Daniel Boulud: One Delicious Life
The legendary chef has brought his signature spin on French cooking around the world. We spoke to him about growing up on a farm in France, moving to New York, and how he'd prepare the perfect meal for friends.
During this year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan, Poliform partnered with Yabu Pushelberg for the first time. Their collaboration was a meeting of great minds: the former is a juggernaut in the world of Italian design, having created the effortlessly elegant Senzafine wardrobe system and the versatile Le Club armchair, among many others; the latter is a seasoned interiors firm that’s worked on a slew of big-name hospitality projects, including Edition outposts around the world.
The resulting furniture collection included the Lanai bed, which smartly incorporates plush seating and storage into its design, and the Aqualuna armchair, a seat with an enveloping, curvy silhouette. The Grand Tourist spoke with Poliform’s Laura Anzani about the debut collection during Milan Design Week. Now, the Italian design house and Yabu Pushelberg are taking their collaboration to the next level, opening an exhibition in Shanghai that celebrates their partnership, and that explores its possibilities through the lens of nature and the changing seasons. Dubbed “Solstice,” the immersive installation is on view from November 13 to 14 at the city’s Yard 200.
Yabu Pushelberg approached the show with the same curiosity that ultimately led to the creation of their Lanai collection. “What happens when boundaries begin to dissolve?” says George Yabu, co-founder and partner of the interdisciplinary design studio. “Just as Lanai repositions the bedroom as a holistic environment rather than simply a place for sleep, the installation reimagines the showroom as a dynamic setting, rather than a static display.” Indeed, the shifting cycles of nature are the focal point of “Solstice,” which begins in an exterior garden with mirrored walls that draw visitors inside. Naturally, upon entry, the main gallery introduces spring, where the Lanai bed anchors the space—rather than place it in a traditional showroom setting, here, it’s surrounded by green florals and lush botanicals.
Winter and summer take shape in adjacent galleries, and showcase the Aqualuna armchairs. In winter, the seat is surrounded by a blue-mirrored floor reminiscent of a glacier; in summer, a pair of armchairs sits on a similarly reflective surface—here, however, the furniture is flanked by wild grasses, creating a warmer feeling. Autumn is presented in a private VIP lounge rife with warm, earth-toned materials. These moments of seasonal transition and shifts in light and shadow nod to the installation’s “Solstice” namesake.
It’s an opportunity for Poliform and Yabu Pushelberg to celebrate their collaboration, and to give it a front-and-center moment in a fast-growing market in the world of high-end design. “I believe this is only the beginning,” says Marco Spinelli, CEO of Poliform. “We share the same approach to design based on research, a strong culture, and the desire to create products that last.”
