Grounded by geometric patterns
- Ainhoa creates bespoke woven furniture
- She crafts her own carpentry at her home atelier
- Graphic design is the basis of her approach
Geometric patterns fill Ainhoa Perez-Urdangarin’s home workshop in the coastal town of San Sebastián. With great patience, she artfully weaves Danish and cotton cords next to her living room piano, creating ensembles of stripes and chevrons that bring modernity and warmth to the seating items that she makes. Ainhoa studied graphic design at Barcelona’s Escola Massana where she graduated in 1997. After years of working for an advertising agency, she found herself in the midst of the Covid lockdown with enough time for new endeavours. Unaware of what lay ahead, she had taken a chairmaking course at Zurjole Craft School months before. She discovered a playful delight in working on her first stools, combining colours, geometry and various weaving techniques. From the simplicity of ordinary living and handmaking, Bloke Studio was born.
Interview
- How did you discover the art of woven furniture?
- It was in 2020, during the Covid pandemic in San Sebastián. I found passion in a new path that combined all of the things I like: aesthetics, graphic design, geometry and handcraft. I had taken a chairmaking course a few months earlier without knowing it would become my main economic activity.
- How has your craft business evolved since then?
- Though my closest friends were my first clients, word of mouth and Instagram have played a major role in giving my work visibility. I have been able to join an interesting market in Europe thanks to it.
- Where do you draw your inspiration from?
- I love the elegance and simplicity in Danish cord furniture. The sea is one of my main elements of inspiration. From it I draw the blue tonalities and stripes. I also admire Annie Albers’ Bauhaus textile patterns.
- What is your design process and what future avenues do you hope to explore?
- My creative process is very intuitive and I always seek to achieve harmony and balance in my designs. I would like to come out of my comfort zone to explore other shapes and more daring colour combinations, without losing my minimalist essence. I would also like to try out new fibres for outdoor furniture.
Ainhoa Perez-Urdangarin is a rising star: she began her career in 2020
Where
Ainhoa Perez-Urdangarin
