Each collaboration highlights the contemporary vision of artists and artisans by entrusting them with the repurposing of leather off-cuts to create original works of art. For this second chapter, Polène has commissioned French designer Wendy Andreu to create a two-colored mirror in a limited edition of 200 numbered and signed pieces, all produced in her Paris workshop using her one-of-a-kind artisanal technique.
Materials and innovation
Wendy Andreu, an ingenious material explorer, invented a method nearly ten years ago for combining materials using silicone coatings rather than stitching or weaving. For the first time in her work, she is now using leather. The designer arranges cotton cords and leather strips in spirals on a wooden base. She coats the entire piece in silicone, then removes each mirror from the mold after it has dried.
Reflections of creativity
Wendy Andreu created the mirror’s design by playing on the fluidity of lines and natural hues, both of which are important to Polène. The end result is a 360° mountain landscape. For the first model, she paired ecru cotton cording with textured taupe leather. For the second one, she opted for natural cotton cording and textured camel and beige leather off-cuts. The silicone is designed to blend seamlessly with the hues in the models. The mirror can be positioned in the desired orientation using two metal fasteners.
A graduate of the École Boulle in Paris and the Design Academy Eindhoven, Wendy Andreu captivates the world of design, art, and fashion with her innovations. The designer enjoys combining materials to create one-of-a-kind furniture. In 2014, she perfected her own technique for making fabric objects by combining cording and silicone. She built her reputation after developing a new waterproof “textile” process called “Regen” (meaning rain in Dutch). No material is wasted with her innovative method, which does not involve pattern-making or stitching. This eco-design approach, which she employs throughout her work, resonates with Polène’s mirror project.
