Dusen Dusen x Laguna~B: A Playful Glassware Collaboration
Where Playfulness Meets Venetian Craftsmanship: The Dusen Dusen x Laguna~B Collection
A Mother's Inspiration and Artistic Freedom
Motherhood often sparks new perspectives, and for designer Ellen Van Dusen, it profoundly influenced her creative journey. When Laguna~B, a renowned Italian glassware brand, invited her to collaborate, her thoughts naturally turned to families. What set this partnership apart was the complete artistic liberty granted to Van Dusen, allowing her to delve into Laguna~B's extensive archives and freely express her vision.
A Harmonious Blend of Styles
The collaboration felt destined, a perfect convergence of two brands celebrated for their maximalist aesthetics and shared love for dynamic swirls and stripes. Van Dusen aptly describes it, "We are both brands rooted in patterns, stripes, and colors." Caterina Capelli, Laguna~B's head of communications, echoes this sentiment, stating that the project transcended a mere adaptation of Dusen Dusen textiles, embodying the essence of their entire creative universe.
Whimsical Vessels: A Trio of Animalistic Designs
The collection introduces three charmingly anthropomorphic pitchers: a zebra, a parrot, and a fish. Each piece reflects Van Dusen's distinctive abstract prints and vibrant color palettes, seamlessly integrated with Laguna~B's intricate Murano glass layering techniques. Accompanying each handled pitcher is its own miniature drinking glass, designed to be a complementary companion rather than an identical replica. This deliberate variation highlights the organic nature of hand-blown glass, ensuring that no two pieces are exactly alike, a quality that Capelli believes enhances their intrinsic value and beauty.
Embracing the Unpredictability of Glass
For Van Dusen, accustomed to the precise geometry of textile patterns, the inherent unpredictability of glass presented an exhilarating challenge. She found liberation in translating her technical drawings into a medium where the outcome held an element of surprise. This creative freedom extended to the skilled artisans at Laguna~B, who pushed the boundaries of their craft to realize Van Dusen's innovative concepts. She notes that even simple details, such as integrating an 'eye' onto a glass piece, required novel construction methods, yet no aspect of the animal-inspired silhouettes, down to the pouring lip, was overlooked.
The Bird Pitcher: A Homage to Heritage
The bird pitcher, perhaps the most overtly traditional Laguna~B piece in the collection, drew significant inspiration from the brand's extensive glasswork archives. Van Dusen describes the experience as an immersive and invaluable learning opportunity. The artisans skillfully layered glass canes and fragments onto a solid red background, meticulously recreating the brand's iconic "Goto" pattern, characterized by its irregular, star-spangled appearance.
Dusen Dusen's Signature Playfulness
The collection distinctly showcases Dusen Dusen's playful essence through details like the "hand-on-hip" handle design. This element is a direct nod to Van Dusen's whimsical, personified design world, reminiscent of her popular face clocks and standing serving utensils. Van Dusen expresses her excitement about reaching a broader audience through this collaboration, emphasizing the liberating experience of designing without creative or budgetary constraints. Despite Murano glass's reputation for unique, collectible pieces, Van Dusen envisions these items as functional, everyday essentials, enriching daily life rather than being reserved for special occasions.