Curtains for textural graphics

Brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are Paris-based designers known for a fresh, modern aesthetic that plays with silhouette and texture. They have always had an interest in embroidery due to its ability to enhance textiles, as well as its grounding in French cultural tradition.

When Danish textile manufacturer Kvadrat tapped the team to create a collection of graphic, sculptural curtains, the Bouroullec brothers used embroidery techniques to realize their design. They created an installation using two textiles, Rennes and Chainette, based on a custom-made room divider originally created for an exhibition of the Bouroullec brothers’ work in Rennes.

The same pattern is used in both fabrics, but in different ways, to create a unique interplay. As light conditions change over the course of the day, the two fabrics interact, revealing new shades and tones. When lit from behind, the deep colors in Rennes intensify. Chainette, on the other hand, becomes more transparent.

Rennes has wide, diagonal and vertical, densely stitched stripes that intersect to create unique geometric forms. Where the stripes meet and overlap, shapes of varying transparency are created that dissolve into each other. Chainette, which means “little chain,” features tactile braids that give it a subtle three-dimensional character. The two fabrics share a handcrafted look, accentuated by small irregularities on their surfaces.

For more information, visit www.kvadrat.dk.