Wildly inspired by the illustrious history of mosaics in Ravenna particularly in connection with the Byzantine Empress Theodora, Mr Lacroix was reminded of Arles, his hometown and romantic region renowned for well-preserved Roman tiles and sought after antiquities.
SICIS remains a legend in the world of mosaics. Revered for their exceptionally exquisite Italian mosaics, made in Ravenna, and continues to entice by preserving their admirably high artisanal standards.. Seeking out cutting edge technology. Enviably innovative in their modus operandi, SICIS’s new collaboration with Mr.Christian Lacroix highlights this.
Since leaving the scene in December 2009, Christian Lacroix has diversified and multiplied his artistic collaborations among which was a capsule collection for Desigual. He also designed the Evian bottle and redesigned the uniforms of railway officers.
With a new project and new artistic inspiration, Lacroix now joins SICIS, ( the Italian mosaic makers ) by designing a furniture collection to be unveiled at the Milan Design Week 2011.
Chairs, tables, lamps and carpets by the designer are truly remarkable for having been made in part with SICIS specialty mosaics.
All the new creations have all still got the “unique” Lacroix signature, which is a very distinctive colorful, opulent and baroque style
empress theodora
“Having the privilege of being brought up between monuments, museums and 17th century houses – all well-steeped in the history of art – gave me the confidence that everything could be mixed up, particularly the most extreme styles such as baroque, neo-classical, post- modern, kitsch and pop.”
However, with regard to the furniture’s enviably sensual shapes, Mr Lacroix demonstrates his practical and grounded side, stressing that amongst the curves and contours, comfort was a key consideration.
Meanwhile, to enhance the magnificence of the mosaics – exuberantly colorful and jewel-like in appeal – he used them sparingly, opting for a light, subtle hand.
Elegant as ever, Mr Lacroix’s main goal was to create furniture conjuring up “refinement and individuality
Hailed as a fashion world genius, he always charged Haute Couture with his magical, whimsical charm. Defining original, few can forget his arched sense of cut, his delightful way with embellishment and extraordinary gift for color.
As can be imagined, all of Mr. Christian Lacroix’s fabled talents have been poured into his Sicis home furnishing collection. Indeed, just as his couture shows outshone via drama and flair, his furniture has furthered such elements with cunning radicalism.
True, all the pieces illustrate SICIS’s commitment to esteemed creative endeavor and continued savoir faire.
In partnership with Mr. Christian Lacroix masterful hands, they revolutionize the world of lifestyle with poetic insouciance.
Being a brilliant and cultured taste maker, Mr. Christian Lacroix has been a recognized force in interior decoration for some time. In tremendous demand, he has dreamt up illustrious hotels, cinemas and theatres. Still, little is known of furniture titillating him since childhood and playing just as prominent a role in his memory bank as clothes.
“My inspiration has always come through images, has been exalted by words and turned magnificent thanks to decoration,” he says.
SICIS
The first step was taken in 1987, when SICIS had the intuition to be fully dedicated to mosaic, setting the goal of moving this product from the annals of history to contemporary age, and it gave birth to what would become, over twenty years later, a leader in its sector.
Creativity, technology and experimentation have accompanied SICIS in this first stage, and after confirming that very first far-seen idea, have contributed to prestigious products in each and every corner of the world where SICIS plays a leading role.
The idea is to see mosaic not as a simple tiling product, but as a means of communication, and an expression of trends, fashions, lifestyles …
For SICIS, surfaces exist to be transformed into beauty and art form that represent the signs and languages of our time. It’s the mosaic tessera that acts as the interpreter, joined together in infinite chromatic and decorative combinations, shaping the outlines of architectural and living spaces.
