There is something nostalgic about the work of Los Angeles-based designer Willett. His spaces, furniture, and objects – all golden-toned wood, silky-smooth lacquer, and soft angles – pay homage to the clean lines and functional ethos of early 20th-century modernism but also lean into the playful allure of the 1960s and 1970s.
His eponymous furniture brand, Willett, officially launched in September 2024 with a six-piece, locally made collection that includes a glossy black lacquered chair called ‘Popo’ (short for popolare), a series of 1960s-inspired credenzas with asymmetrical doors, a low-slung armchair with leather cushions, dining tables with seamlessly integrated seats, a sumptuous daybed, and a black lacquer coffee table wrapped by a recessed band of veneer inlay.
The pieces, although freshly launched, have been incubating for some time. It was during the pandemic, after Willett and his wife, chef Molly Baz, moved from New York to LA, that Willett began experimenting with furniture design. At the time, he was working as an in-house creative director for brands such as Nike and YZY GAP, where he created experiential spaces, making the leap into bespoke furniture design for his own home a relatively straightforward one.
