During her career at Delft Technical University, Samira Boon (1974) traveled to Japan for her work placement. Later, with the help of a scholarship from the Japanese government, she returned to Tokyo to continue her studies in the Institute of Technology. In the meantime, she established her own design studio, Studio Samira Boon.
Boon combines the best of two cultures: the conceptual power of Dutch design with Japanese simplicity and attention to detail. She sees the products not as fixed end results, but goes in search of flexibility, and wishes to involve the user in the process of appropriation. Her work is characterised by minimalism and simplicity, in which case traditional Asian items sometimes become a surprising new product all thanks to a minor change. For example, she transformed the surgical mask, a widely used item in Asia, into a fashion accessory by adding a trend-setting image to it. Another example are the slippers that she recently developed. They are based on the ancient Japanese folding art of origami. These Sole Mates slippers are delivered as broadsheets and the customer gets to fold them into the desired slipper shape.
The latest developed textiles acquire their 3D structure by making use of the interaction between different weaving bindings, yarns and layers. The application possibilities include both interior design and products.
Studio Samira Boon products are sold in countless shops throughout Japan, Europe and the US.
Links
samiraboon.com
