Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1544634
I n 1963, the Abdalla family e s t a b l i s h e d M a r m o n i l i n Cairo, building the business on quarrying and sourcing natural stone slabs from around the world, including Italy, Portugal, Morocco, and Mexico. In 2006, the now third-generation family business launched U.S. headquarters in the Atlanta area — Marmi Natural Stone, now simply Marmi. Ongoing relationships with designers and architects inspired a new direction: W h e n V l a d i m i r K a g a n d i e d i n 2016, the future o f h i s s t o r i e d furniture company was uncertain. What saved it — and ultimately transformed it — was a combination of Holly Hunt's acquisition of the Kagan brand eight months later and the steady tenacity of Chris Eitel, the young designer who had been Kagan's protégé since 2013. Eitel took the reins as director of design and production, stewarding Kagan's legacy with care and devotion. Now Eitel has taken another leap: He has been named design director of Holly Hunt, overseeing the brand's Studio furniture collections. His debut, Onward (developed in close collaboration with SVP and executive creative director Jo Annah Kornak) signals a transformative moment for one of design's most venerable American companies. Kagan's influence is unmistakable — the sculptural daring, the ergonomic intelligence, the sense that each piece is as much art object as furniture. But true to its name, Onward pushes further. These pieces have a retro- futurist quality that calls to mind the great American design glamour of the 1970s — Milo Baughman, Steve Chase, Kagan himself at his most exuberant — yet Onward belongs to no time at all. Boldly original, this high-voltage collection will still be exciting decades from now. Nine pieces — seating, case goods, and occasional tables — push boundaries with sculptural forms, vibrant lacquers, and unexpected proportions. Rich solid wood accents are rendered in ring-cut wood veneer, hand-applied lacquer, and dimpled cast bronze. Every piece is conceived and completed entirely by hand within Holly Hunt's own workrooms. Onward, at Holly Hunt, Decorative Center Houston, 5120 Woodway Dr., Atrium 1, hollyhunt.com. RS Stone Cold Chic High Voltage Marmi Editions, a line of stone objects that spans mantels, b a t h s , k i t c h e n s , and, most recently, e n t e r t a i n i n g . T h e Savoy serving cart caught our eye at Paris Deco Off. This standout piece makes a stunning bar and was hand-carved in Italy from a choice of 18 stones, including Arabescato Corchia, Nero Marquina, and Picasso marble, and finished with brass, bronze, or nickel hardware. The Editions line draws from an unexpectedly wide range of references: the pleated forms of Issey Miyake, Baroque fountains, Federal-style symmetry, and origami. Savoy serving cart, at marmistone.com/ editions. Rebecca Sherman Marmi Editions Savoy serving cart Holly Hunt Isley sofa Selina armchair 48