Adam & Arthur 

Welcome to our ONLINE STORE  and blog. 

As a barware, lighting and  home accessories design company, we at Thomas Fuchs Creative specialize in handmade goods. Every week we give you behind the scenes to the people, places and things that inspire us.

This week we introduce you to Adam and Arthur. A&A is the collaboration between Australian industrial designer Adam Goodrum and French marquetry artisan Arthur Seigneur. Focused on the creation of collectable objects celebrating the kaleidoscopic visual effects of straw marquetry.

Montego Bay Craft Market

Growing up in Jamaica I was always amazing by my mothers exquisite taste in taking me to the local straw market. Watching the beautiful Jamaican women sitting on buckets intricately weaving rugs and objets fascinated me.

My Mom's Italian Rattan Chair 

I love straw marquetry so much I have always pined after 4 chairs mom got in Italy that had raw silk tie die cushions to match the arms and legs. Our dining chairs we have now have an 18th century shape with a rattan back. Now that its very "en vogue"  hand woven art has been the "OG" of home goods. 

Exquisite Corpse 

Straw marquetry is the art of handcrafting decorative patterns from ribbon-thin, flattened slithers of rye straw. Individually tinted, the stems are imported in small batches directly from France. Each stem is dyed, opened and flattened into fine strips. It is then inlaid by hand, edge to edge on paper or wood until the entire surface is covered.

Patterns are achieved through careful pre-planning and expert execution.  Since every single strand of straw is unique, each piece of furniture is truly bespoke: no two are alike, each project is a one-off. The flexibility of the material allows us to apply the straw to any shape. We have developed techniques with custom tools that allow us to apply curved patterns to 3-dimensional forms.

Contrary to common perception, straw isn’t fragile. In fact, once applied, rye straw is inherently durable, creating a precious impermeable finish. Since every single strand of straw is unique, there is a natural irregularity which when laid creates a painterly quality.

Klaatu

Their pieces are always unique with every detail fully bespoke, representing a synthesis of design innovation and traditional craftsmanship. Their process driven practice explores the limitless possibilities of colour and pattern through an interplay of grain direction and reflection that is brought to life through the singular properties of rye straw.

Cabinet Detail View 

A&A’s ethos rebels against consumerist post-industrialised society’s demand that objects be made faster and in multitude. Straw marquetry, with its lengthy handmade preparation and application process, has the luxury to be the opposite and when blended with 3D geometry, pattern and bold colour seeks to elicit curiosity, wonder and joy!

Adam and Arthur have just been chosen by Louis Vuitton as one of the 200 global visionaries reimagining his iconic trunk. Their Piece "Cocotte en Paille" or "Chatterbox in Straw" is inspired by the innovative spirit of the man and his legacy. The digital presentation will be shown in Louis Vuitton windows around the world that started on October 5th 2021, with the physical truck being auctioned off at Sotheby's laster in the year. 

Enjoy your weekend !

Michou