Stanley j. friedman

BRUETON chief designer for eye contact and handbags

Passing the gallery

Materials prepared: Nikolay Fedyanin

Magazine: N4 (93) 2005

Стенли Джей Friedman (Stanley Jay Friedman), chief designer Brueton, skeptical about the tastes of compatriots. "Americans," he says, "love copies of antiques, they try to show that they were born in mansions." Myself Friedman prefers modern style

SALON: How would you define your style? - As definitely modern. I think classic style is not progressive enough. In the 21st century it is absurd to live surrounded by fringe, tassels and brocade. Why look to the past when you can look to the future?S: You say that you should not look into the past, but the traditions of art deco are traced in your furniture ... - The meaning of modern style in functionality. In the thirties and forties, beautiful, very comfortable things were created, which are produced now. However, since then much has changed. The shape of the sofa may be the same, but there are bookshelves in the armrests, pockets in the upholstery to put newspapers and magazines, several options for the height of the backrest, some kind of sliding elements ... more complex forms. In the thirties, no one thought that you could “blow out” furniture from polyurethane foam, that you could upholster sofas not with nails and a hammer, but with the help of a pneumatic gun with braces.S: How do you think the comfort requirements have changed? - It's a difficult question. After all, classic furniture, if it is properly made, can be very comfortable. For example, in the time of Louis XV, people did not have such a critical need for comfort, because in the evening they did not sit for five hours in front of the TV. But it seems to me that this is in many ways a far-fetched problem, because the standards have changed, and much more comfortable furniture is being produced than before. For people, when they choose furniture, eye contact is still very important. If a person does not like the form, he will not even come close to the sofa.S: What furniture is more interesting for you to create: sofas, armchairs, beds? - Actually, I dream of making a handbag. My wife is a fashion designer, so I have something to do with fashion. This world is in many ways similar to the world of furniture design. Different designers offer different ideas, but very rarely I see things that really belong to the 21st century. For the most part, fashion is a return to the past.

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