MARSÈLL

a seamless merging of form, colour and texture characterizes Marsèll's approach to shoemaking. Sturdy, classic shapes undergo a process of subtle distortion: a detail is overblown gaining visual prominence, or it is totally erased; heels get a sculptural shape; meticulous finishing adds a dash of polish where you'd least expect it; a slice, or a hole, turn into design statements. Whilst still keeping their status of useful objects, shoes, as well as bags, gain another layer of meaning, due to a rearranged balance of all the components. The effect is subdued; assertively quiet, if you prefer. Marsèll coveys modern classicism with an angle and an organic feel. It is a mix of innovation and tradition. Marsèll was created in 2001. Production is carried entirely in Italy, in-house. Craft, manual work, quality of the materials and artisanality are paramount. The Milan showroom was opened in 2006. Three yeas later, the space spawned an addition in the form of Marsèlleria, a multidisciplinary cube that hosts rotating exhibitions born out of a genuine quest for creativity and unadulterated forms of expression. Showrooms in Paris and New York have been opened in the meanwhile. Marsèll expresses a solid yet tactile take on design. Muted colors, meticulous finishes, a dash of the unexpected give a visionary twist to utilitarianism. Form, thereafter, follows function, not predictably so.