The Secret Garden, designed by Ini Archibong for Amen & Amen, was presented for the first time at Salone del Mobile 2016. The new furniture and lighting collection is inspired by literature and fantasy. The opulent collection comprises a lighting sculpture, settee, side table and coffee table and is brought to life in materials including brass, marble, hand blown glass and traditional West African prints.

Storytelling is key to Archibong’s work and he references many tomes with In The Secret Garden, including Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Bible, and Greco-Roman mythology.

The Jadis lighting sculpture is the crowning glory of the new collection. Consisting of crystalline flower buds hand-blown by famed Swiss glassblower Matteo Gonet, fantasy brought to life by Archibong.

See more from the trade fair: MILAN DESIGN WEEK: BEST FURNITURE BRANDS AT SALONE DEL MOBILE IN MILAN

The curved shape and ‘oyster shell’ construction of the Cheshire settee was inspired by the wide grin of the Cheshire cat in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The outer shell is upholstered in a Vlisco Superwax batik print traditional to Western Africa and offered in a variety of options. The seat and back feature Alcantara ultra suede for comfort. Polished or brushed brass supports offer a sense of luxury.

The Orion side table and Galilee coffee table, both presented during Milan design week, are made of hand carved Carrara marble sitting atop hand-blown glass legs, reference stories of characters walking on water in both Greco-Roman mythology and the Bible.

The Secret Garden was presented for the first at time at Salone Satellite (Stand C8), the event devoted to the world’s most exciting young designers during Milan furniture show 2016.

Photos by Andreas Zimmermann

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