Sometimes, inspiration strikes in the most unexpected places. For designer Fabien Cappello, it was a local newspaper called Mural in Guadalajara that sparked a collaboration and creative journey with a nearby mosaic workshop. Cappello, who has called Mexico home since 2016, stumbled upon a news story about a mural featuring an eighteenth-century bishop, but it wasn’t the historical figure that caught his eye – it was the craftsmanship of the intricate mosaic. That discovery led him to Taller de Mosáico Artístico, a local workshop that produced the mural and was serendipitously situated just down the street from his studio. From there, Cappello embarked on a collaboration that blends his love for bold patterns and vibrant colors with the workshop’s meticulous tile-making techniques, which would eventually lead to his exhibition, “On se rejoint à la villa!”, presented with Hem, at Villa Noailles in Hyères, France.
With Byzantium and Burle Marx influences, Cappello and Taller de Mosáico Artístico created a series of gem-colored surface designs featuring undulating waves and circles, geometric grids, and a color palette of coral, navy, ochre, and robin’s egg blue that work together in perfect visual harmony. These mosaics were then flat-packed, shipped from Guadalajara to Hyères, and turned into their final forms as tables using simple pine frames for the exhibition.
Like his relationship with Taller de Mosáico Artístico, Cappello’s design philosophy is centered around tapping into local, often-overlooked industries – a principle showcased throughout the exhibition. Rather than collaborating with Mexico’s iconic artisans like weavers or ceramicists, he seeks out lesser-known cottage industries that fuel urban economies but often fly under the design radar. Take, for example, a family tinplate workshop that normally produces cake molds and watering cans, now tasked to create vases and lampshades. Or a company in Lerma that specializes in upholstery for bus seats, enlisted to produce the eye-catching, acid-bright polyester prints for Cappello’s seating. His pieces don’t just reflect their origin stories – they create new ones, shaping how we think about design in the most unexpected ways.
A standout in this element of surprise is the Toto lamp, designed for Hem. At first glance, the design nods to the archetypal lamp – angled shade, chunky base – but, of course, Cappello’s designs are anything but traditional. Covered entirely in textiles, the Toto lamp blurs the line between form and function, creating a tactile experience that feels fresh and unexpected. The uniform material, combined with vivid hues and graphic patterns, gives the lamp a cartoonish, almost animated presence. And while the Toto Large version makes a grand statement with its oversized scale, it remains physically light, making it an easy piece to move around. For those short on space, Toto Small or Toto Medium variants brings all the charm in a compact, tidy form, perfect for adding a playful pop to any corner.
To learn more about the Fabien Cappello’s “On se rejoint à la villa!” exhibition or his new Toto lamps for Hem, visit hem.com.
Photography by Luc Bertrand.
