Our Papillon collection developed organically, the idea taking hold in nature, evolving through art, and finding its footing through adventures in materiality. What began as a pattern morphed into form, transmuting into functionality. The pursuit of that elusive balance between form and function underpins all of Tom’s designs, but it’s here that the process of striking it is laid bare. Join us for a look back at the road to crafting a contemporary classic.

 

 

Nature-Inspired Design

It was on a trip to Joshua Tree, California where Tom encountered the spark which ignited the blaze of an idea. He was faced with a great expanse of boulders. Their cracks and crevasses hinted at the passage of time and the elemental forces which sculpted these imposing forms. Tom traced out these networks of intersecting lines, pouring like rivulets across one particular stoney face. He inverted the interplay between high and low relief, creating positive form from the cracks and allowing the fullness of the rock between to fade into negative space. This scheme became the basis of what he dubbed the ‘Boulder’ design – an exploration which would form the bedrock of what is now the Papillon collection.

 

 

Art Meets Furniture

 

The Boulder console is what emerged from these adventures in design. An early iteration was made in metal before Tom took to enfolding its framework in papier mâché. This allowed him to cloak the console in that iconic Yves Klein blue, electrifying the piece. His instinct was to fuse what was inspired by nature with the art made by man. In turn, the Papillon collection would end up feeding back into culture, with a selection of pieces appearing in the Barbie movie, helping to compose Greta Gerwig’s invented world which captivated so many cinemas.

 

 

Contemporary Organic Designs

 

With colour on the mind, Tom was intrigued by exploring the possibilities it brought to his design practice. He began to draw links between this ‘Boulder’ pattern and the intricate wings of butterflies. Their spellbinding symmetry provided the jumping-off point for the next step in this design’s evolution. From the chrysalis, Papillon emerged in full force, spreading its wings as a contemporary screen, or room divider.

 

 

Colourful Furniture in Modern Materials

 

Tom continued to follow the creative possibilities posed by this Butterfly motif. The opalescent wings, in their many forms and colours, inspired a new range of finishes which would bring the collection alive in a thoroughly contemporary manner. Tom and the team started experimenting with powder coating for a mixed, ombre effect, where one hue melts into the next. These cascades of colour were mercurial in their application, creating pieces of furniture which appear differently from all angles. The addition of dichroic glass completed the effect, transmuting the light which filtered through to cast pools of tinted colour over the framework and across the floor below.

 

 

 

Having made a true statement, Tom continued to turn out new iterations of the Papillon design. Today it takes form as side tables and stools, cocktail trolleys and consoles, all the way up to coffee and dining tables. With our bespoke approach, you can lean into its nature-inspired beginnings with the vibrant ‘Butterfly’ colourways alongside dichroic glass, or opt for a more classic metallic finish paired with rich marble. The result is a collection that’s designed to reflect a tapestry of inspiration in a cast of captivating materials, adding up to a true modern heirloom.

 

 

 

 

Text by Annabel Colterjohn