Behind The Design: Verso
A collaboration years in the making, built on tailoring and the idea that the best design lives in the details. Come behind the scenes of Verso, our design collaboration with Tom Mark Henry.
Every collaboration starts somewhere. We've known and loved Tom Mark Henry's work for years, and their spaces and our shade has crossed paths on projects before. Every time, the same thing struck us: we were both drawn to design that balances a tension between the masculine and the feminine, the decorative and the restrained. So when the topic of a collection came up, it felt less like starting something new and more like the continuation of a conversation we've been having for years.
We always aim to encapsulate the client's personality within our designs; We believe in creating timeless spaces which transcend trends, whilst including unexpected elements that create contrast and surprise. A sense of restraint ensures we never have too many competing elements, but the personality is always there - if you look for it.
- Tristan Qasabian, Senior Designer at Tom Mark Henry.
That idea of tailoring and 'The Reveal' became the brief. Everything else - the double layered canopies, the stitching, the fabrics - grew from this concept.
With tailoring as the reference point, the design process followed its logic. Like a jacket with a beautiful inner lining, the umbrella canopy became two layers: a classic exterior, and underneath it, a bolder lining that reveals itself on closer inspection, or when you're sitting underneath.
The detailing followed the same discipline you'd expect from a well made garment: visible stitching, precise seams. Nothing decorative for its own sake, but nothing left unfinished either.
We wanted to make something that rewarded a closer look. The double layer, the Italian cloth, the stitching details, none of it shouts. But when you find it, you feel it. That's what good design does, and it's these small, thoughtful details that our studios care about most.
- Krista Huebner, co-founder of Basil Bangs.
None of it works without the right cloth, so the fabric became its own project. We went back to the same heritage Italian mill behind our Italian Collection and developed something new specifically for Verso: solution dyed acrylic, built to handle Australian conditions, but with a classic stripe reminiscent of a well cut suit.
Getting that balance right, fabric that performs outdoors but still feels considered enough to fit the brief, took longer than either studio expected, but it was worth the wait. It's a collection that stands alone, but can also play well with others, mixing and matching with other colours across our broader range and with existing pieces in a client's interior.
Textiles are paramount to the way a space is experienced and perceived. The ability to have exclusive fabrics milled in Italy for our collection enabled us to capture the essence of our concept and ensured we achieved our desired palette.
-Tristan Qasabien, Senior Designer, Tom Mark Henry
Keywords
Trade Program
Become a Trade partner
Created specifically for design professionals, our Trade Program delivers dedicated support to bring your creative vision to life, your work easier and your projects truly shine.