History tends to repeat itself as famed heritage home furnishing brands often rest on their laurels, periodically referencing archives only to update the color and finish of classic silhouettes or upgrade objects with hardware previously unavailable. But Poltrona Frau, an esteemed Italian luxury furniture leathership, taps British artist Faye Toogood to deliver a masterclass on leveraging one’s storied résumé with the release of Squash. Part of the broader Imagine Collection recently launched, this collective contemplation on relaxed upholstery comprises an armchair, ottoman, side table, and mirrors, complemented by a rug in the designer’s distinctive style.

Photo: Federico Clavarino

Photo: Federico Clavarino

Squash eases effortlessly into Poltrona Frau’s dialogue of otherwise linear, smooth, and refined pieces – a design language the brand has spoken for over a century – and plans to shift the conversation into the foreseeable future. “Wrinkles are beautiful, especially in leather. It’s just like bags,” Toogood says. “The way you use them, they get better with age. I personally think the chairs, in theory, should look their best in 20 year’s time.”

Bold and alluring, the oversized seat beckons passersby to get comfortable as if to catch up with an old friend. Perhaps it is the gathered edges that echo the Archibald or the graphic geometry derived from the iconic Vanity Fair that make Squash Armchair feel so familiar. And yet, the expression of its snug contours is as unique as the amalgamation of English folk art and Italian tailoring that inform its concept. The back and bottom cushions are sumptuous and tightly tethered to a lightly padded, leather-upholstered, thin sculptural base. Tone-on-tone color combinations – including Cream, Sage, Burgundy, Blue, and Brown – paired with contrasting visual weights allow for greater articulation of this soon-to-be iconic shape.

While the Squash Ottoman is an abbreviated version of its armchair counterpart, the Squash Small Table offers a more literal take on its namesake with two lacquered wood blocks smooshing an upholstered cushion of a similar hue. This whimsical interpretation of utility – or flippant stacking for those lacking a sense of humor – extends to the Squash mirrors whether it be the Long, Wall, or Pocket. Each enchanting variation invites the viewer to peer into a curvaceous padded frame for a moment of reflection, maybe even a reminder to take things a little less seriously. The checkerboard Squash Rugs ground the playfulness translating curvilinear, hand-painted motifs onto floor surfaces and brush strokes into Berber knotting.

As Squash’s unveiling marks Toogood’s debut in leather and upholstered forms, so too does the collaboration mark a return to venerable retail space. Poltrona Frau’s new Madison Avenue flagship store is more of an experiential center than point of sale allowing for potential clients and unsure shoppers alike to escape from the din of the city. “And this is what we want to have here,” says Nicola Coropulis, Chief Executive Officer of Poltrona Frau. “We want, for example, to host an art show with it, or a concert, or the presentation of books – these things – even a cocktail hour or dinner party.” It is something of a living gallery that becomes an interactive performance piece once activated by foot traffic.

The showroom is housed within a historic early twentieth-century Art Deco building and implements an immersive concept developed by the multidisciplinary studio AMDL CIRCLE, which is helmed by Italian architect Michele De Lucchi. The interior architecture reconciles a shift in elevation along the storefront from Madison to Park Avenue, through a dynamic structure spanning multiple levels in a layout of terraced floor plates, which accommodates staging for adaptive vignettes that guests can move through fluidly. Unencumbered, the reception desk is removed, the ceiling exposed, and stairs self-supporting. Other auxiliary rooms include a pseudo-theater kitchen, and material library.

Faye Toogood, English artist and designer

Nicola Coropulis, Chief Executive Officer of Poltrona Frau; Michele De Lucchi, Italian architect

“Today, there are many more opportunities than in the past to create your own space, where you participate in the creation of the space. And this, I think, is one of the values of our time in terms of how we can increase our capability to express ourselves,” says DeLucchi. “And this is also the role of the architect today to excite this kind of capability… this is a very important concept to understand, modernity today. That means we do not want to create a very rigid installment settlement.” And with Squash, you don’t have too.

To learn more about the heritage brand, visit poltronafrau.com or for more on designer Faye Toogood, visit t-o-o-g-o-o-d.com.

With professional degrees in architecture and journalism, Joseph has a desire to make living beautifully accessible. His work seeks to enrich the lives of others with visual communication and storytelling through design. Previously a regular contributor to titles under the SANDOW Design Group, including Luxe and Metropolis, Joseph now serves the Design Milk team as their Managing Editor. When not practicing, he teaches visual communication, theory, and design. The New York-based writer has also contributed to exhibitions hosted by the AIA New York’s Center for Architecture and Architectural Digest, and recently published essays and collage illustrations with Proseterity, a literary publication.