A Homegrown Collaboration Is Recontexualizing Native Objects With Leather

Æquō serves as a dynamic space where the convergence of makers, designers, and materials sparks an intriguing dialogue in design. By fostering a collaborative environment that encourages global perspectives to engage with local sensibilities, Æquō cultivates distinct narratives that reimagine India's rich craftsmanship through furniture and interior objects. Encounters between contemporary designers and skilled artisans within Æquō's expansive network facilitate a unique exploration of the unfamiliar within the familiar, resulting in the creation of exclusive, storytelling collectibles that encapsulate the essence of India.

Their collaboration with the designer and founder of Ateliers Courtin, Cédric Courtin recontextualizes native objects with leather. Located in the Pondicherry-Auroville belt, Ateliers Courtin has long been synonymous with the mastery of leatherwork. Revered as a sanctuary of innovation within the luxury domain, Courtin's workshop has catered to the discerning tastes of global fashion connoisseurs. His evocative creations have graced the runways, serving as testaments to his familial legacy deeply rooted in the art of lace making, hatting, and tailoring.

The collaborative project with Æquō unfolds a narrative that intricately weaves together diverse elements from India's cultural mosaic. A series of objects sourced from Nagaland & Himachal Pradesh undergo an exquisite transformation under Courtin's deft touch. Employing a range of techniques from his private repertoire, including fringing, braiding, embossing, interlacing, and basket weaving, Courtin envelops each piece with a contemporary expression of craftsmanship, adding an alluring softness that harmoniously balances the essence of the original forms.

From the reinvented Naga chair adorned with luxurious leather fringes to the captivating juxtaposition of woven leather stripes encasing an original wooden chair from Nagaland, and the union of a cow bell & bowl into a singular entity along with the wooden drum wearing scales of black leather, each creation within this collaborative venture epitomizes the harmonious fusion of local tradition and a global contemporaneity. Every meticulously crafted intervention breathes new life into the cherished relics, transcending their intrinsic value to embody a narrative waiting to be unveiled to the world at large through a renaissance of cultural appreciation.

Follow Æquō here and Ateliers Courtin here.

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