What happens when the distinctive language of industrial design meets a vivid, almost theatrical imagination? In the case of the collaboration between Tiptoe and the Paris-based studio Uchronia, the answer comes in four colours, soft lines and forms that seem to be in constant motion. The DAYDREAM collection is a reinterpretation of Tiptoe’s well-known designs, this time treated as a canvas for free-spirited experimentation.
Uchronia, founded by Julien Sebban, did not limit itself to simply changing the colour scheme of existing products. The designers delved deeper – altering the contours, proportions and selected details, giving the objects a more organic character. Some pieces feature a distinctive undulating pattern, reminiscent of the movement of water. As a result, Tiptoe’s simple, technical forms begin to look as though they have been momentarily removed from reality and subjected to the influence of a dream.
It is precisely this tension between industrial precision and emotionality that is the most fascinating aspect of DAYDREAM. For years, Tiptoe has built its identity around modular, functional designs, whilst Uchronia readily employs colour, ornamentation and unexpected combinations of materials. In the new collection, these two worlds do not compete with one another, but begin to shift into one another.
Colour plays just as important a role here as form. Uchronia has created four exclusive shades for DAYDREAM: intense Magma Orange, light Ice Cream Beige, deep Astral Violet and Chocolate Brown. Each of these has been treated not merely as a surface finish, but as an element that helps create a specific mood – from energetic orange, through calm beige and an almost cosmic violet, to nostalgic chocolate brown.
The wooden elements look particularly striking. Their surfaces have been cut into fluid, undulating shapes, whilst still retaining the material’s natural character. The lines of the new worktops guide the eye along the grain of the wood, giving this functional object a more sculptural quality. It is a subtle change that demonstrates just how much altering the very contour of an object can transform it.
As part of the collaboration, Uchronia has reimagined, amongst other things, tables, the LOU stool, a coffee table, the PLI shelf, the BRACKET wall bracket and the JO coat hook. However, the aim is not to create entirely new objects, but to demonstrate how an existing system can be opened up to a different aesthetic. Function remains the starting point, but form begins to take on its own, more emotional language.
DAYDREAM was also showcased during Paris Design Week at the Grand Palais, where the Tiptoe x Uchronia pieces featured in the ‘Le Grand Bouquet’ installation. Uchronia created a monumental floral set design, and the items from the collection were integrated into this space. The juxtaposition of everyday objects with an almost surreal setting clearly illustrates the idea behind the entire collection: design need not be purely practical. It can also create an atmosphere, trigger associations and allow us to escape from the everyday for a moment.
DAYDREAM is therefore more than just another collaboration between two brands. It is an experiment exploring the boundary between function and emotion – and proof that even a highly recognisable, industrial object can be seen in a new light simply by changing its colour, outline or proportions.
Photographs: Félix Dol Maillot / Tiptoe x Uchronia
Photographs from the Grand Palais: Jonathan Mauloubier / Tiptoe.
See also: Furniture | Paris | Exhibition | Sculpture
