COLLABORATION
KARTELL AND LA DOUBLEJ TEAM UP ON VINTAGE-INSPIRED HOME GOODS
WORDS
by CHRISTIAN ALLAIRE
PHOTOGRAPHY
COURTESY of KARTELL
Milan-based design company Kartell is giving its furniture a fashion spin. In a new collaboration with La DoubleJ’s founder JJ Martin, the label’s latest collection of home goods, which launched this summer, draw inspiration from Martin’s affinity for vintage prints and sprightly colors that are often found in her ready-to-wear collections.
Martin, who began La DoubleJ as a website devoted to vintage shopping in 2015, eventually launched her own clothing brand of the same name. For her collaboration with Kartell, she incorporated her fashion eye onto a variety of furniture pieces, sourcing vintage prints from an archival silk company. “All of the patterns are from the Mantero archives. They made all of the silk in the northern part of Italy and worked with all of the fashion brands,” said Kartell brand director Lorenza Luti. “JJ dug in their archives and started working on their patterns—not changing the prints, but changing the colors, because some were too dark.”
Prices for the collection range from $45 for table mats to $1,555 for the Trix sofa. “We took some of the more iconic Kartell pieces and gave them a vintage feel,” said Martin. Signature Kartell pieces that have been infused with Martin’s graphic prints include the sculptural Jo Colombo chair, as well as the modular Componibile storage piece, a design originally sketched by Luti’s grandmother, Anna Castelli Ferrieri, in the 1960s.
This isn’t the first eye-catching collab for Kartell. The brand has partnered with fashion brands like Emilio Pucci, and even designed chairs with Lenny Kravitz. In April, Kartell also launched the Next Generation program in Milan, where they partnered with 8 designers to create limited-edition pieces. Next year, Kartell also plans to launch a collection with designer Marcelo Burlon.
The Kartell x La DoubleJ collaboration is available at Kartell stores worldwide.
La DoubleJ for
Kartell
JJ MARTIN
Having launched her successful website LaDoubleJ.com in 2015, JJ Martin—a U.S.-born, Milan-based journalist—has quickly transitioned into the world of fashion and textiles. She began her website as a means to sell her vast array of vintage clothing and jewelry. As momentum picked up, she began creating special one-off pieces focused on reviving vintage materials and prints, eventually leading to the launch of her own clothing line, La DoubleJ, which is now carried in top luxury retailers. Now, she continues to run her lifestyle brand that includes e-commerce, online content, and trendy travel guides to Milan.
“JJ dug in their archives and started working on their patterns—not changing the prints, but changing the colors, because some were too dark.”
LORENZA LUTI
Serving as brand director, Lorenza Luti continues to operate a family-run business at the interiors brand Kartell, which was founded by her grandfather, Giulio Castelli, in 1949. There, she continues to find innovative new approaches to its iconic furniture pieces, including the Ghost chair and Compinibili drawers. (Plastic is Kartell’s signature material, using it on everything from chairs to tables.) She also drives exciting new collaborations to the brand, having partnered with talents such as Lenny Kravitz, Moschino’s Jeremy Scott, and more.
“All of the patterns are from the Mantero archives. They made all of the silk in the northern part of Italy and worked with all of the fashion brands.”
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