DENFAIR 2.0 – Design at your place, anytime

International Design fairs are a vibrant well-spring of ideas and inspiration. They are a space where passionate people meet, talk, share ideas and the sparks of collaborations and new collections often start smouldering. At last year’s Milan Design Fair, the team from LyZadie Design Studio were able to profile our collections to the world and we came home energized and exhilarated to have met some of the best in the business, as well as galvanised about our vision and purpose.

We had big plans for 2020. Plans that included invitations to design fairs across the world. And then of course, the world changed. But within change, comes opportunity. The current restrictions on travel and personal interaction are difficult and sometimes heartbreaking to navigate, but artistry will always find a way to be alive in the hearts of those who hold it close.

So, in a design first, DENFAIR 2.0 has launched. This international, interactive and immersive virtual design event runs from 20-26th of July 2020 and showcases new design collections from 40 curated Australian and International brands. We are privileged and excited to be one of those exhibiting.

Rather than walking down hallways of design displays, visitors can travel using 3D virtual tours, interactive video content and instant connection via video link. It’s a truly immersive digital environment and one we are already enjoying immensely. And happily, it eliminates freight and travel pollution entirely.

At the event, we’ve introduced three collections. Our BLACK TREE FERN pieces appear as if they spring directly from their namesake. The tallest tree fern in New Zealand, the Black Tree Fern, or Mamaku, graces the forest canopy with ancient grace and giant splendour. With a bruised black trunk that seems covered in fish scales and limbs thicker than a human arm, the ferns seem truly to have come from mythical times, and their magical, drooping canopy was the genesis for these dark, visceral pieces. Our furniture pieces attempt to capture this magical, otherworldly energy, while existing as solid, visceral works that anchor a space.

The TUI Collection also command attention within a room, but with a lighter, whimsical touch. The armchair, stool and dining chair hold a measure of the Tui bird’s dark grace, but also encapsulate accessible comfort; a perfect blend of beauty and functionality. When the light catches the feathers rippling down the back of each piece, for a moment we are transported, almost able to see the bird alighting on a tree, ready to throw back its head and sing. Inspired by the precision of nature’s design, these pieces aim to combine form and function with breath-taking beauty.

In contrast to these pieces steeped in a touch of magic, the pieces from our EARTH&SKY Collection, are grounded in solid, earthy reality, literally. The tables pair rammed earth and bright glass in a union that is timeless, effortlessly graceful, and honours the resources in our local environment. The provenance in the clay is important, it’s a rich natural resource, and knowing the place it has been brought from, in Te Kuiti near Pakeho in New Zealand’s north island, brings another level of connection to the work. From earth to table, table to soul. These are strong pieces, good for mind, body and spirit.

We believe strongly that having natural elements within interior schemes is a timeless way to showcase a respect and elegant use of the world’s resources. It’s a theme that we have taken to our DENFAIR 2.0 showcase and are pleased to share with the wider design world. In this new online space, we are excited that our ecological footprint is small, even as our reach and our shared love of design, is growing every day. We hope to see you there.

“Design is not just about product.

Design is about responsibility.”

Dr Carmen Hijosa