3D printing design accessory brand Maison 203 has presented on the occasion of Maison et Objet the Armure clutch designed by Odo Fioravanti. “In all things of nature there is something of the marvellous” reminds us Aristotle. It is in the detail of a flower or fruit that the most unexpected shapes hide, ready to be caught by a curious and original glimpse. In Armure – winner of the 2011 Compasso d’Oro and 2014 German Design Award – this unconventional observation of nature turns into a project intuition which results in a crossover between geometrical and organic shapes, between technological execution and natural inspiration.
What underlies the project is a botanical survey, and more specifically a study of the cypress fruit: the small spherical pinecones are characterised by a hidden soul, on which raised scales seem to float, as plates of a wooden armour separated by thin gaps. This spurred the idea of using round shapes, almost suspended over an inner volume, that reminds of the structure of a pinecone. “The two overlapping layers create a depth effect” explains Odo Fioravanti “and the clutch is reinforced by this gentle elastic armour, a sort of exoskeleton made possible by the versatility of the 3-D printed.”
The delicate outer armour, thanks to the system of protruding plates, hides the opening, fitted with a handy magnet-based system: thus, the clutch – wholly made of sintered nylon – looks like a perfect shell, a small ripe fruit that turns into a woman’s accessory with a strong aesthetical impact. A thin chain completes the bag, allowing it to be used also as a shoulder bag. Armure, conceived in black, powder pink, bordeaux and night blue, is available for purchase here for a special launch price of $510 USD.
all images courtesy of Maison 203