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may 10, 2018 - Ames

Bienvenido a ‚La Casa Colombia’ – ames presents new products in Milan


From April 17 to 22, 2018, #ames is pleased to be able to welcome visitors to its booth (D32 in Hall 06) at the #salonedelmobile.Milano. Following its prior appearances in Cologne and Paris, #ames will be presenting its new trade exhibition booth #design, ‘La Casa Colombia’, in Milan – an especially atmospheric setting for the company’s products. The new booth #design was inspired by ‘La Casa de las Aguas’, an architectural firm based in the Honda region of Colombia. Striking additional images and videos by Andres Valbuena capture the Colombian way of life, displaying the variety of faces, traditions and styles to be found in the South American country. In addition to an expansion of the CIRCO furniture series, #ames will be displaying a totally new family of products in Milan – LA CHE tables and decorative objects. It’s also celebrating the premiere of #bici, a new product that’s something unexpected for #ames: Hand-made bicycles decorated – like the CARIBE collection – with “Momposino”-style woven baskets, available in colors that match the furniture series.

A traditional Andean technique: With the new LA CHE furniture family, #ames is introducing a special aspect of Colombian culture to Europe. The Lache, one of many indigenous tribes of Colombia, were known for using an eponymous technique to weave baskets until the Spanish conquistadors colonized large swathes of South America. In collaboration with the designer Sebastian Herkner, #ames is taking up this traditional method, which has been passed down from generation to generation in the Boyacá region, 2,400 meters above sea level. The company has commissioned local people in the small Andean province to produce its side tables and decorative objects. The material used is fique, a natural fiber made from the leaves of the plant of the same name. The fique fibers are wound by hand. The “frame” around which the fibers are wrapped is a naturally white, sturdy part of the fique plant. Most of the dyes used stem from natural ingredients such as nuts, roots and bark from trees native to the region. The production process is highly labor intensive and requires a great deal of skill: It takes several weeks to produce each piece of LA CHE furniture – at times, two artesanos even work on the same piece simultaneously. Still, it is only possible to produce a few products each month due to the amount of work required. Even in Colombia, this traditional handcrafting technique has become uncommon, making LA CHE an exclusive and rare series.

The LA CHE series currently includes three sizes of side tables and one decorative object. The tables and objects are available in three color combinations. A highlight: The irregular color gradient of LA CHE produces an unusual aesthetic.

ames will surprise i Saloni visitors with a special new product: #bici – the bicycle. These special vehicles are produced in a small family-run workshop in Bogotá’s historic city center. Colombia has a long and rich history of cycling: In many regions – such as the Andes – it is essentially the only mode of transportation; even very young children must learn to travel great distances by bicycle. It comes as no surprise, then, that many renowned professional cyclists come from these parts of Colombia. The bicycle is also the most important form of transit for farmers and merchants in rural regions. More than any other type, heavy “Panadera” bicycles are used to transport cargo and are quintessentially Colombian. Designer Sebastian Herkner and #ames CEO Ana María Calderón Kayser encountered these bikes countless times as they traveled through the country’s many regions together. During production of the CIRCO furniture series, they were both struck by a great idea – and the #bici project was born

Like the CARIBE collection, ames’ #bici bicycles feature hand-woven baskets made of recycled plastic ties, designed by Sebastian Herkner and available in the same color combinations as the furniture series. The bikes’ hand-stitched seats and handlebars are made of elegant cognac-hued leather. On request, the limited- edition #bici bicycle collection can also be customized with a name or logo for small hotels or shops.

In addition to the new products, #ames is also introducing an updated expansion for the colorful CIRCO furniture range: As of now, the new planters (which were premiered at the 2018 IMM Cologne) are now available in a fourth size: XL, designed for large plants. The CIRCO series also includes a dining-room chair, lounge chair and side table in addition to the planters. The unconventional furniture series, which can also be used outdoors, is available in four striking colorways and is made of powder-coated steel tubes and recycled plastic meshwork. As of 2018, the CIRCO seating furniture has also been available in an indoor version made of fine leather. The cherry on top? #ames also offers matching cushions for the CIRCO seating, made of various indoor and outdoor fabrics from Nya Nordiska.

In Milan, #ames will also be presenting many other unique living accessories in addition to LA CHE, LA #bici and CIRCO – all of which were produced using traditional handcrafting methods in various regions of Colombia. The vibrantly colorful CARIBE furniture series is also joining ‘La Casa Colombia’, evoking the Colombian sense of joie de vivre. The cozy layers of the NOBSA pillow collection invite you to sit and stay awhile – and offer a brief respite from the hustle and bustle of the Milan trade exhibition.