FOOUND

Creative industries thrive on spaces that nurture collaborations and communities as platforms for artistic exchanges.  Geneva’s newly opened FOOUND takes on the historic baton-pole from Andy Warhol’s own fabulously seductive and seminal NYC Factory, within which he created some of his most famous pop art, serving as a meeting place for the intermingling of musicians, artists, sexual radicals and film-makers alike.

FOOUND is a beautiful concept store on the rue Jean Gutenberg 16 just 5 minutes away from Cornavin station and also housed in an abandoned factory whose primary objective is to promote and sustain young Genevan artists and entrepreneurs.

It is a large-scale space boasting 500 sq. metres and two floors, filled with little niches of craft shops, artist ateliers, restaurants and cafés, but also hairdressers, nutritionists, yoga and Pilate’s instructors, and a tattoo parlour. There’s even a flashy international architecture studio called A-Bureau sitting comfortably next to a few experts in astrology.

Although, ‘eccentric artist types’ might come to mind, FOOUND is not a self-contained artistic hub but is open for business. Run by the practical mind of ex-retail marketer Fanny Arnaudo. Prepare to be blown away by the thoughtful retro-interior Swedish designs that are almost too perfectly selected and arranged to the oh-so-trendy 3D printers that will make you a toy on the spot.

Part-exhibition, part-marketplace; Here are 21st century crossroads which join the commercial with creative ideas. Open to the public and very much for sale.

Molly Goddard AW15

Girly tulle and diaphanous fantasy is embodied in the designs by East London British designer Molly Goddard who once again melted out hearts as she shined through the BFC courtyard show space at Somerset House during London Fashion Week. Her work thematically describes coming of age and nostalgia taking inspiration from party dresses and Sunday best through clothes that are conflicted with the beauty of her delicate technique and a charming awkwardness of her fabric combinations and poofy silhouettes.

She is a young bright thing, only just graduating from an MA at Central Saint Martins in 2012 and loves to show off her arts heritage. For her AW15 presentation, we were treated to models clad in beautiful ball gowns in the middle of a life drawing session. The street-cast gang of girls actively being creative and generally just having fun is a truly refreshing mode of positive fashion display. We can’t wait to see what she does next.

SS15: The Swimmers

Dina Khalife’s line of clothing and accessories speak to individuals who are looking for a different kind of sex appeal. That certain confidence that women usually associate with plunging necklines and side cut-outs, are interpreted into colourful hand drawn textiles. It could be quite unforgiving, but her prints seem to flatter different body types, which some designers might be reclusive of.

The great thing about The Swimmers collection is that it's not entirely all dresses. To introduce separates makes it more versatile and less retro.

Ying Gao

The garments designed by Ying Gao are situated in the technological rather than textile realm. She creates fashion that is interactive and conceptual, challenging hierarchical boundaries within the art world and developing hybrid discourses of culture.

‘[No]where [Now]here’ is a project featuring two interactive dresses using photoluminescent thread and imbedded eye tracking technology, is activated by spectators' gaze, inspired by the essay entitled "Esthétique de la disparition" (The aesthetic of disappearance), by Paul Virilio (1979):

"Absence often occurs at breakfast time – the tea cup dropped, then spilled on the table being one of its most common consequences. Absence lasts but a few seconds, its beginning and end are sudden. However closed to outside impressions, the senses are awake. The return is as immediate as the departure, the suspended word or movement is picked up where it was left off as conscious time automatically reconstructs itself, thus becoming continuous and free of any apparent interruption."

A photograph is said to be “spoiled” by blinking eyes – here however, the concept of presence and of disappearance are questioned, as the experience of chiaroscuro (clarity/obscurity) is achieved through an unfixed gaze.

These are dresses and art objects existing in the real world, transforming the wearer’s waking and walking life into an artistic statement.

'The Body' Seat

"I want the user to be the creator for this seat - I just created the guidelines"

Recent graduate from The Royal College of Art, Kirsti Enkovaara is already designing products fuelling our imaginations of the possibilities of traditional furniture. One of her most exciting works, is an innovative seating structure named 'The Body'. Constructed by a flesh coloured strip of six meter fabric filled with rice.

Friction created by the rice combined with the fabric enables the structure to be extremely rigid when bent but also recreating the properties of a cushion. In fact, Japan has historically used rice as a filler in pillows. It is now an incredibly ecological and ergonomic option as opposed to foam which is environmentally damaging, as well as being notorious for breaking up into pieces that choke animals and harm their digestive systems.

The design can bend and curve so it can be continuously reshaped depending on the mood and comfort of the individual. Transforming from a chair, to a bed, to a yoga mat, this is an object interacting with our human needs.

Oyyo Design Studio

Hailing originally from Stockholm, Sweden, this design studio, although rooted in it’s Swedishness, is a celebration of nomadic travel, adventure and the convergence of cultures. Their designs capture simplicity combined with a passion for prints and patterns and are a demonstration of a craftsmanship within a global modernity. Oyyo is working with local communities around the world to create quality bold, enigmatic products such as the recently launched No.1 Cotton Dhurrie collection hand-woven by a community of craftspeople near India’s Blue City, Jodhpur made with machine-free techniques dating back centuries and vivid vegetable dyes derived from local plants. Drawing from a rich variety of inspiration from the Nordic textile arts and crafts heritage to the Bauhaus movement to Surrealist artist, Salvador Dali, the studio will release one or two products per year, working up a core collection of textiles, furniture and accessories. 

'Cabin in a Brooklyn Loft'

You do relate to the cram situation and steep rent prices of New York, when you find yourself trying to make ends meet in Hong Kong, keeping it calm when on top of all this, everyday a dozen of mainland Chinese migrate to us, both the filthy rich bunch and the terribly poor whom have the motive only for the welfare spark the sass in my pants.

To battle spatial issues yet making things economical, people like designer Terri Chiao get creative, utilising the ceiling height of her Brooklyn apartment mounted a wooden cabin, which within holds a full-size bed, miniature closet space, and a nook outside the cabin. This is a great upgrade for a hostel, as replacing your original roomies on all four sides; the loft gives the guest access to the rooftop with a three-sixty panorama view of the Manhattan skyline and all around Brooklyn and Queens.

As if saving enough money for this return ticket to the city was no big of a deal, this might accommodate more than what you may have expected to get in a short week stay.

/ Visit AirBnB for rates and further information