LIVING ACCESSORIES VANHALST

Transcription

1 LIVING ACCESSORIES VANHALST

2 The Vanhalst-Larridon family has been a family of creative entrepreneurs ever since the start of the 20th century. Until the age of 33, Camille Larridon lived with his parents where he built a little workshop behind the house. As of 1945, he started manufacturing his own furniture in an old shed that was used for dressing flax. The warmth of the house was better suited for varnishing, which is why he used to finish most of his pieces at the kitchen table. In 1950, Camille decided to build a new workshop and open a store. His wife, Maria Vanneste, gave up her job sewing shoes at home and set up a small mattress business in the parlor of their house. Right up until the final days of his life in 2003, Camille used to come into Larridon Furnishing every week in his Sunday best and talk to the customers. His eldest daughter, Jenny Larridon, is the driving force behind Vanhalst Birth and Baby Shower Favors since Pierre Vanhalst earned a living as a photographer right after the First World War. Several of his sons followed in his footsteps. But not Lieven Vanhalst. In 1968, he became a pastry chef, a very exclusive and creative trade at the time. The patisserie business branched out into a birth and baby shower favors store, which became a wholesale company in the 90 s. Frank and Sophie Vanhalst completely rewrote the business plan of Vanhalst Birth and Baby Shower Favors in the early years of 2000 and launched bb collections. It resulted in a rapid exponential growth of the business. Little by little, Vanhalst grew from a traditional wholesale company into a leading, creative enterprise that is firmly established in the market of birth and baby shower favors, wedding thank you gifts, little keepsake presents, and small packaging designs under the brand name bb collections. In 2011, they sold the retail business in order to focus on the creation and development of unique ranges and customization. With Atelier Pierre, Vanhalst enters the market of living accessories, alongside the market of birth and baby shower favors, wedding thank you gifts, little keepsake presents, and small packaging designs.

3 Respect for the environment In 2009, the Vanhalst company building was awarded the Quality Industrial Buildings of West Flanders certification mark. The Vanhalst family values are clearly reflected in the design of the building. Not only are creativity, simplicity, and functionality important, there is also a focus on the consideration for people, the environment, budget, and tradition. Working together with young Belgian designers With the brand name Atelier Pierre, Vanhalst offers young Belgian designers an opportunity to conceive their very FIRST range of living accessories. Sophie Vanhalst, creative director, supports these young designers throughout the creative process. In order to emphasize the extent of their involvement, Vanhalst also signed the West Flemish Charter for Sustainable Enterprise. For this, a company voluntarily commits to work proactively on specific topics. This charter is a tool for adding structure to a sustainable enterprise policy, and it is the driving force for a continuous improvement of environmental, social, and economic achievements. Atelier Pierre refers to two impressive great-grandfathers: Pierre Vanhalst and Camille Larridon. In the early 20th century, Pierre earned a living as a creative entrepreneur and a photographer. The link with Atelier comes from Camille, who had a workshop where he made furniture. Atelier perfectly describes the environment we wish to create for designers who are just starting out. It hints at craft, conception, and skill Pierre on the other hand adds character and authenticity. Atelier Pierre is therefore a strong and elegant brand that is rooted in tradition and workmanship. Products are preferably made from sustainable and affordable materials. Incorporating photography can and will definitely offer additional value. The creation of a life forest with 1,000 poplars (short rotation wood) on the grounds adjacent to the company building proves the fact that sustainable enterprise is at the top of the agenda. This commitment fits in perfectly with the continuous pursuit of a well-balanced concern for the economic and social impact of entrepreneurship as well as for the ecological consequences. Camille Larridon Furniture maker Maria Vanneste Mattress stitcher Jenny Larridon Birth favors Frank Vanhalst Sophie Vanhalst Pierre Vanhalst Photographer Marcella Lippens Housewife Lieven Vanhalst Pastry chef

4 LIVING ACCESSORIES VANHALST miffy

5 miffy Simplicity and a pure line are also the starting point in the second range of Atelier Pierre. For this collection, designer Daisy Bohyn drew inspiration from the roaring twenties and thirties, the period when Pierre started working as a photographer. The vocabulary for the new series developed with the contours of two hats, Henri and Léonore, that speak to the imagination. Daisy refines them into polished and lacquered black wood, ready to make a statement against the wall. As mood lighting they make the environment shimmer in indirect and dimmable LED light. Her infectious enthusiasm and eye for detail also gave her an opportunity, in a unique partnership with Mercis bv, to work with Miffy. The young Belgian designer uses the same technique and the same material to confirm the design icon status of the main character from Dick Bruna s children s books.

6 Daisy Bohyn Product design Howest miffy LED Mood light MWA-102 medium 38 x 40 cm miffy Wall deco MWA-001 small 24 x 25 cm MWA-002 medium 38 x 40 cm miffy The first signs of Daisy Bohyn s fascination for architecture and design already manifested themselves in early childhood. Even then she enjoyed taking all kinds of things apart. I should add that I was also crazy about drawing, Daisy says with a laugh. So it wasn t altogether surprising that, after primary school, I opted for a secondary school with a focus on the arts. I wanted an education that would give free rein to my creative thinking. My passion for interior design developed gradually, and I registered for an interior architecture programme. That enabled me to get a clear picture of the manifold possibilities in the field of design. To be able to develop a broader vision on products and technologies, I later chose to get hands-on training in Industrial Product Design at the Howest. Equilibrium In each phase of a design process, I strive for an equilibrium between functionality, philosophy and aesthetic added value. In everything I create, my ambition is to fuse the two worlds of interior design and product development. The idea for Chap-O came to me when I immersed myself in the era where Pierre Vanhalst - to whom Atelier Pierre owes its name - was at his most creative. The hat fashion of the 1920 s immediately struck me, for example. I almost spontaneously began drawing typical hats from that period, with powerful, sweeping lines. Mature I was delighted to immediately find myself on the same wavelength with creative director Sophie Vanhalst. She was there throughout the design process to offer constructive feedback and sensible advice. That turned the Chap-O lighting collection into a very maturely elaborated project. Sophie gave me a chance to test out the theory I learned at school against the real business world. As a company, Vanhalst made sure that, day after day, I could continue working on the assignment with total motivation and great enthusiasm. The enjoyable family atmosphere was especially stimulating. Moreover, I appreciate that the company was willing to take a leap into the unknown by allowing me to work with LED lighting.

7 LIVING ACCESSORIES VANHALST Chap-O

8 Chap-O Simplicity and a pure line are also the starting point in the second range of Atelier Pierre. For Chap-O, designer Daisy Bohyn drew inspiration from the roaring twenties and thirties, the period when Pierre started working as a photographer. Daisy takes us back to a tumultuous era in the contours of two hats, Henri and Léonore, that speak to the imagination. She refines them into polished and lacquered black wood, ready to make a statement against the wall. As mood lighting they accentuate their cheeriness and self-assurance by making the environment shimmer in indirect and dimmable LED light. Her eye for detail and an infectious enthusiasm for technology and material also gave the young Belgian designer an opportunity to work in this collection with a design icon Miffy.

9 Daisy Bohyn Product design Howest Henri LED Mood light WA-101 black 49 x 32 cm Léonore LED Mood light WA-151 black 52 x 34 cm Chap-O The first signs of Daisy Bohyn s fascination for architecture and design already manifested themselves in early childhood. Even then she enjoyed taking all kinds of things apart. I should add that I was also crazy about drawing, Daisy says with a laugh. So it wasn t altogether surprising that, after primary school, I opted for a secondary school with a focus on the arts. I wanted an education that would give free rein to my creative thinking. My passion for interior design developed gradually, and I registered for an interior architecture programme. That enabled me to get a clear picture of the manifold possibilities in the field of design. To be able to develop a broader vision on products and technologies, I later chose to get hands-on training in Industrial Product Design at the Howest. Equilibrium In each phase of a design process, I strive for an equilibrium between functionality, philosophy and aesthetic added value. In everything I create, my ambition is to fuse the two worlds of interior design and product development. The idea for Chap-O came to me when I immersed myself in the era where Pierre Vanhalst - to whom Atelier Pierre owes its name - was at his most creative. The hat fashion of the 1920 s immediately struck me, for example. I almost spontaneously began drawing typical hats from that period, with powerful, sweeping lines. Mature I was delighted to immediately find myself on the same wavelength with creative director Sophie Vanhalst. She was there throughout the design process to offer constructive feedback and sensible advice. That turned the Chap-O lighting collection into a very maturely elaborated project. Sophie gave me a chance to test out the theory I learned at school against the real business world. As a company, Vanhalst made sure that, day after day, I could continue working on the assignment with total motivation and great enthusiasm. The enjoyable family atmosphere was especially stimulating. Moreover, I appreciate that the company was willing to take a leap into the unknown by allowing me to work with LED lighting.

10 HAPPYDESIGN.BE Atelier Pierre is a creative lab where young Belgian designers conceive their first range of unique living accessories. Vanhalst, to give & enjoy Ambachtenlaan 10, 8560 Wevelgem, Belgium info@vanhalst.be TEL. +32 (0) , FAX +32 (0) BE