A work space that inspires
Matt Dick took a wide open, industrial space and conjured an inspiration-filled studio and showroom that functions well for him and his company. Spread out: The middle of the space is occupied by a pair of Formica-and-wood Bramante tables by Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni that are 50 inches wide and 118 inches long. Their size allows them to serve multiple functions: The handfinishing for the bag collection, for instance, can be done at the tables. “They’re good for me to spread out paperwork, do presentations and have meetings,” says Dick. A place for everything: It’s important to designate zones for different tasks. For example, the pattern-making tables — which are 42 inches high and solely for this purpose — are situated near the sewing machines. The rack of cardstock patterns and muslin prototypes are kept together, so he can easily reference his archive of creations. A wall dotted with coat racks displays all of the work uniforms he has ever designed. Clear desk, clear mind: Dick also has a work desk on the showroom side. It’s hard not to notice the lack of clutter on the desk, where a laptop and little else resides. “I always go back to this,” he explained. “I need to — to come in and visually start fresh, think clearly.” Volumes of style: Dick stores his books on shelves built by Sebastian Parker, and made from Douglas fir floor joists salvaged from an old factory; the wood is riddled with nail holes that lend character. “If (the units) started on the ground, the books would get dirty,” he said of the decision to float the wall-mounted shelves. “Plus, I wanted to leave empty, open space.” The tomes are arranged by color because he is a visual person who often remembers what the cover looks like, but perhaps not the name or author. Get on board: The doubleheight entry to Dick’s showroom acts as a large-scale inspiration board. “Some things came through friends, some I found on the street, some came in the mail and others I tore out of a publication or editorial,” he said. “There’s artwork and photography, too. It’s a mix of things that I could potentially put back in a gallery or resell, along with things that may not have value to anyone else.” He never pulls items down, though. “When they get tired,” he laughed, “they fall down, and then I add new stuff.”