The Shapes of Water by Sabine Marcelis for FENDI

For their tenth anniversary at Design Miami/ in December 2018, FENDI presented The Shapes of Water, a project by Sabine Marcelis. A series of resin installations were dedicated to rediscovering one of the elements FENDI cherishes most: water. Using water as a design tool, Marcelis magnified its delicate beauty by realising ten fountains inspired by ten of the most iconic symbols of craftsmanship and the logo of the historic Roman house.

Made of cast resin, Marcelis’s ten fountains represented FENDI’s historical identity, with each one featuring a new version of Maison’s symbol. The fountains were exhibited on a plinth of travertine, the same stone that is found in the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, an emblematic monument of FENDI’s architectural history and its headquarters since 2015. A piece inspired by the Peekaboo bag was placed at the entrance of the booth—the brand’s iconic bag celebrated its anniversary year.

See more projects by Sabine Marcelis on Yellowtrace here.

It is through clean, soft lines and the use of such ethereal materials as polished resin and water in contrast with the ancient travertine stone and warm colours reminiscent of the Roman skies that Marcelis’s fountains represented the perfect fusion among the historical, creative, and aesthetic legacy of FENDI and its courage to provoke.

Born in Holland and raised in New Zealand, Marcelis explores material properties through the manipulation of colour and light, creating unexpected optical effects and unique chromatic shades. She searches for the limits of physical characteristics and production processes, which result in minimal yet highly aesthetic objects and installations.

See more projects from FENDI on Yellowtrace here.