Edida

Asim Merchant: EDIDA 2015 Furniture winner

JUN 28, 2016 | By Aditi Sharma Maheshwari
The EDIDA winning Threesome seater is made of solid Burma teak wood with a slender frame of metal hidden inside the wood. The Leaf chair is ergonomic and made of solid timber, where no two legs of the seater are of the same length.
An MBA graduate with a passion for design, Asim Merchant co-founded Red Blue & Yellow in October 2000 and since the past 16 years, has been lending his brilliance to the world of furniture.
“I wanted to do something in the field of contemporary design, because at that point there was nothing being done in that industry – everything was ethnic with a very strong Indian sensibility. We started the brand with the intention of making progressive design available to people,” says Asim. With this core idea in mind, the young entrepreneur ventured into the business of furniture, keen on mixing his business education with his interest and calibre in design.
His creations, over the years have always pushed the boundaries by retaining a modern, sleek and timeless aura. “I don’t usually follow things that are in vogue; I want that even after 20 years, my products should be significant. There are a lot of classic designs or retro designs that you see from the past that still make so much sense in the current era,” he avers.
Asim’s obsession with playing with forms resulted in the widely popular Leaf chair that reflected an organic shape and showcases branches and veins of a leaf. Ergonomic and made of solid timber, no two legs of the seater are of the same length, “The centre of gravity of the seat is controlled in such a way that it will never break,” adds Asim.
While talking about his EDIDA winning Threesome chair, the creative reveals that his idea sprouted from the observation that a regular sofa is the most uncomfortable place for a conversation. Three people sitting on it can never have a seamless conversation, as its design forces them to position themselves, facing the wall. He wanted to create a form where all three people would be facing each other and could talk comfortably. “Engineering and physics in design really excites me. The inspiration for this was that of a propeller, but I wanted to make it look sculptural,” shares Asim. The seater is made of solid Burma teak wood with a slender frame of metal hidden inside the wood to make the structure strong. “We have always shared a very special relation with ELLE DECOR and winning an EDIDA is very special. For me it’s like winning an Oscar in design!” he avers.
Website: www.redblueyellow.in
We are now accepting entries for EDIDA 2016. Click here to know more.
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