This series, COLLECTIBLE In-Depth, unveils the backstage of contemporary creation. Tackling various topics from personal designer processes to the position of collectible design on the global design market, COLLECTIBLE In-Depth offers different views to suit all tastes. Today we speak with Tomas Fernandes from Ther.

Back to Editorial

COLLECTIBLE: What do you think collectible design brings compared to other more massively produced pieces? 

Tomas Fernandes: In our perspective it brings a more humane approach to functional object design. It strives off these opened ended narratives, that relate back to craftsmanship standards, and the notion of doing once but very well. It allows for experimentation to result in a one-of-a-kind creation, but most of all, it's an exclusivity process between commissioner and creator, that composes a story which is uniquely expressed through the object's form and presence.

C: Can you talk about a new piece / collection that you release for COLLECTIBLE this year?

TF: For this edition of COLLECTIBLE fair, we’ve presented “State of Lineage”. It represents a contemporary fusion of traditional design elements with modern adaptations, fostering a sense of continuity and timelessness. By integrating components and materials from previous collections, it achieves a cohesive aesthetic that imbues a sense of purpose in its materiality. Stoneware and solid wood are transformed into sharp yet soft iterations, each piece inheriting a linear sequence of occasions while finding its unique expression.

C: What makes design collectible in your eyes?

TF: The fact that there is a personal attachment to an objective figure, which is created by man, to serve a sense of purpose, embody a narrative and emotionally evolve with its collector.

C: Are you more result or process oriented? 

TF: In our case it's a clash of both. Being that our practice is built on two different personalities, one tends to focus on the technical aspect of construction, while another is de-constructing the form into a concept. In summary, the balance between result & process is the engagement with material, its properties and the visuals that can be achieved.