ESPACIO SAMI HAYEK : Sami Hayek Shows His True Colors (and textures) at ICFF

Photos courtesy of Sami Hayek

ESPACIO SAMI HAYEK : Sami Hayek Shows His True Colors (and textures) at ICFF

Espacio Sami Hayek, a new design brand positioned to develop multi-channel collections of home furnishings, accessories and design solutions, unveiled its first line at ICFF last weekend. A partnership between the environmental designer Sami Hayek and Springs Global US, Inc., Espacio Sami Hayek will launch a luxury collection that includes furniture and upholstered items, lighting and decorative essentials.

“Our desire is for Espacio Sami Hayek to deliver an enhanced life through products, spaces, and experiences that tell a story of passion and individuality, of joy and inspiration,” said Executive Creative Director, Sami Hayek. “Inspired by the craftsmanship of local traditions in global cultures, we will engage in artisanal processes and incorporate their heritage into elements of the brand.”

Available Fall 2011, the collection merges rich colors and textures with contemporary lines to create designs that are signature Hayek—unique, warm and livable. Pieces are complimentary yet freestanding – referencing similar aesthetics while functioning well individually—with the intention to create an experience through curated elements, rather than a singular style.

In designing his first collection for the brand, Hayek mines his Mexican roots to connect ancient materials and local artisans to contemporary design. A set of tables and serving pieces are made from Barro Negro, a curious dark, rich clay unique to the Oaxaca region of Mexico used for centuries to create everyday pottery. The clay, traditionally baked in low-temperature wood-burning fires inside the home, is set through a highly specialized and rare smoking process, instead of glazing. Fascinated by Barro Negro since his childhood, Hayek spent over a year working with a local master potter to revolutionize the manufacturing process and technical qualities of the humble material, making it both refined enough for serveware and strong enough to be used for furniture—an industry first!

Through the collaborations, Espacio Sami Hayek hopes to create a market for traditional materials and skills and generate living-wage jobs in areas of Mexico where they are desperately needed. In doing so, the company hopes to encourage sustainable economic development in a manner that will help the communities flourish both financially and socially, while remaining true to their heritage.