The Height of Design: Amechi Mandi

This article first appeared in Mix Interiors #230

Amechi Mandi is a London-based product designer whose work is informed by nature and his cultural heritage, with a focus on indigenous Nigerian and Cameroonian textiles and cultures. December 2020 saw the launch of his eponymous brand Amechi, soon followed by curating museum exhibitions – such as at Mingei Museum in San Diego California – and working with a growing list of collaborators.

The item

Ro Chair by Jaime Hayon for Fritz Hansen

Why does this item represent the ‘height of design’ for you?

I like too many things to choose just one product that sums up the height of design – I usually get confused when asked ‘what’s your favourite this or that?’ because I simply have too many favourites. It gets very blurred. So instead of an absolute, I have chosen one of the very many. I love design that has an element of liveliness, a certain quirk, innocence, outside thinking or playfulness. Jaime Hayon’s designs encompass all of those things; his work never fails to capture my attention. One of my favourite pieces of his work is the Ro armchair for Fritz Hansen, a re-imagined version of the classic sculptural wingback lounge chair.

How does it inspire you or your work?

It’s an elegant design that invites playfulness with form while maintaining optimum comfort, named after the Danish word for ‘tranquillity.’ I love the subtle shape, especially how the neck of the chair curves inwards, almost like a 19th century shirt collar – almost to suggest it is enveloping and protecting you in a tranquil space. The combination of tradition and modernity is inspiring; the wingback chair has been re-imagined in countless and sometimes amazing ways, but the inspiration here for me is it shows the work and thought process of someone who isn’t just another ‘form and function’ obsessed designer.

What do you think has been the impact of this item?

To me, the chair reaffirms how fun it can be to re-imagine something that already exists with a fresh spin; playful design that doesn’t compromise on comfort or aesthetics. It shows the versatility of the designer and it encourages others who don’t always want to follow convention, like me, to not flounder with their identity.

The personal connection

The chair represents the height of design to me on a very personal level. At the time the design was launched, before I went to design school, I was heavily preoccupied with the works of designers I admired – the beautiful or interesting designs I’d see in design magazines. I dreamed of being one of those designers one day. When

I saw the Ro chair for the first time, it wasn’t necessarily the Ro chair per se, but the body of work of Jaime Hayon which had led him up to that stage, of designing the Ro chair. I was impressed by the entire process. The chair to me represents how a designer, especially a multi- disciplinary talent like Hayon, has carved his own unique identity – expressing his creativity with a dose of whimsy and without being pinned down by strict conventions that demand things should only be done in a certain way. Boring!

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