Cult Celebrates 20th Anniversary with NAU Gallery Launch & Icons of Design Book.

Cult first opened its doors in 1998 – a new concept for the Australian market, brimming with authentic design we’d not yet been able to see and experience in situ (over the years, they’ve given us Republic of Fritz Hansen, Poltrona Frau, Magis, Cappellini, Emeco, Carl Hansen & Sons, Cassina and Lightyears, to name just a few).

So this year, the store and hub of both exceptional international and local design celebrates 20 years. To ring in the occasion, Cult has extended its Sydney showroom – the same location where Cult was founded two decades ago – to make room for eight new brands. New to the Cult collection this year will be Karakter Copenhagen and Nanimarquina, along with Zanotta, Tecno, Vipp, Louis Poulsen, Montana and Design Letters.

As well as more design to choose from, we’ll also be able to experience a standalone NAU gallery, showcasing Cult’s collection of Australian designers. Both the showroom extension and gallery space have been pieced together by DesignOffice’s Mark Simpson and Damien Mulvihill.

“The NAU Gallery is housed within a very simple existing structure, without any of the heritage features of the existing adjoining Cult buildings,” Mark and Damien said in a statement. “It reads as an annex, or quite literally a ‘lean to’ to the existing showroom. We wanted to retain the spatial simplicity of this building, and draw on references of Australian vernacular buildings, to create a contemporary, restrained gallery space, which allowed the product to be the feature.”

And last but not least, Cult has also revealed a book to celebrate 20 years. Icons of Design is a limited edition box set containing a 20-page lookbook and gift cards, styled by Heather Nette King and photographed by Mike Baker. It features 24 core brands within the Cult collection and a set of colourful design icon cards created by Eva Dijkstra and Michael Lugmayr of Design by Toko.

NAU Gallery is located at 17-19 Levey Street, Chippendale.

[Images courtesy of Cult. Photography by Sean Fennessy & Mike Baker as noted.]