Knit, what if it were …

We are speaking to the multi-disciplinary German designer Meike Harde, who is based in Cologne about her Knit collection. A design that combines Vibia’s innovative and profound knowledge of lighting together with the passion that its author feels for the world of textiles, that has resulted in a markedly tactile and material design.

Sinuous suspended light fittings and floor lamps where light and material come together, with their characteristic ribs that project different colours and densities, soft and textured surfaces that underscore a sensation of comfort. Harde imagines them as a place, a feeling, a season, an artist and a taste.

Vibia The Edit - Knit focus on materiality

“If Knit were a place, it would be a forest setting, an oak forest planted within concrete,” explains the designer who emphasises the capacity of the collection to create intimate ambiences and generate a strong sense of connection with its settings.

“Inspired by the timber of these forests, its beige and grey tones evoke warmth, and the air is drenched with the characteristic fragrance that this material gives off when bathed in sun light,” adds Harde.

“Calm”, responds Harde when we ask her about a feeling. Knit creates a relaxing sensation, that invites you to stop in your tracks, time stands still, experiencing the ‘here and now’, thanks both to its smooth curved forms as much as its tactile texture.

“The autumn with its characteristic mantle of warm golden colours and an atmosphere of relaxed calm, representing a natural landscape getting ready to rest,” is the season chosen by the designer to reflect the collection. The magic of this time of year, cozy and melancholic, calm and changeable, and extremely sensual is reflected by a design which through its materiality and texture, has the capability to change our perceptions of spaces.