Kvadrat x Raf Simons ‘No Man’s Land’ Installation at Milan Design Week 2019.

Celebrating the fashion designer’s sixth collection for Kvadrat, Raf Simons presented four new textiles in a conceptual installation “No Man’s Land”, which playfully explored the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces. Influenced by his background with clothing, Simons has continued to work with heavy structures made from natural fibres such as wool, cotton, linen and viscose, resulting in his latest fabrics: Atom, Phlox, Novus 1 and Novus 2.

More than just an exhibition, the show was a destination. Vintage furniture covered in the new textile collection was placed within and around original Jean Prouvé prefab cabins, accompanied by a super fresh auditory experience that might’ve made you feel like you probably need to up your Spotify playlist game. Meanwhile, delicious smells emanated from the adjacent pop-up outpost of the London restaurant Rochelle Canteen, while a field of wildflowers by the Belgian florist Mark Colle completed the elaborate, sweet setup.

The exhibition championed new textiles with origins in fashion like bouclé, tweed and corduroy. The thick cording of the corduroy was echoed in the timber slats of transport palettes, while the bouclé textile was shredded to create a speckled floor, reminiscent of grassy lawns, flower gardens and patches of dust. Simons long-time collaborator Mark Colle created a colourful stretch of a real-life garden where visitors were invited to socialise.

Atom is the latest of the Kvadrat/Raf Simons textile designs to draw oblique inspiration from the colours of nature. Bold, contrasting yarns including duck egg blue and burgundy on black or bright yellow and grey on forest green show Simons’ characteristic flair with colour, whilst more subdued combinations have a more classic appeal.

Conceived as a suite of diverse yet complementary tones, weaves and textures, Kvadrat x Raf Simons textiles and accessories are intended for use in a wide variety of interiors. In addition to the textiles, cushions in Atom, Novus 1 and Phlox have been added to the collection, available in a curated selection of sizes and colourways.