series of limited-edition Peekaboo handbags.

Additional pieces include a vintage rattan peacock chair, refinished in yellow acrylic paint and plaster by the artist,
and an acrylic zigzag chair, covered in collage of vintage books and magazines, printed with Fendi archival
images, and mixed with warped prints designed by the artist. This piece features layers of repurposing, from the
vintage paper materials used, images drawn from the brand’s archive, and the distortion of iconic Fendi prints.

In collaboration with the artist, a special limited edition of 3 styles of Fendi’s iconic Peekaboo ISeeU bags
designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi were launched exclusively at the Fendi Miami Design District Boutique.

In addition, Sarah Coleman has reinterpreted a one of a kind piece of the Designer’s Peekaboo bag in white
canvas, transforming it into a multicolored style in plaster and acrylic paint, with FFs cut from suede, glazed with
resin. The bold colors of the piece are inspired by the vibrant arts scene in Miami, as well as whimsical toys from
the artist’s childhood.

Design Miami/ is an international design fair held annually in December in Miami, Florida. Its sister show, “Design
Miami/ Basel”, occurs every June, in Basel, Switzerland.