G-Star has recently announced a collaboration with New York-based designer Caroline Chao to develop a new type of furniture as part of the brand's Art of Raw initiative. This project is aptly named The Roll-Up Chair, reflecting the core philosophy of the design.
With a background in architecture, Chao is dedicated to exploring the interaction between people and objects, challenging our established perceptions of materials. Throughout her design process, she merges the practical features of denim, camping furniture, and military gear, allowing The Roll-Up Chair to embody a fully disassemblable quality. Whether for reassembly or hanging on the wall like a piece of clothing, it's certainly one of its unique attributes.
This chair is crafted from deadstock denim and various industrial by-products, such as steel railing fittings and construction fasteners, featuring a vintage button design that pays homage to G-Star's denim heritage. Chao's design introduces a fresh perspective: can furniture transform with the versatility of clothing? Over time, the chair will reveal signs of wear, much like a well-loved pair of jeans, showcasing how to reinterpret existing materials into a functional piece of art.
G-Star's Art of Raw initiative is an innovative platform designed to collaborate with contemporary artists, creating unique artworks from denim waste and deadstock, showcasing the brand's commitment to responsible practices. Under the design of the first artist, Teun Zwets, he layered and fused denim scraps to create a multifunctional furniture piece called Denim Living, which integrates lighting, cupboards, and seating. Meanwhile, artist Kodai Iwamoto, hailing from Tokyo and Kagoshima, focuses on blending the opposing concepts of craft and mass production. His work, Uneri, is a piece of lighting art made from deadstock denim and traditional Japanese washi paper.
