A desert area, natural sandy colors, architectural elements with geometric lines, like the mashrabiya, along curving horizons of dunes. The general characteristics of the region of Najd, in the heart of Saudi Arabia, offer a source of inspiration for the architect Tristan Auer to design a new collection of fabrics – also named for this region – for the French maison Lelièvre Paris.
Auer has recreated an exotic journey, to savor with the senses of sight and touch, in six stops – the number of models in the Najd collection – envisioned for seating and drapes.
An aerial panorama of a desert landscape sets the tone of Héritage, a jacquard in 100% cotton, where the variations between the dunes are represented by threads that run along opposing weaves. Khaïma links back to the tents traditionally used by nomads in the desert: a polyester fabric available in six versions that share a natural base on which the yarn plays with pyramid motifs. With Nomade, an authentic jacquard, Tristan Auer makes a direct connection with Najd architecture, with small segments arranged in trompe-l’oeil lines to suggest the mashrabiya.
A cotton blend has been chosen for Sillons, featuring an extraordinary striped effect, while Désert is a very soft chenille jacquard with a weft in linen, a direct tribute to the lightness of the wind as it caresses the sand. Finally, Dunes is a jacquard characterized by lines and curves that suggest desert horizons, crossed by linen threads that bring raised texture and contemporary flair in a ton sur ton approach.
