Milan Design Week 2013: Rui Alves aka My Own Super Studio

We quote:

“It’s probably fair to say the biggest surprise at Salone Satellite 2012 was seeing Rui Alves aka My Own Super Studio. Because we thought 2011 had been the last year he was allowed to exhibit.”

Fast forward 12 months later. And guess what the the biggest surprise at Salone Satellite 2013 was…. ?

He has however promised us that this is his final, final, final year at Salone Satellite. A thought which to be honest doesn’t disappoint or otherwise upset us because 2013 was also the first year in which works by Rui Alves could be seen in the main, professional, grown-up, halls at Milan Furniture Fair.

And if the rumours are correct next year should also see one or the other appearance in the bigger exhibition halls.

Something that would make us very happy.

Milan Design Week 2013: Rui Alves aka My Own Super Studio

For his Salone Satellite swan song Rui was presenting a collection of furniture that once again underlined the quality of his craftsmanship.

For us the highlight of the collection was the sofa. A deliciously effortlessly reduced down piece the sofa combines a turned wooden frame with a pressed felt seat to create a sort of simplified domestic sinkhole in which to vanish of an evening. Or Sunday morning..

With an obvious, and potentially deliberate, Scandinavian inspired form language “Sofa” presents a nice mix of materials in a fresh, unapologetic fashion. A true delight.

The rest of the 2013 collection was for us just a bit too generic; that said the simple wooden chair and “side table with book rest” did attract enough attention to justify a longer, more detailed, look.

In Hall 16 meanwhile Italian manufacturer Valsecchi1918 was presenting two new works by Rui: A_Chair and Tableone.

A_Chair had previously been shown as part of Rui’s presentation at Salone Satellite 2012. For our part we completely ignored it in our post, and would still maintain that LAPA was the better chair. That said in the bright colours on the Valsecchi1918 stand it not only looked like a very self-assured and competent piece of work, but more importantly fitted in well with the complete Valsecchi1918 programme. The extending table Tableone meanwhile was commissioned by Valsecchi1918 and the detail of the finish on the edge of the table top is a real joy to behold.

If an absolute scunner to photograph.

Obviously with Rui’s work there is always going to be the question of in how far his meticulously carpented objects can be recreated in mass production. However the examples on show on the Valsecchi1918 stand in Milan certainly left us convinced that the company understand their craft.

Which given that they’ve been producing items out of wood since 1918 is probably to be expected.

As we said 2013 is officially Rui’s last year as part of Salone Satellite, but is also, hopefully, the first year in which the hard work and commitment to his ideals finally starts to reap tangible rewards.

We certainly hope so.

And we will of course keep you updated.