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Multi-hyphenate designer Christian Siriano, to put it simply, loves to make a statement. In fashion, it’s a red-carpet moment for star-studded clientele, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kerry Washington among them. And at home, in his modernist coastal escape in Westport, Connecticut, not a corner exists without a statement chair of sculptural sorts. Now, Siriano is introducing a line of furniture, each piece designed as though a piece of art, capable of standing—and dazzling—all on its own.
Sold exclusively through 1stdibs, the 10-piece collection marks the first foray into furniture design for Siriano, who launched his design studio, Siriano Interiors, in January. Yet the nuances of the furniture design process weren’t completely novel to the designer, who, after 13 years in the fashion industry, understands the significance of trial and error, over-ordering materials, and the simple fact that items don’t always turn out the way you envision. “Particularly when working with natural materials like wood, you have to let it speak for itself in a way and not force it to be what it can’t be.” That understanding proved beneficial: “Sometimes the simplest thing can be the most beautiful, which is something I had to teach myself coming from the extravagant world of designing dresses for red-carpet moments.”
Undoubtedly, the collection has fashion undertones—be it the Lula chair’s obelisk base, reminiscent of an A-line dress, or the Lily stool’s wave-like silhouette à la a circle skirt. Hints of Siriano’s affinity for postmodern design—as evidenced by the vintage Mario Bellini for Cassina chairs and a Pierre Paulin–esque sofa within his own home—also appear throughout the collection. The resulting geometric forms, sculpted from maple and oak and upholstered in a neutral bouclé, are neat, but not uninvitingly so. Clean, pronounced silhouettes that, rather than coming off cold, are endearingly shaped—seemingly adding a wink to signal that though polished, they know how to have fun.
Contributing to the collection’s allure is the bouclé upholstery, a not-so-nubby, mild pile designed with a synthetic blend to offer greater durability, which Siriano developed with his upholstery partner, Norwalk, Connecticut–based Kostas Upholstery. When the designer approached the studio about partnering on a collection (a first for them as well), so began an “exciting design challenge for everyone involved,” Siriano says. You can add a prosperous one as well, if early orders are any testament. With only previews sprinkled throughout social media over the past few months, the furniture collection is already on track to be a significant sector of the Siriano Interiors business.
The designer is proud to share this moment with his maker community. “There has been a lot of waste and over-manufacturing in our world, so to be able to bring it back to the old-school craft of woodworkers and upholsters to make something unique on a made-to-order basis is special,” says Siriano. “I think after everything that’s happened in our world, that’s where people want to spend their money.”
Early clients are already sharing photos of the new pieces styled in their homes on Instagram. Siriano has particularly enjoyed seeing how customers incorporate the furnishings into their interiors. “It’s been interesting to see that it’s not always my taste,” he says. “I’ve seen it in traditional spaces too, which is the most exciting part—it’s not how I would do it, but it has opened my mind.”
