Stellar Works

Following the IMM Cologne taking place this week, 15 to 21-01.2018, we bring you the interview with Yuichiro Hori, CEO & Founder of Stellar Works.

— Interview —

Stellar Works - How it was born, the story and path that made Stellar Works such an important brand connecting the East and the West?

Stellar Works was established in 2012 to unify ideas: East and West, heritage and modernity, craft and industry – bringing the best of the past into the light of the present.
Our aim was to inspire a renaissance in Asian aesthetics, taking the forms, styles and motifs that have characterized Asian design across the centuries and filtering them through the lens of the European tradition to create something new and timeless.

The approach - Please describe the approach that sets the tone for every new collection, as well as the selection of designers that work with Stellar Works.

We are inspired by the longstanding craft and industry of traditional cultures and are committed to bridging the gap between old and new, east and west. Our quality furniture collections are Asian in inspiration, cross-cultural in design and international in scope.
Stellar Works seeks to reintroduce past collections of classics, alongside culturally-inspired contemporary signatures. We have chosen this path because we believe that good design is timeless and that is what we strive for, to exist beyond the passing trends and for our designs to still feel contemporary and relevant for many years to come.

Given the different backgrounds and nationalities of the designers that have worked with Stellar, how has it been to articulate the modern-day approach to design with the “renaissance of refined culture and Asian aesthetics”?

We work with acclaimed designers from around the world to create relevant contemporary designs that reflect our aesthetic of Asian sensibility and timeless craft.
Stellar Works is a global design brand with an international team that calls Shanghai home and as such are inspired by a rich mix of international influences.
This diversity enables us to continually bring about new designs that will resonate with a wide audience and make sense in key global markets.
Whenever we work with a designer we always ensure that they understand the brand DNA before they start thinking about designing new collections for us. So while each designer brings their own perspective to a piece for Stellar Works, there are always, common aesthetics that links the collections: Asian sensibilities and Made in Shanghai.

What can we expect from the new collections by Neri&Hu and by Yabu Pushelberg?

The new collections we are launching at our IMM Cologne debut reflect our commitment to good design and quality craftsmanship.
This year, in addition to launching new designs we have refined existing pieces. The Utility sofa by Neri&Hu has been reimagined for 2018 with a more refined silhouette, combining comfort with practicality and offering a sophisticated take on the popular industrial aesthetic. The result is a more detailed, elegant and functional sofa that fits perfectly into the Utility collection of lounge chairs, bar stools and stools. The collection is utilitarian in its references, while featuring a palette of old-world and luxurious materials.
The Bund collection by Neri&Hu is inspired by the Bund, a lasting symbol of Shanghai’s past, present and future and combines elements from both the city’s industrial origins and rich colonial history. The soft curves and rich fabric finishes observed in Bund pieces pay homage to the Art Deco style of our home city of Shanghai.
We have also unveiled at IMM, additions to the Blink collection by Yabu Pushelberg - two new table designs: a stone and a wood-topped café table to complement the Blink series, which comprises dining and lounge chairs, stools, dining tables, consoles, vanity tables and mirrored screens. This is a compact and playful, sculptural collection.
All of the pieces we are showing at IMM are aimed at both residential and commercial interiors.

As a CEO and Founder, how the evolution of your brand been so far, the public’s response to the brand, and where do you/Stellar Works go from here?

As a young brand we have achieved so much and 2017 was a real breakthrough year for Stellar Works. The reception at Salone del Mobile last year was overwhelming from both the public and from the professional design community and we want to build on this success by taking part in IMM and other future key design events around the world.
We are proud that our designs are Made in Shanghai and we are working hard to change the negative perception of manufacturing from China. In Shanghai, we own our own workshop and factory and we work with a team of skilled artisans employing handcrafted techniques alongside modern manufacturing processes.