Opportunity knocks where you least expect it. For Lewis Kemmenoe, it was on Instagram, in the form of a short but intriguing message. Simon Parris, of Kim Jones Studio, had a collaboration in mind. A single meeting and a week or so later, Kemmenoe was on his way to Rome. Eight months on from then, ‘Aenigma’, his capsule collection of furniture for Fendi is set to be unveiled at Design Miami 2024.
Showcasing innovative collaborations with an emphasis on luxury craftsmanship and rich materiality, Fendi has been a prominent participant in Design Miami since 2008. Like the perfect finger joints of his carpentry, Kemmenoe is an exquisite fit for the commission, joining a notable roll call that includes Maria Pergay, Dimorestudio, Cristina Celestino, Chiara Andreatti, Sabine Marcelis and Misha Kahn. And, like each of them at the time that they answered this brief, he’s a design star clearly on the ascent.
Fendi’s Design Miami showcase with Lewis Kemmenoe
The ‘Aenigma’ collection includes three chairs, a wall panel, vases, lamps, a table and a cabinet, bringing a fresh take on modernism to play in a series of functional, sculptural pieces. Organic materials, such as wood, bark, alabaster and stone, are combined with aluminium and brass, patchworked panels subtly referencing the outlines of garment patterns. Though the collection came together quickly and instinctively, it was during Kemmenoe’s visit to Fendi’s headquarters in Rome – his first time in the city – that he rapidly found his flow with the project. ‘It was an illuminating trip,’ he recalls of his visits to landmarks like the Vatican and Borghese Gallery, where the grandeur of the architecture and the organic forms of Caravaggio’s work began to resonate with his own artistic approach.
I discovered a lot of connections between my work and the Roman aesthetic – it felt very cohesive
Lewis Kemmenoe
‘It validated what I’d already been exploring in my designs – organic shapes and the tactile nature of materials like alabaster and wood. I discovered a lot of connections between my work and the Roman aesthetic – it felt very cohesive.’ Kemmenoe found the Vatican’s relief sculptures particularly inspiring. The way these elements were positioned in the space is echoed in the placement of organic shapes in his own furniture. And in Fendi’s archives, he also discovered handbags made with leather and wood panels, which felt remarkably similar to his own sensibilities – bridging the gap between traditional craft and contemporary design.
For Kemmenoe, becoming a furniture designer was a decision that evolved from his education (fine art at Central Saint Martins followed by design at the Royal College of Art) and early freelance commissions in film and architecture. It was during the Covid lockdowns that he found the space to truly explore his passion for making. With more time at home, Kemmenoe began a shift away from abstract sculptural work towards more functional, everyday pieces of furniture and, by 2021, his distinctive, material-led, midcentury-inspired aesthetic was attracting high levels of acclaim and, accordingly, collectors.
His process is intuitive, allowing the material to guide the final form. ‘There’s a mystery to my work because I’m not a traditionally trained carpenter. I come to it with a different perspective.’ Without the constraints of conventional cabinet-making skills, Kemmenoe’s designs often subvert expectations, his outsider approach resulting in designs that provoke curiosity while remaining grounded in functionality.
Inspired and influenced by Japanese and American modernism – in particular, the works of George Nakashima – Kemmenoe appreciates the fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modernist design principles. ‘I admire the way that Nakashima approached materials and how he let them speak for themselves,’ he says. ‘It’s an ethos I try to bring into my own practice, working with the grain of the wood or the texture of a material, rather than against it.’
As he describes it, Fendi gave him carte blanche to create the collection, a level of trust that both excited and challenged him. ‘With that freedom came questions of whether my ideas were really going to work,’ he reflects. ‘I had to trust my instincts, but if something felt right, I knew I was on the right path.’ Unsurprisingly given his training, Kemmenoe has always straddled the line between art and design, but in this project, he leans into both worlds. The chairs, for example, are produced in two contrasting versions – brass and aluminium – allowing the materials to engage in a visual conversation. This dialogue is central to Kemmenoe’s practice, where rough textures often contrast with smoother finishes.
A series of organic-shaped lamps is inspired by Isamu Noguchi’s famous paper light sculptures. Made from wood veneer, backlit to highlight the grain, they give a soft ambience to a space. ‘There’s always this sense of discovery when you interact with a piece,’ says Kemmenoe. ‘You might see something from a distance and think it’s one thing, but as you get closer or touch it, you start to see or feel new details.’ He is also incorporating alabaster, a material deeply rooted in Roman history, into a series of vases for the collection.
‘I’ve always been interested in the intersection of heritage and modernity,’ says Kemmenoe. ‘This project has given me the chance to explore that balance in a new way, as well as access resources that have allowed me to take my designs to another level. I’m excited to see how people respond to the pieces.’ Looking ahead, he sees potential for future collaborations, particularly with Fendi Casa, the brand’s home interiors division. He also hopes to expand his practice globally. ‘I feel like this is just the beginning,’ he says. And as we all know, opportunity could knock again at any time.
‘Aenigma’ collection is on show from 3-8 December at Design Miami, designmiami.com, lewiskemmenoe.com, fendi.com
