FENDI × Kengo Kuma
In collaboration with FENDI, we designed two bags and two shoes.
Inspiration was first drawn from the rough, yet gentle texture of WARANSHI (Japanese paper, a collaboration of paper between Japan and the Netherlands), a mixture of cotton and bark made by a Dutch paper-maker, Rogier Uitenboogaart, who lives in Yusuhara City, Kochi Prefecture, with whom Kuma has a close relationship.
Both FENDI and KUMA felt that this WARANSHI was a perfect match for their philosophy, which values savoir-faire (Master Craftsmanship) and natural materials.
In the shoes, called FENDI FLOW, the body-friendly and warm texture of washi paper is combined with 3D-printed yatara knitting- a randomized, yet structured weave that KKAA pursues.
In the bags called PEEKABOO and BAGUETTE SOFT TRUNK, the bark of Tuscan olive trees and birch trees is combined with the soft texture of WARANSHI to create an encounter between nature and the human body in a way that is not possible with conventional bags.
Silvia Fendi commented as follows. “I have always considered Kengo Kuma a master of naturalistic architecture. He was one of the first architects to recognize the importance of integrating nature into the interior and exterior of a building. His naturalistic approach to the “negative architecture” movement, a principle found in the construction of the environment and in Kuma’s rigorous design, is highly regarded worldwide, and his experimentation with natural materials and his dedication to craftsmanship are consistent with Fendi’s approach to materials innovation and research and development. In his work, the future and his roots harmonize in a very essential way.”