Created in Shanghai to connect East and West, Stellar Works invites Sleeper on a trip to China to experience the journey of its products from conception to completion.
Since its inception in 2012, Stellar Works has bridged the gap between East and West, old and new, creating timeless furniture pieces that blend heritage, modernity, craft and industry. With a Japanese founder, Shanghai headquarters and a partnership with high-end French furniture manufacturer Laval, the brand is a truly global operation. Its designs follow suit, taking inspiration from forms, styles and motifs central to the Japanese aesthetic and combining them with European tradition.
Having first visited Shanghai as a young designer, Nagoya-born founder Yuichiro Hori felt drawn to the city, becoming enamoured by the opportunities it offered, as well as the skill and determination of its workforce. So, when he had the idea to create a luxury furniture brand to counter the uninspiring offering of the time, Shanghai was the perfect location to nurture his vision. With the help of interdisciplinary design practice Neri & Hu – appointed as the brand’s Creative Directors in 2015 – Stellar Works has furnished hotels worldwide, collaborating with distinguished designers such as Yabu Pushelberg, Tom Fereday and David Rockwell for some of its latest collections.
Embracing tradition and innovation, Stellar Works’ designs are executed with enduring craftsmanship by experts, most of whom are young, eager to learn and originate from nearby villages known for specialising in different trades. During Sleeper’s time in Shanghai, Hori proudly recounts tales of his team; the most memorable being of a young man raised in a small village known for its woodworking, who was not only highly skilled in this craft, but could also tell the material’s moisture content with only the touch of his hand. It’s these talented recruits, together with French technicians – a result of the Laval partnership – and Japanese managers overseeing quality control, that make the brand what it is today.
Challenging the perception that China churns out low-quality, mass produced stock, the Stellar Works offer boasts lasting quality, wearing its ‘Made in Shanghai’ badge with pride. Where others turn to machines to reduce costs, the brand’s Jiading base and commitment to a skilled local workforce allow for the creation of handmade and hand-finished furnishings.
Recognising that sustainability is central to today’s design landscape, the company operates with integrity, putting transparent sourcing and manufacturing at its heart. On an exclusive tour of the factory in January, Sleeper was invited to experience the place where its designs are brought to life. The facility complies with international standards regarding technology, sustainability and working conditions, whilst operations have been streamlined for an impressive and efficient rate of production without compromising on the workers’ wellbeing and – thanks to quality control at every step – the brand’s premium standard.
The site allows for end-to-end control over the entire manufacturing process, enabling the custom creation of beautiful bespoke pieces that meet any design brief. A tour of Shanghai’s most prominent hotels later revealed both Stellar Works’ bespoke and stock collections in properties such as The Sukothai Hotel – which features the Utility, James and Bund ranges; The Shanghai Edition – with Rén and Utility; and W Shanghai – with Taylor, Exchange and James.
A subsequent trip to the firm’s downtown Shanghai showroom highlighted the next step in the process. Incorporating industrial concrete pillars and exposed ceiling vents, the stylish space displays furniture including the curvaceous Taylor sofa designed by Yabu Pushelberg; the Dawn bed with its rounded wooden frame, slim legs and leather-upholstered headboard by Space Copenhagen; the Cabinet of Curiosity, a wheeled unit crafted from solid walnut, veneer laminated panels and clear glass, designed by Neri & Hu; and an impressive glass cabinet wall showcasing the brand’s most iconic seats.
Conveniently located next door is Neri & Hu’s office, where new products are envisioned in line with the Stellar Works mantra: Asian sensibility, timeless craft. Speaking with Lyndon Neri and Rosanna Hu, the practice’s Founding Partners, about the design trajectory of the brand over the coming years, they revealed that Stellar Works’ next move will be an increased emphasis on unique, singular pieces. “For the past three years, we have been focusing on collections that designers create as a complete set, however, there needs to be some primadonna pieces that might not immediately fit with a particular design scheme, but will click in the right setting.”
A conscious move away from overly coordinated articles, the new Stellar Works pieces will each have a story to tell. Neri & Hu describe these as “objects of encounter” – furniture that will augment interiors and architecture as items that are not only meant to be seen but also experienced. “At your grandmother’s place, there’s always a certain object that is placed in the corner of the room,” Hu explains. “It’s not so much the function of it or how pretty it is, but there’s a reflective, nostalgic relationship between that object in that place and how you weave your body around it, which brings it to life. We’re hoping that the Stellar Works pieces become these objects in 50 or 100 years time; they’ll be talked about for years to come.”
Designed by leading names such as Sebastian Herkner, Space Copenhagen, Hallgeir Homstvedt, Nendo, Luca Nichetto, OEO Studio, Michele de Lucchi and of course Neri & Hu, the new products and extended Stellar Works collections are set to debut later this year. Neri and Hu say that each designer was chosen for their ability to create characters, and that all items have a tale and fascination that will speak for itself. “Certain classical pieces are still needed for people to understand the DNA of the brand – this is key,” comments Neri. “Through the voice of the designer and the narrative of Stellar Works, these articles will come to life by themselves.”
It is this charm and value that ultimately define the brand. Years from now, Stellar Works pieces will continue to resonate, as the company builds on its legacy for quality crafted furniture, stays true to Asian sensibilities, yet is international in its scope.
