This trio dusts off conventional terry cloth and shower curtain designs. Pictured from left to right: Mirjam, Eva and Johanna.

Background information

Beautiful shower curtains at last: Kollektiv Vier mixes up our bathroom

27.9.2018

Translation: machine translated

The up-and-coming designers from "kollektiv vier" finally offer you alternatives to mainstream polyester bathroom textiles. Their fabrics are not only made from natural fibres, but are also tangible art.

Some things are rarely scrutinised because they are so commonplace that we hardly notice them. The look of shower curtains and towelling towels is one of them for me. I paid a visit to Swiss designers Mirjam Huwiler, Eva Zuberbühler and Johanna Widmer from "kollektiv vier" and asked them, among other things, why monotonous designs last so long on the market.

The trio from "kollektiv vier"

How did you get into design?
Mirjam: I discovered my passion for textiles during my apprenticeship as a clothing designer and wanted to specialise in this field.
Eva: It was clear to me after my A-levels that I wanted to do something creative. As fabric was already very close to me as a material back then, I came across the Textile Design degree programme.
Johanna: I discovered my interest in textiles and design during the preliminary design course.

Did you do anything else before setting up your label?
Johanna: Right after graduating, we boldly founded "kollektiv vier". Parallel to setting up our label, we gained various work experiences in the textile industry during the first four years. We took the plunge into self-employment early on and have never regretted it.

Who takes on which part of the process for you?
Johanna: We make design and strategic decisions together. With a new product, we start by making a mood board. We design analogue source material that can be reused and developed further. At no stage of the process do we shy away from passing the design on to each other. On the contrary, we really value the input and outside perspective of others.

What inspires you for your collages?
Mirjam: Nature, travelling, art exhibitions and the work of other designers.
Eva: Writing and we as a collective inspire each other with our different perspectives.
Johanna: I go through everyday life awake and yet I am a dreamer...

What do you love about your work?
Mirjam: The variety, being the captain, keeping an overview and being able to work independently. We have also learnt to appreciate designing, developing concepts and learning by doing - even the entrepreneurial part that comes with being self-employed.

What does a day in your studio look like?
Eva: Very different and varied. Mirjam's day starts on the train, for example, with checking emails because she commutes. Tuesday is our team day, when we make and discuss upcoming decisions together. We leave processes that we can't finalise in the evening, such as collaging, and start them again the next day.

Home textiles reinterpreted

Why did you decide to design home textiles?
Eva: As textile designers, we are always looking for products that offer us a space to design. The interior sector is more consistent for us than fashion. Even if the shower curtain seems to be a dying object that is usually replaced with glass walls in new buildings, we believe in the product - as long as its design is convincing.

The technique of terry weaving imposes restrictions on the formal design and choice of colours. However, the otherwise colourful collective appreciates this because it allows them to discover new ways with the technique. Abstract and minimalist patterns also make their way into the collection.

Why do you think it sometimes takes a while in history for a particular design to be dusted off?
Mirjam: This may be due to the new generations of designers who see objects with different eyes and want to roll them up again. We are too happy to engage with textiles and look for objects that we can refresh and transfer to today's lifestyle. Today, we want more sustainable products. That's why it was important to us to establish innovative processing in addition to design. Conventional curtains are made of polyester, ours is 100% cotton with an acrylic coating on one side. This makes it more natural and more pleasant to handle.

Shower curtains

kollektiv vier Neptune

180 x 200 cm

Here's the full collection

And what's your favourite piece in your home at the moment?
Mirjam: Two rugs that I brought back from a trip to Morocco.
Eva: A perforated aluminium lamp.
Johanna: Moon-shaped bowls in blue, pink and bright red.

«Behind the Scenes» in the studio of the three young designers in Zurich.

What's next on your agenda?
Eva: We will be launching our bathroom rugs this year. Then we will design a whole collection for the bathroom. Similar to our prints, we want to create an entire world for immersion that supports the bathroom as a place of retreat and gives the room a holistic atmosphere. <p

Header image: This trio dusts off conventional terry cloth and shower curtain designs. Pictured from left to right: Mirjam, Eva and Johanna.

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Pia Seidel

Senior Editor

Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.ch

Like a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.

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