Design and elegance blend harmoniously in a new chapter of creativity and style unfolding through a recent collaboration between Kartell and Liberty. On one side, there’s the Italian brand Kartell with its unique ability to redefine the concept of contemporary lifestyle. On the other hand, Liberty has been a leading name in fascinatingly timeless printed fabrics for the last 150 years. An original dialogue between creativity and the decorative arts, this extraordinary journey through the world of Kartell Design, unveiled for the first time at the esteemed design festival Salone del Mobile 2024, is destined to enchant and amaze with its symphony of shapes and colours.

The collaboration arose as a consequence of the harmony between the two brands, sharing the same commitment to quality, elegance and exclusive, trend-setting style. “Kartell is the first company in the world of contemporary furniture design Liberty has decided to partner with in generations. This fine new and organic collaboration was planted in preparation for next year's Liberty’s 150th anniversary,” explains Lorenza Luti, Kartell’s Director of Marketing and Retail. “This new synergy is the logical result of both parties having a rich history on which to draw, enjoying a reputation for innovation, beauty and elegance in their respective areas and having the same ability to create a uniquely transversal lifestyle,” she adds.

The partners are collaborating in two areas. The first is outdoor fabrics for the Plastics sofa, Trix pouffe and Cara armchair. The main focus of the joint venture, however, is the new H.H.H. – Her Highest Highness chair design by Philippe Starck, which conveys a sense of elegance and majesty inspired by royal thrones. The Kartell for Liberty edition of H.H.H. will be made from polycarbonate 2.0, in six Liberty fabrics featuring lively floral prints based on three designs taken from Liberty’s historic archives and in five new colours specially chosen for Kartell. The fabrics are to be printed by experts in Italy. “This new collaboration is perfectly in keeping with the spirit of Kartell,” Luti shares. “We are always eager to explore new directions, this gives us a great opportunity to use Liberty motifs to upholster Philippe Starck’s new H.H.H. chair along with a selection of our other products that can be used outdoors thanks to these fabrics. We’ve taken another step forward too by developing an innovative graphic impression technique,” she adds.

Faithful to its tradition of pioneering innovative designs and technologies, Kartell has also decided to develop a high-tech industrial printing process called Graphic Impression. This technique produces four floral and geometric designs in 11 colour variants. This process results in exclusive, innovative and ultramodern variants of Liberty prints, perfectly complementing the spirit of Kartell.

The Plastics sofa and Trix pouffe by Piero Lissoni and Philippe Starck’s Cara armchair will have a new look thanks to Liberty fabrics, specially made for outdoor use. These fabrics add style and functionality while guaranteeing strength and durability in outdoor applications. Available in two geometric patterns and one floral pattern, this new outdoor furniture collection offers a unique mix of style and comfort to enjoy the summer in an elegant, relaxed fashion. In these new fabric coverings, each product design, from the sofa design to the pouffe and armchair, adds a refined taste to the outdoor life, offering a delightfully relaxed open-air experience. To set the table in the summer, the Piazza tray is dressed in four colour variations of the Artemis floral pattern, created with the Graphic Impression technique.

“The creative challenge for the designers in the London studio was to combine Liberty’s rich heritage with the innovative renowned designs of Kartell,” states Mary-Ann Bartlett Dunkley, Design Director, Liberty Fabrics and Liberty Product. “For this collaboration, we aspired for the meeting of these two design worlds to not only complement but enhance each other, celebrating the shared innovative spirit that unites them. With a collective vision and passion for experimentation and discovery, Kartell X Liberty is a surprising blend of aesthetics that has created unexpected and captivating combinations. The prospect of adding a decorative element to Kartell’s H.H.H. chair design was so exciting. From the beginning, we were determined to pay homage to the design classic by incorporating intricate, hand-drawn motifs whilst respecting the structural aspects of Philippe Starck’s design. We imagined lush foliage intertwining seamlessly with the furniture, where Liberty prints would climb over the pieces, creating a flourishing garden of vibrant colour,” she explains further.

The bodies of the fabric-covered and graphic impression-printed chairs come in tone-on-tone or contrasting colours for a bolder look. “Kartell has landed as an astronaut on the Liberty planet. We are creating a garden of endless possibilities. A botanical encounter of talent, arts, craft and contemporary,” states Andrea Petochi, Managing Director, Liberty.

Liberty Fabrics

Patricia is a richly stylised and exquisitely detailed floral, created in the 1990s and inspired by ancient Tree of Life artworks. Faria Flowers is a hand-painted floral, inspired by studies of the Royal Chelsea Flower Show and Hampton Court, London. Stately Kristina is created from exquisitely hand-painted artworks from the 1920s and ‘30s, featuring floating arrangements of detailed roses, tulips and blossom flowers.

Graphic Impression patterns

Originally painted using gouache in a stylised technique of multiple geometric shapes and stripes, Harvest Time is a contemporary interpretation of the well-known Tree of Lifestyle. Tumbling Wilde takes more simplified depictions of the feather motif and cleverly overlays them to form a collage of stripes. The stylised patterns and bold colours create a fun, playful take on a feather-inspired print. Inspired by Indian chintz designs of the 17th and 18th centuries, Liberty Fabrics designed Mabelle in the Design Studio in the heart of London. The Moon Flower, which blooms once a year for just a few hours, sits amongst other rare flowers in a repeat reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts style integral to Liberty.

Outdoor collection

Tamba is a plush yarn-dyed, geometric bouclé with a rich depth of colour and texture. Inspired by vintage Japanese Obi belts and antique kimono linings, Obi Check is an exquisite geometric design. Artemis is hand-painted in the Liberty Design Studio; the exuberant mixed floral blooms with sweet, delicate flowers are reminiscent of Liberty’s iconic 1930s florals.