For Wallpaper*s 2024 Next Generation issue, we have rounded-up a hotlist of emerging design talent from around the world, shining a light on the newcomers paving the present and forging the future. Join us on our journey to meet ten designers from Adelaide, Tokyo, London, Lagos, Guatemala City, Mexico City, Loch Lomond, New York and Paris. Welcome to our ascending stars of 2024.
Emerging designer Astraeus Clarke, New York
Chelsie and Jacob Starley are partners in life and business, both from Utah, now living in New York, where they launched their design studio Astraeus Clarke in 2022. The couple embarked on several careers before finding their feet. ‘We have so many failed businesses behind us,’ says Jacob. ‘From toys to swimsuits, we’ve learnt a lot about what not to do.’ Astraeus Clarke, by contrast, has seen rapid success. Known for their sculptural, characterful lighting, the duo are soon to embark on furniture and objects, too.
Wallpaper*: How do you describe your work?
Astraeus Clarke: We strive to create beautiful objects that evoke emotion. Engineering is beautiful when it helps you understand how things are made, but storytelling is also important. Sometimes we start with engineering and the narrative is driven by the process; sometimes we start with a story. It’s always a marriage of the two.
W*: What motivates your work?
AC: Our Utah upbringing is important and we feel inspired by the landscapes we know. We are observant as we walk around New York. Our camera rolls are filled with weird references. We also share a love for movie sets. Cinema is powerful because its whole goal is to tell a story and evoke an emotion.
W*: What has been a career highlight?
AC: When we first launched, we decided to throw a party during New York Design Week. We didn’t know anybody and we weren’t sure if anyone would turn up, but we hired a vast vacant shop in our neighbourhood. Over three days, we transformed it into a three-room club with a cocktail lounge, dancefloor and backroom, which we filled with fog and lit with a single light. We had 800 people show up. The police came. Thankfully they didn’t shut us down, they just asked us to turn the music down a bit. We love to bring people together.
W*: What would be a dream commission?
AC: We’d love to see our work in historic buildings, but we’d also like to go back to our Utah roots – doing something in the Zion National Park would be amazing, with just the red rock cliffs as a backdrop.
W*: What do you believe is the power of design?
AC: Our main ethos is creating spaces that have, and hold, emotion. Whether it’s in your home or in a commercial setting or public space, our goal is to create environments that feel good to inhabit, that people fall in love with.
Astraeus Clarke, photographed by Heather Sten,in their soon-to-open showroom space in Manhattan, with their ‘Lenox 3 Globe’ lamp
@astraeusclarke
