True art happens when you apply inspiration with creative freedom to design something so simple, and yet so beautiful, that it transforms the ordinary into the exceptional. It is that design philosophy that moves everyday items from the realm of function to something more than just their strict utility. This is where art enters the dialog to embrace functionality.
For his first foray into flatware, French designer Patrick Jouin drew inspiration from Zermatt, an opulent Swiss ski resort surrounded by breathtaking mountains including the 4478m summit of the Matterhorn. The harsh majesty of the Alpine terrain is reflected in the strong, sharp lines of the fork and dinner knife set.
Fashioned in stainless steel, the cutlery collection created in 2010 for the House of Puiforcat in Paris has already been deemed a classic of contemporary design by authoritative observers. In fact, some of the world’s top museums, from the Centre Pompidou in Paris to the New York Museum of Arts and Design, have sung the sets collections praises.
Taking it to another level entirely, for those that are looking for only the most exclusive of items, this futuristic cutlery line is also available upon request in a gold immersion finish, in which the objects are dipped in a 24-carat gold bath
With its sculpted edges and angular profile, this exotic kitchen set almost seems as if it were crafted from one solid piece of metal in the future and beamed back to the present. This bold design would be completely in place in sci-fi movies like Star Wars or Star Trek. This a true testament to the fact that the design is so simple, yet so eloquently relevant, that it cannot be simply viewed as dated or trendy.
- Name: Zermatt
- Brand: Puiforcat Paris
- Product: Cutlery
- Designer: Patrick Jouin
- Country: France
- Photography: Thomas Duval
