Damien Carrette, a multi-faceted designer, has combined a lifelong passion for both drawing and motocross into a career that focuses on creating functional and enjoyable products. Co-founder of the Paris-based design studio Désormeaux/Carrette, Carrette emphasizes the importance of understanding manufacturing processes to enhance the complexity and creativity required in design work. His journey in design reflects a commitment to simplicity and utility, ultimately leading to the launch of their office furniture brand, Slean, in 2020.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Designer: Damien Carrette
Studio: Désormeaux/Carrette
Location: Paris, France
Co-Founder: Nathanaël Désormeaux
Brand: Slean
Specialty: Office Furniture Design
Carrette and his partner Nathanaël Désormeaux have cultivated a unique approach to design, meticulously analyzing objects to highlight their technical aspects before simplifying their design elements. This methodology fosters a playful narrative for each creation, reflecting the duo’s shared ambition and mutual motivation to continually improve and challenge each other. Their work transcends geographic boundaries, demonstrating that creativity is not confined to a particular locale or title, an ethos Carrette embodies through his diverse interests such as music and cooking.
Throughout their career, Carrette and Désormeaux have collaborated on various design projects, bringing to life a series of innovative products. Noteworthy examples include the Elmer Lounge Chair for Alloso, recognized for its curvaceous and inviting design influenced by cartoons, and the Dita Lamp, where the transformation of a two-dimensional pattern into a three-dimensional object mirrors the simplicity and grace of clothing design. These projects exemplify how Carrette channels his inspiration from naive art and mechanical mechanisms into tactile, thought-provoking designs.
The pair’s fascination with manufacturing processes extends to witnessing the powerful transformation of raw materials into designed objects. Carrette has a particular interest in industrial methods like injection molding and stamping, which allow for efficient material shaping. This passion leads him frequently to explore factories, particularly in rural areas, where these facilities are integral to local communities. The joy Carrette finds in these environments complements his enjoyment of discovering and deconstructing chairs, which he views as the quintessential designer’s challenge.
For Carrette, designing is deeply connected to everyday life and vice versa; these aspects are inseparable. He emphasizes that inspiration often strikes at unexpected moments, fueled by personal experiences and observations of minute details in daily life. This philosophy illuminates his parallel interest in culinary arts, particularly fire cooking, which he considers both primitive and complex, yet steeped in symbolism for friendship and kinship. For Carrette, both design and cuisine involve the harmonious transformation of elements through creative processes.
Désormeaux/Carrette’s innovative spirit is further exemplified in projects like the Knot Chair, a visual paradox redefining the concept of complexity with stylistic simplicity and integrated production cycles, and La Galoche, a scooter designed to enhance user experience in crowded urban environments. These designs not only highlight the duo’s dedication to improving the interaction between people and objects but also reveal their continuous pursuit of inventive and practical solutions that resonate with users on a personal level.
