source: maartendeceulaer

The Leather Collection was inspired by the designer’s great passion for travelling and exploring the world. Towers and asymmetric compositions are made of suitcases and briefcases in precious leathers created by Maarten De Ceulaer, in a close collaboration with one of the most renowned leather artisans in Belgium, Ralph Baggaley. The craftsmanship and detailing is simply sublime and calls for instant admiration. These pieces, though colourful and playful, evoke luxurious and sophisticated atmospheres, but at the same time they carry the dynamic vibe of modern nomads, that travel trough cities and continents without restrictions or boundaries.

Maarten De Ceulaer (1983) was born in Belgium, and started his education in design at the Sint-Lukas Hogeschool in Brussels. Attracted by conceptual and narrative design, he continued his studies at the Design Academy Eindhoven. A strong passion for travelling inspired his graduation project ‘A Pile of Suitcases’, which was immediately picked up by the renowned Milanese gallery Nilufar, that asked him to design an entire collection on the concept. Maarten caught international attention for the highly evocative, poetic and playful touch he gives his objects.

He uses his work to tell stories, to stir people’s emotions, to tickle their imagination or to make them wonder. A project can result from an observation of society, a reaction on something that crosses his path, but is mostly the expression of a very personal thought or feeling he wants to communicate. He continuously explores new materials and investigates in and plays with production techniques and crafts. The emotional and narrative aspect of objects is equally important for him as the functional.

His works have been awarded and nominated (he was the Belgian Young Designer of the Year 2007, in 2009 The New York Times mentioned him as one of the 5 young designers to watch, Fendi selected him for the Design Performance at DesignMiami 2012, and in 2013 he received the prestigious Henry Van De Velde award for Young Talent), featured in most international design magazines, publications and newspapers, and have been exhibited at galleries, museums, festivals and fairs worldwide, among which Nilufar (Milan), Moss (New York), Mint (London), Galerie BSL (Paris), Victor Hunt (Brussels), Stedelijk Museum ‘s Hertogenbosch (Netherlands), Lodz Design Festival (Poland), Design Miami/Basel and Design Days Dubai.
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source: dezeen

Here are some more images of A Pile of Suitcases, a wardrobe presented by Belgian designer Maarten De Ceulaer at the Graduation Galleries 2008 show at Design Academy Eindhoven. The show opened last week, during Dutch Design Week, and continues until October 26. See our previous story for more about the Design Academy graduate show, which includes this project.
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source: designfolio

This stack of suitcases is in fact a cunningly disguised wardrobe system by Belgium designer Maarten de Ceulaer for Casamania. Steel profiles keep the structure firmly together, and each compartment differs with it’s internal shelves and racks to allow for various compositions.
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source: lescarnetsdudesign

Maarten de Ceulaer est un jeune et talentueux designer à suivre. Il a obtenu son diplôme avec mention au département de design d’intérieur de la St-Lukas Hogeschool de Bruxelles et a décidé de continuer sa formation sur la conception des produits, en poursuivant ses études à la Design Academy d’Eindhoven. Il explique très bien sa vision sur le design, que je partage avec lui, de cette façon : « J’essaie de développer mes créations sur un solide, simple et pur concept. Je veux surprendre, faire sourire les gens de façon très subtile. J’essaie de remettre en question ce que je vois autour de moi, et de le traduire dans l’objet. Je pense que la poésie, humour et de la communication des idées sont des aspects très importants de mon travail, mais en même temps, je tiens à rendre utiles et fonctionnels les objets avec cette façon de penser. Conceptuel au début, mon design doit être plus que des idées. Un bon concept dans un bon produit, est ce que je cherche à réaliser. » Son site est à visiter absolument!

Maarten de Ceulaer is a young and talented designer to discover. He graduated with honors at the Interior Design department of St-Lukas Hogeschool Brussel and decided to focus on the conception of product design, by continuing his studies at the Design Academy Eindhoven. He explained his vision very well on design, which I share with him in this way: « I try to base my designs on a strong, simple and pure concept. I want to surprise, to make people smile in a very subtle way. I try to question what I see around me, and translate that in an object. I think poetry, humour and communication of ideas are very important aspects of my designs, but at the same time I want to make useful and functional objects with that way of thinking. Conceptual as they may start, my designs have to be more then just ideas. A good concept in a good product is what I try to achieve. » Visit his site absolutely!
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source: davingoru

Забавный шкаф Pile of Suitcases – Куча из чемоданов получился у дизайнера Maarten De Ceulaer. Он был придуман для выставки Graduation Galleries 2008 в Академии дизайна Эйндховена. Мебель представляет собой груду чемоданов с доработанной внутренней частью, которую можно выкладывать в форме различных конструкций.