Page 42 - Designing Ways 255

SITTING
COMFORTABLY

Night Fever

collection by

Draga & Aurel

Vibrant and irresistible

ounded in 2007 in Como, Italy,
Draga & Aurel is a multidisciplinary
Fdesign studio, working in the field and DelightFULL, which celebrate crowd” and celebrities such as Andy
of furniture, textile and interior design. mid-century design, was the perfect Warhol, Mick Jagger, Freddie Mercury,
Draga Obradovic and Aurel K. Basedow
boast a diverse background ranging from opportunity to do so. and Elton John. It was style meeting
"Our connection with the brand was
creativity, just like the Xenon low
fashion to art and craftsmanship: thanks immediate. There was a beautiful energy modular sofa and armchair, pouf, and
to their original methods, combined and a perfect fit with our style right various elements that allow various
with an artistic approach to material and away. It was like playing the same music compositions to be created for a very
composition, Draga & Aurel are widely together". (Draga & Aurel) relaxing living area.
recognised for their clever reinvention of Together, they developed the "Night
bespoke vintage design pieces. Fever" product collection that pays Elo – armchair, sofa & modular sofa
Their debut at the 2009 Salone del
ELO is pure rhythm. It was conceived
Mobile consecrated the couple on homage to the 1970s and 1980s, a time listening (and dancing) to the sounds
when the most dynamic and forward-
the international scene, creating the thinking thinkers and designers from of the Electric Light Orchestra, the
conditions for profitable collaborations around the world were present. infamous British band of the 70s, an
with important international companies, explosive mix of glam, hard-rock and
including Baxter, Anthropologie, Night Fever collection – vibrant and orchestral melodies. This modular sofa
Wall&Decò, Visionnaire, and irresistible and armchairs embody all the strength
more recently Essential Home and While designing the new Essential of that music and the hedonism of an era
DelightFULL. Home and DelightFULL collection, of new freedoms.
Draga and Aurel love to revisit different
eras of design, as well as art, fashion, Draga&Aurel drew inspiration from Qube – modular sofa
the late Seventies to Eighties— an era
and film, and this collaboration with that brought together some of the most Qube sofa recalls the elements of the
Portuguese brands Essential Home
dynamic and avant-garde thinkers and homonymous discotheque in Rome, one
makers across the world. Draga&Aurel of the “cathedrals” of the Italian nightlife:
have created a mix of patterns, materials, industrial yet minimalist style, revised
colours, shapes, and textures that express with a futuristic and high-tech touch. This
the desire to somehow break free from the modular sofa is also a subtle invitation
superstructures, process the sentiments of to conviviality, it is furniture defining
a past time, and bring back something the space (and becoming a new space of
beautiful to behold and contemplate. living), the place to encounter one, two or
In particular, the collection pays many people.
homage to the nightclubs of those
years, which became a symbol of Taboo – tables
free expression, creativity, hedonism, “Dress as though your life depends
rebellion, and emancipation from the on it” was the motto behind the dress
mainstream culture. It was an encounter code at Taboo, the night organised by
between different minds and souls under performance artist and fashion designer
the glittering lights of the dance floor. Leigh Bowery at the Maxwell Club,
London, in 1985. His transformative
Xenon – armchair, sofa & modular sofa looks have remained in history like
The Greek word “XENOS” means the extravaganza of that event, which
‘stranger’ or ‘rare’ and denotes the redefined what nightlife looked like. At
chemical element that can add very the same time, the Taboo items give tables
special and strong colours to light. new significance and a prominent role as
Xenon was also a nightclub in Times the protagonists of the room.
Square, New York, popular from the
Draga & Aurel late Seventies among the NYC “fashion

42 Issue 255 • dw