Louis Vuitton Objets Nomades - Interview to Raw Edges

Raw Edges is the creative duo formed by the couple Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay.
The 2017 marks their tenth year of operation during which they received several awards including the Wallpaper* Design Award, the British Council Talented Award and the Award of Design Miami/Basel Designer of the Future, not to mention that some of their work are part of permanent exhibitions in museums and cultural institutions like the MoMA in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago.

We interviewed them on the occasion of their second collaboration with Louis Vuitton for Objets Nomades, which they've  had already taken part in with the creation of the famous Concertina triptych.

#1 This is not your first collaboration with Louis Vuitton for Object Nomades for which you have indeed made the Concertina triptych. For Objet Nomad is this year, Shelves, what was your primary source of inspiration?

In both cases are the technical aspects of implementation to intrigue us. Shelves are foldable, very flat, and when you open becomes larger and reveals its utilitarian connotation and practice. The idea of "journey" is not literal for us, it is a starting point, an inspiration. For this project, we took the practical and technical aspects of origami and we have repropose leather; also the Concertina triptych is an investigation into the folding concept. Often our projects start from a very simple idea and then, during the creation process, it creates the aesthetic: in a sense, it is the object itself that decides the final result. In many, we have told us that the elements of the triptych Concertina resemble flowers and Shelves memories of boats ...

#2 Your works are characterized by colors, geometric shapes, different patterns as well as by the strong presence of the movement that seems to be one of your major points of interest. Do you believe that the concept of nomadism is important in modern design?

What we like about the nomadism concept is his connection with Louis Vuitton. It's a brand that has existed for over 150 years and no other company has existed for so long while maintaining a similar push for innovation. They started manufacturing suitcases, handbags, travel material ... and that's what we like.

#3 Among all your projects there is one to which you are particularly attached to you or who has a particular value?

In fact, there is a project with which we feel a special bond. It is extremely recent, still, we hadn't had the time to photograph it! It is located in London in front of the Millenium Dome and actually, you are the first to see it (laughs). It is a series of concrete chairs that can be moved and moved to create different combinations and the idea is to invite people to sit on, to scaling it, to interact with it ... an adult playground!