Studio Jean-Baptiste Fastrez
PRODUCT DESIGNER
Eclectic, curious and playful, the work of this French designer challenges conventional thinking.
The bold and irreverent work of this French designer is fueled by a desire to challenge conventional thinking.
There’s a rich visual complexity to the work of Jean-Baptiste Fastrez that instantly captures the imagination. The Parisbased designer’s portfolio spans product, furniture and spatial design and is eclectic, playful and curious, with a tendency toward sensual material choices that are nothing short of striking. He describes what he does as narrative design, and a sense of storytelling scaffolds each work from name to resulting form. “For me, creating something new and different is the most important thing,” says Jean-Baptiste. “I like to produce designs that ask more questions than they answer.”
At the core of his practice is a desire to deliver unexpected outcomes. Case in point is his Zodiac mirror, which boasts a frame that resembles an inflated balloon. In reality, it’s made from ceramic, and the high-gloss finish is what gives it a lightweight appearance. A similar element of surprise is found in FZ1, a powdercoated steel-frame stool that is highly sculptural and looks even more fantastical when stacked. But it’s his Allpa, Qucha and Pacha vases that genuinely challenge conventional thinking.
Named after three goddesses from Incan mythology, the ceramic vessels essentially are each a cluster of seven vases that allows for elaborate flower arrangements. Jean-Baptiste has manipulated a traditional archetype, and the result toys with something seemingly contradictory. As he explains, “This collection looks like it came from an archaeological site; like it’s from some ancient civilization, but the truth is that those shapes were calculated randomly by a computer and the moulds are 3D printed.” The meeting of old and new is clearly expressed in this product, and it’s little wonder JeanBaptiste cites the art of past cultures and religious art as a source of inspiration.
His work in general has a strong artistic sensibility, and he favours bold colours, graphic lines and tactile patterning. Conceptual art, cinema and fashion design are his other inspirations, as is his past employment with Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. He worked for three years as an assistant to the Bouroullec brothers, following his graduation from École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle – Les Ateliers de Paris in 2010, and their exquisite materiality and quirky vision obviously had an impact.
More recently, Jean-Baptiste has extended his practice to include spatial design. He is currently working on exhibition designs and a private residence, as well as continuing partnerships with, among others, textile company Kvadrat, furniture brands Galerie Kreo and Moustache, and celebrated department store Galerie Lafayettes. There’s an element of dynamism to everything that Jean-Baptiste does, and this is what makes his portfolio resonate with such a fresh, functional modernism. jeanbaptistefastrez.com