WALLPAPER* CUTS WITH VICTORINOX IN LONDON

Victorinox announces an exclusive creative partnership with the official authority of design, Wallpaper* magazine, launching at London Design Festival 2009.

Entitled ‘Wallpaper Cuts’, the project is a unique collaboration between Wallpaper* and Victorinox, celebrating the beautifully crafted Swiss Army Knife. Three limited editions, featuring designs by Wallpaper* and up and coming artists James Joyce and Jamie Cullen, will go on sale exclusively at the Victorinox Flagship store on New Bond Street from 21st September.

Using the popular Climber Swiss Army Knife, the Wallpaper* Victorinox model is cased on both sides in untreated natural wood. Undulating contour lines have been laser etched into the wood, accurately representing a portion of the mountainous landscape which surrounds the Victorinox factory in the village of Ibach, Switzerland. This topographic design creates a tactile, graphic image on the knife, as well as providing a visual link to the home of the Swiss Army Knife.

Wallpaper Art Director Meirion Pritchard comments: “The Swiss Army Knife is a true design icon. Our aim was to create an elemental design that expressed the beauty of its craftsmanship and function in a visual and tactile way.”

London based artist and designer, James Joyce and Brighton based illustrator Jamie Cullen were handpicked from a selection of fresh, British design talent to use their creative expression on two further limited edition cases.

Victorinox selected James Joyce for his illustrative, upbeat style, he comments: “The Swiss Army Knife in itself is a functional object, an everyday tool. I was looking at taking everyday objects and hopefully making them into something aesthetically pleasing. Commonplace and mundane made beautiful.”

Jamie Cullen, whose graphic linear style was well matched to the distinctive, functional design of Victorinox products says: “The idea was to have an abstract shape which like the knife has many hidden elements emerging from it. Often you don’t know what they are used for, but when the time comes, you will. I then repeated the pattern to create a more complex and intricate shape.”

All three models retail at £70 each and are limited to just 100 pieces each.

Victorinox Flagship Store
95/96 New Bond Street, London W1S 1DB
Tel.: +44 20 7647 9080
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