Moooi has never been ugly
PREMIUM NAME NOW AT HOME IN SA Select pieces offering sheer brilliance now at Weylandts
The Dutch seem to have a knack for creating and appreciating innovative furniture. Who can forget Red and Blue Chair by Gerrit Rietveld in De Stijl? The iconic chair has become a timeless piece of art history – but Dutch design innovation has never simmered down – just look at Moooi.
It’s a brand of furniture and home items that rely on design where rules don’t apply, which leads to functional pieces that can play a transformative role in a home.
It’s eye-catching but above all an investment. Moooi walks along the line of fine art, where buying a piece can mean it’s a bit of pride handed down from generation to generation.
Last month Weylandts revealed they are now exclusively stocking items from the Dutch design and innovation company.
Moooi, founded in 2001, was named after the Dutch (and Afrikaans) word for beautiful, with the third ‘o’ in the brand name reflecting an extra value in terms of beauty and uniqueness.
“The Moooi collection that we showcase in five of our 10 Weylandts stores offers signature lighting, furniture, carpets and accessories that encapsulate drama, luxury and high design,” says Weylandts founder Chris Weylandt.
“We don’t tell designers what to do, we listen to what designers want to make, and try to realise their dreams,” says Moooi’s founder, art director and designer Marcel Wanders.
The concept of Moooi dabbles with the idea of timelessness and this leads to strong collaborations with designers, who in turn produce their best, often highly concepual, work.
“Mooi adds another layer to our offering and exposes our customers to high design. We share the same values and principles which made this collaboration seamless. While we show an edited range within our stores, we offer all their products to our customers on an order basis,” says Weylandt.
If you want to do yourself a favour, visit the Moooi website. It evokes the same feelings as visiting a theme park for the first time, or being unleashed at a toy store when you were a child. Nearly every item demands your attention.
Striking items like Sofia Lagerkvist, Charlotte von der Lancken and Anna Lindgren’s Pig Table is whimsical, while A Brave New World lamp design that is so detailed you’ll spend hours just looking at it’s unique functionality.
This month Moooi celebrated the worldwide release of Meshmatics Chandelier, a suspension lamp that puts a sophisticated spin on a single material. Designed by Rick Tegelaar from Arnhem the luminaire is crafted from chicken wire.
Through the controlled stretching of the steel mesh, Tegelar created a new and refined aestetic. With a dandelion-like appearance there’s a softness to the lamp even though it featues a three-tiered mesh structure.