Contract Magazine - July 2020 - 40

FEATURE

Luum's Second Sight, by
Suzanne Tick, is a collection of
four upholstery textiles that
exudes optimism, reflection,
and a focus on responsible
materials like wool, silicone,
and recycled polyester.
Spirited use of color is seen
throughout, offering vivid and
nuanced palettes that when
integrated into the materials,
refresh our perspectives with
playful simplicity.

Suzanne Tick
Creative Director
Luum

What was the inspiration for your latest collection, Second Sight?
Second Sight is a play on words, inviting you to revive your outlook for the future
in the dawn of this new decade we're in. We focused on bold use of color and
were inspired by visionaries of the past and present who have opened the doors
for new ways of seeing, especially in the fields of art, architecture, and design.
Color is important to you. What is your approach to working with color in
this collection, and in general?
For Second Sight, we really wanted to focus on using color as a medium. The
"Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future" exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum
had a big impact on our design team. Her ability to see color through the lens of
emotion, geometry, and spirituality was incredibly formative as we developed
this collection.
In general, we approach color at Luum as a long-term, ever-evolving
project. With every launch, you can expect us to extend color palettes so new
products coordinate with existing product, that way the whole portfolio is
integrated and works together holistically. We also spend a lot of time
researching and listening to the voice of our customers in our design process.
From there, we start from scratch with fiber, we twist the fiber, and weave
structures on our loom here in the studio and work with our mill partners to test
dyes, which helps us synthesize the best results based on our design goals and
what's the best match for each weave structure.
This collection has a particular focus on responsible materials like wool,
silicone and recycled polyester.
Can you talk about your approach to designing sustainable textiles and how
you want interior designers to use your products sustainably?
I think our approach comes from a deep understanding and awareness of
materials, manufacturing and the issues of waste in the textile industry. We
deliver very focused groupings of textiles that we feel answer a need within the
industry or a gap in our portfolio. The idea of high-performance can sometimes
equate to unattractive. Where we excel is harnessing our expertise of weaving,
color and structure with recycled and renewable fibers to yield textiles that are
unexpected and beautiful to the eye and the hand; or aesthetically durable. We
are currently in the last stages of development on a biodegradable polyester
textile, furthering our commitment to user wellness and the environment.
You recently spent a few months in India. What inspiration did you
find there?
The time in India allowed me the time to step away from the day to day and
realize the moment to moment. To understand the need of the time. To feel what
pulls me. To follow what nature offers. We changed our direction upon my return
to reflect what is needed now. We clarified our color even deeper. We dropped
patterns that no longer seemed relevant for the product plan. When things flow
it's a good sign. We are going with that.

40

contractdesign.com

JULY 2020
http://www.contractdesign.com
Contract Magazine - July 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract Magazine - July 2020
