As part of Mount Street Arts Festival, Henry Holland Studio has debuted its first foray into the world of furniture, building on its popular hand-built ceramic collections
Photography by Milo Hutchings, designer Henry Holland has launched a new furniture collection that builds on his signature ceramic creations
Words by Roddy Clarke
Nearly four years after making the move from fashion to ceramics, British designer Henry Holland is marking a new chapter for his eponymous studio by unveiling his first furniture collection that bridges the worlds of collectable design, sculpture and ceramics. Launching in a gallery installation as part of the Mount Street Arts Festival which coincides with the exclusive art and design fair PAD London, the studio’s first foray into furniture showcases the breadth of Holland’s creativity and his ability to inject his design identity within multiple categories and applications.
Photography by Milo Hutchings, The new collection consists of five furniture pieces featuring materials such as patinated bronze, mohair and the studio’s ceramic orbs
While ceramic furniture isn’t a practical choice, Holland still wanted his signature techniques to remain central to both the design and fabrication of each piece. Using hand-forged bronze frames as the starting point, he has subsequently integrated organically shaped patinated surfaces and his much-loved nerikomi ceramic spheres into the designs, resulting in furniture that boasts a spirited, sculptural flair.
Photography by Milo Hutchings, The launch marks a new chapter for Henry Holland Studio while showcasing the designer’s multidisciplinary approach to design
Featuring five pieces, the collection consists of a chair, console, coffee table, side table and pouffe with repeated shapes, tactile materials (from patinated bronze to plush mohair) and marbled ceramic orbs creating a sense of cohesion. And, while drawing inspiration from Brutalist and postmodern eras, the collection also pays homage to Henry’s storytelling ability and the personal stimulus that lies behind a lot of his work. In this instance, both the console and chair rest on bronze legs tipped with pebble feet, one of which was hand-cast from a stone he collected while scattering his mother’s ashes on a Welsh beach.
Photography by Milo Hutchings, The collection is made entirely in the UK by local artisans with the ceramics hand-built in Holland’s east London studio
Commenting on his late mother’s adoration for interiors and how she would have loved to have witnessed the development of this collection, it’s this personal passion that continues to resonate through all his creative endeavours and has garnered a dedicated global following for the studio. ‘I hope people feel a sense of surprise and excitement when they see the pieces,’ he says. ‘This is a departure from anything we have made before, and I feel like it is a real evolution in our work as a studio. The pieces are playful but anchored in meticulous craftsmanship and we have really pushed the limits of what we can do, so I hope that translates.’ Added to this, the collection is also a celebration of British craft, with each component made within a 100-mile radius of the East London studio.
With this expansion really establishing the studio as a multi-disciplinary design brand, it is a refreshing exploration and curiosity that pushes Holland, allowing him to decipher his creative identity in multiple ways. ‘It is about approaching each project with the goal of creating something authentic and true to what we stand for, both in essence and in visual language,’ he continues. ‘I always try to design pieces that reflect who I am and my personality: bold, playful, and, of course, incredibly good looking. Ha!’
Photography by Milo Hutchings, Repeated shapes and materials bring a sense of cohesion to the collection while mirroring the design aesthetics of the studio’s previous ceramic and lighting collections
Never one to hide his good-humoured personality, Holland’s evolution from ‘pot dealer to furniture forger’ (as he puts it!) is a reminder of how important it is for designers to embed that authenticity into their creative language, giving them a unique point of difference. And, while the world of collectible design and art can often emanate a sense of exclusivity, Holland’s warm-hearted approach injects an energy and spirit that centres us back onto the joy found within the design and making process itself. In harnessing this joy and imbuing a personal narrative within each project, the result is a timeless collection that seamlessly marries his artistic outlets together.
With prices on request and each piece made to order, the collection is available to view until 19th October at 27 Mount Street.
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