It’s a difficult time to be launching a new brand. The world is full of catastrophic events with people forced to re-evaluate their lives and priorities. Workers and customers alike are constantly being told to isolate and work from home, shutting down showrooms and manufacturing. Design fairs are being constantly postponed or cancelled altogether and global shipping is a basket case. Japanese brand Koyori is finally taking the plunge regardless.

A still from the Koyori promotional short film showing a hydraulic wood bending machine at work.

When Design daily says ‘new’ its not 100% true. Koyori has been on the cusp of debuting their first collection for some time. D.d first came to know of the brand through a press release in November 2021 which announced that the new Japanese brand was to debut at the Stockholm Furniture Fair in February 2022. Unfortunately that fair was cancelled, then the next appropriate event, the Milan Furniture Fair, normally held in early April was postponed. With a new date for the Milan Fair set for June 3 - June 12, Koyori must be crossing their collective fingers and toes. Let’s hope it’s third time lucky!

While it’s hard to go wrong when you have designers of the calibre of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and GamFratesi creating your first collection it would be understandble if the founders of Koyori where a little nervousness with years of careful planning hanging in the balance.

The first designs created where the Kawara Armchair , Musubi Armchair and Shaku Chair by French designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and Miau Armchair and the Edaha Chair by Danish Italian duo, GamFratesi.

The *Shaku Chair* by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec reinvents the traditional Tyrolean chair as a pure Japanese form.

The *Musubi Armchair* by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec with accentuated ‘pinched’ meeting points between legs, armrest and backrest. The Bouroullec’s describe this detail as if a string had been tied tightly around a soft object.

“We wanted the project to be a collective intelligence, working together with manufacturers to make the most of their skills. We tried to translate the essence of working with masters of wood into the design”.

Ronan Bouroullec

The *Kawara Armchair* by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec. A study in delicately enclosed space with shaped plywood wrapped around solid cylindrical legs.

The Koyori brand has being established by some of Japan’s leading furniture and interior manufacturers. The name Koyori means ‘from the child’ in Japanese but was chosen in reference to Mizuhiki, a traditional paper string used in Japan for wrapping gifts - particularly for festive and ceremonial occasions.

The brand’s corporate identity was designed and directed by Jasper Morrison and co- designed by Sebastian Fehr. Morrison, one half of the Maruni creative team with Naoto Fukasawa, is well versed in the excellence of Japanese woodworking and the sophistication of Japanese manufacturing. This is particularly evident in GamFratesi’s poetic Edaha Chair (shown below). The design isa magnificent expression of steam-bending and pressed veneers.

“The branch (the structure) and the leaf (the veneer) were the central elements of the project. We wanted to create a structure that gently supported the suspended seat just like a leaf on a branch. It was a design entirely made with veneer wood but with different processing and technique to express the beauty of nature through an industrialized, yet a natural chair”.

GamFratesi.

“All Koyori products are produced using outstanding Japanese manufacturing technology and are designed to add value to everyday life’, says Koyori Executive Director, Koda Munetoshi, ‘They are made to be cherished for generations and to bestow happiness on their owners. Koyori aims to carry forward the legacy of the beauty, creativity, and authenticity of Japanese craftsmanship. While the simplicity and subtle beauty of Japanese products radiate Japanese aesthetics, these are actually a result of the diligence, passion, and devotion of the craftsmen involved”.

The oak version of the Maiu Armchair by GamFratesi with solid timber seat. The weight of the shaped solid oak seat is in stark contrast to the delicacy of the arms and legs.

In addition to the originality of the designs and sensational manufacturing quality, Koyori are also serious about their environmental impact. The carbon footprint generated by every product in the Koyori collection will be measured and published on the website to ensure environmental transparency.

All photos by Hiroshi Iwasaki for Koyori except GamFratesi portrait by Petra Kleis and Bouroullec portrait by Alexandre Tabaste.

You can learn more about Koyori here and have a look at their promotional short film here.

The global launch of Koyori will be held at the art and design museum Triennale Milano, June 3-12, 2022.