The design world is constantly evolving, thanks to new waves of visionaries redefining what’s possible. These creatives are crafting products that find a balance between art and function, drawing on culture, personal memories, and fresh perspectives.
Here, we spotlight seven rising stars, who give us a glimpse into their latest works, creation processes, and the exciting plans they have in store.
East Otis Studio
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
The inception of East Otis Studio—founded by husband-and-wife duo Will and Emma Haughery—can be traced back to an old credenza the couple was lugging from house to house during a time they were constantly moving. “Will finally said he wasn’t moving it again, so he built me a new one,” Emma recalls. Since starting their Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based firm, Will, who grew up there, and Emma (who is from the small town of Chesterfield, England) are focused on creating “heirloom pieces—things that aren’t throwaway and will outlast us,” says Emma. That includes the Waste series (shown). “Originally birthed out of a desire to make from the leftover scrap waste of larger pieces, it has quickly taken on a life of its own,” Will shares. “It is a true continuation of how our studio started—a constant conversation between us.”
Anony
Toronto
Christian Lo, founder of Toronto studio Anony, always knew she wanted to do something creative, but her focus didn’t become clear until she attended an art program at the Central Tech Art Centre in Toronto. Upon completion, she knew she “wanted to create with purpose,” says Lo. “So I turned to industrial design,” which she went on to study at the Ontario College of Art & Design University. After graduating, she worked for a sustainable wood company that specialized in furniture crafted from locally reclaimed wood.
In 2015, she launched Anony, a studio that leans on local manufacturing and innovative technologies to produce light fixtures that are made to withstand the test of time. Though the objects appear sleek and seamless, they’re crafted with modular, replaceable parts, ensuring a long life cycle. The Pola collection (shown), inspired by tunnel-like corridors and lit archways, is a testament to Lo’s modern design sense with a steel sheet rolled into an open frame arc that illuminates a soft, warm light. “Lighting [combines] my desire for creativity with my interest in manufacturing,” says Lo. “It is both sculptural and functional.”
M.Pei Studio
Brooklyn, New York
Los Angeles-born Maggie Pei moved to Shanghai with her family when she was 7 years old, spending her summers in Taiwan. As an only child who was always on the move, art kept her company. Her fascination with design led her to the Rhode Island School of Design and then to New York after graduation, where she spent eight months in Colony’s emerging design studio residency. “It became an adulting journey with a steep learning curve,” she says. The residency culminated in the debut of her collection dubbed the Wonder Chamber, which includes the Labyrinth Garden cabinet (shown). “It holds a special place in my heart,” she says, with its 105 hand-drawn tiles, a labor of love that spanned two months. “Each tile became a canvas for my emotions,” Pei adds, “serving as a visual diary that captured and documented the myriad thoughts and feelings I experienced during this period.”
Adi Goodrich
Los Angeles
When Adi Goodrich’s father opened an antique shop in addition to his furniture restoration business in rural Illinois, Goodrich left high school early to work with him fulltime. She eventually found her way back to school, studying painting and drawing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Now based in Los Angeles, Goodrich balances her interior design practice with her budding furniture line, Sing-Thing. Her debut collection, the Frunchroom (shown), includes the Lina dining table, named after a family member in Milan. “Lina always used a tablecloth at dinner,” Goodrich says. “The table’s inlay is an abstract representation of a tablecloth being thrown over a table, a tribute to her and her way of being.” A new range is set to launch this winter, which will continue Goodrich’s philosophy of creating “humble pieces and interiors that inspire people to appreciate the beauty of this life and the world we share.”
Tejumola Butler Adenuga
London
London-based multidisciplinary artist Tejumola Butler Adenuga grew up in the township of Ijebu-Ode in Western Nigeria, where a majority of its residents are Yoruba, an ethnic group known for its rich cultural heritage and vibrant community of creative artisans. “This environment allowed me to witness exceptional craftsmanship firsthand from a young age,” he says. Adenuga studied design at Ravensbourne University London and spent four years art directing for British rapper and singer Tinie Tempah. He concentrated his art practice on minimalist ink drawings—his most recent work a celebration of Black faces and bodies—before expanding into furniture. His latest release, the Raft bench (shown), is inspired by bamboo platforms used to navigate waterways in rural regions of West Africa. “Keeping in mind the environment that raised me,” he says, “it was inevitable that I would become a designer.”
Thomas Yang
Brooklyn, New York
There is a deep sense of nostalgia that runs through Thomas Yang’s furniture collection. In the aptly named Cabinet of Memories, for instance, there are discoverable moments like a hidden door under the left bottom drawer and a handcarved sterling silver fish pull handle. The piece is an ode to Yang’s family home, which was filled with Ming dynasty cabinets in varying lacquers and hardware. “When creating this cabinet of memories, it was about materializing the essence of nostalgia through secret drawers, musing on the drawers my parents kept their valuables in,” Yang reflects. “[It] stems from my own nostalgia, but it is built with the hope it will become nostalgic for those who have it in their life: ever-changing, a space to hold pre-existing artifacts.”
Yang’s current collection, Jia-Ciasa, features five furniture pieces and seven wall-mounted objects. “I believe in creating precious objects that may be carried through each stage of life,” Yang adds. “Their familiar nature and intentional design do not fold to the pressures of trends but rather stay true to creating beautifully ordinary objects that transform the mundane into rituals of beauty.”
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