A special project developed for Schloss Hollenegg for Design, Swarm is the new rug by French-born and British based designer Marlène Hussioud, inspired by the world of insects.
The rhythmic singing of cicadas, the low hum of bees, the soft beating of a moths wings, these are the sounds of insects interacting in our daily lives, a presence which is often taken for granted but which is fundamental to our ecosystems. Through this collaboration with cc-tapis, designer Marlène Huissoud intends to celebrate the importance of insects because their unique presence in the world is declining, in the past decade alone 40% of insect species in the world have gone extinct.
“As a designer I have always distanced myself from the industry, declining collaborations as I feel it is important to guide the industry towards more responsible production methods and cc-tapis seemed the ideal partner for that.”
Born in a family of beekeepers, Marlène’s passion for insects is reflected in the design of this rug. Based on her detailed sketches, Swarm interprets the constant movement of insects. A design which explores the complex and organic structures created by the insect world, befittingly translated with natural materials. Swarm is completely hand-knotted by Tibetan artisans, who, to achieve the high-level of detail and capture the expression in Marlène’s original drawings, have meticulously knotted up to 152.000 individual knots per square meter.
Marlène sketching during her residency at Schloss Hollenegg.
Swarm has been made using traditional eco-friendly production techniques and no dyes, chemicals or acids were ever used during production. Only undyed Himalayan wool is used, a rich material which has a wide variety of natural tones. When the Tibetan sheep are shorn, their thick wool is separated from light to dark tones which are then hand-carded and hand-spun into yarn. Marlène’s concern for the environment is expressed in her choice of materials and manufacturing techniques. “As a designer I have always distanced myself from the industry, declining collaborations, but I feel it is important to guide the industry towards more responsible production methods and cc-tapis seemed the ideal partner for that.”
To view more of Marlène’s work, check out her website here
