January 10, 2025 |
Chet Lo, the NEWGEN designer celebrated for his spiky, futuristic textiles, has joined forces with innovative furniture maker Rankin to unveil a striking three-piece homeware collection seamlessly coalescing the distinct design languages of both brands. The result? A series of curvy, spike-swathed chaise longues, prickly pillows and an asymmetric stool. Coming in snow white, navy blue and romantic red hues, the tactile, geometric designs strike the perfect balance between jaw-dropping drama and everyday usability. Plus, those seemingly sharp spikes, though audacious in their appearance, are actually “crafted for comfort”, making them as edgy and artful as they are functional. Now available for bespoke orders, discover the avant-garde collaboration here.
We sat down with Chet Lo and Amber Rankin – founder of Rankin – to explore the origins of their partnership, the collaborative creative process and their personal favourite pieces from this innovative made-to-order collection.
1. How did this collaboration come about? When and why did you decide to join forces?
Chet Lo: Amber actually reached out to me really casually! It was just over DM and funnily enough, I had been really actively looking and looking and reaching out to homeware companies and seeing if anyone would be interested in collaborating, and the second that I kind of gave up, Rankin came to the rescue and reached out to us!
Amber Rankin: I’d been following Chet’s work for a while and always thought a collaboration would be so striking and unique! I loved the idea of bringing his futuristic spikes into furniture and upholstery. It really seemed like the perfect merging of our individual design styles, aesthetic and craftsmanship.
2. What was the creative process like? What did you learn from each other?
CL: Amber’s a joy to work with! She’s really cool and calm and collected. I think we both knew exactly what we both wanted and were really quick to get on it! Since she has such a great background in furnishings, I really learnt a lot about the technicalities and complexities of creating these pieces! It was so beautiful and wonderfully quick!
AR: A dream! Our thinking was very aligned which made things so easy. Chet is very hands-on which was a joy and I loved being able to learn more about the craftsmanship and material process behind his spikes! Creating the campaign was so exciting too – Chet’s background in fashion meant we were able to bring the pieces to life in the most beautifully chic way. A real blending of two worlds.
3. Do you have a favourite piece from the collection and if so, what is it and why?
CL: I think obviously the Spiky Jet Lag!!! It’s so beautiful and elegant! I can’t wait to have one in my home!!
AR: I think it has to be the Spiky Jet Lag chaise longue for me too! I just love a sculptural centerpiece! It was the first collab design we came up with, and felt so right. I must admit, the cushions have a soft spot in my heart too, they’re the perfect accessory to any space and are so soft.
4. Tactility is a very important aspect of both of your brands – why is this so important to you? What do you want users to experience when they use the pieces?
CL: I think for me, it’s about having a chic amount of fun! I think they’re definitely statement pieces but when you actually feel the pieces, they’re incredibly comfortable and then you can get lost in the touch. I imagine people just scrolling on Tik Tok running their hands along this couch for hours. It’s a sensory experience.
AR: I think both our design styles are drawn towards sculptural statement moments – that being said, comfort and functionality are huge for us too. These pieces embody that perfectly – so cosy, whilst still being standalone works of art when not being lounged on!
5. This is an exciting leap for both of you – what impact do you hope this collab will have on your individual creative development?
CL: I’m so, so, so happy to be designing outside the world of fashion!!! I’ve dreamed of this for years and years so for it to finally come true is such an honour! Also I couldn’t have asked for a better collaborator to work with on these pieces!
AR: I’m so proud of this collection, and I feel it really embodies both of us – bringing together fashion/craft/decorative art in the most contemporary way. Working with Chet on these pieces was perfect and seeing them out in the world now is very exciting!
Photography courtesy of Chet Lo.
