What is a princess doing on the cover of a book dedicated to luxury craftsmanship?
Gestalten recently released Insiders & Company. The New Artisans of Interior Design, the volume dedicated to new artisans and it’s hiding plenty of surprises.
A hardback book with a hearty feel, the figure on the cover is none other than Antea Brugnoni Alliata di Villafranca, the 27 year old Roman princess.
Back in 2016, she founded Roi du Lac with her Italian-Scottish husband Marco Kinloch Herbertson. The company creates stunning papers, fabrics, and ceramics straight out of a fairytale thanks to the handmade illustrations by Kilnoch on wallpaper, tablecloths, plates, candles, scarves, and clothing.
It’s the first story to read in the latest issue of Insiders & Company, which offers a look into the contemporary craftsman scene. A field that has grown much more complex than your traditional idea of a small laboratory where everything is created by hand.
Although the role of craftsmen in the world of home furnishings has long remained the same (ceramics, carpentry, weaving, and so on), there’s a new element to be discovered in the reveal of how products are made.
Younger minds are increasingly choosing to unite design with craftsmanship (a return to Arts and Crafts so to speak), designing and producing their own objects with the support of businesses to mix and match responsibilities and strengths.
This is the community described by Gestalten, young creators and small to medium sized artisan business bringing traditional methods into the present day and age with the help of large companies.
It’s also a focus on a new kind of luxury, where all the projects presented are attached to higher price tag. Yet, with a longer lifespan, it’s worth arguing that they’re actually more economic than others in the long run. The products featured here also represent something money can’t buy - the pleasure of choosing quality design both in its function and realization. So the question becomes: is quality only for the rich? Absolutely not. With a thorough knowledge of the past and present in the world of design, it’s about recognizing good design - like that chair in the local market that’s lasted for over 50 years and most likely, for many more to come.
This is what Insiders & Company looks to accomplish, the perfect coffee table book, with gorgeous images of finished objects and a behind the scenes look at the beauty behind them. Don’t forget, the practical manual also offers 399 addresses divided by sector for flooring, furnishings, decorations, lighting, and tableware.
A book balanced between craftsmanship and design for the attentive consumer that wants to know the who, what, how behind their favorite object.
