Rigour

Individual work
London
2025

“Rigour” is a leather chair collection that redefines leather as a primary structural material rather than a surface finish. The project challenges conventional furniture typologies and questions the reliance on rigid industrial materials such as wood, metal, and plastic. By using hardened leather as both form and support, the chairs demonstrate the material’s overlooked strength, versatility, and expressive potential. The collection invites a reconsideration of how materials are categorised and used in design, revealing how traditional assumptions can limit innovation.

Central to the project is an adapted leather-hardening technique historically used in armour making. Sheets of leather are first carefully wet-moulded over custom forms to achieve precise contours and sculptural shapes. Once formed, the leather is submerged in a heated stearic acid solution, which penetrates the fibres and significantly increases rigidity and durability. After drying, the material retains its shape and becomes capable to withstand weight without the need for an internal frame.

Through this process, leather transforms from a flexible, familiar material into a solid, architectural element. The chairs highlight both the natural texture of leather and the precision of the moulding method, balancing aesthetic refinement with structural performance. By merging traditional craft knowledge with material experimentation, “Rigour” expands the possibilities of furniture construction and advocates for a material-led approach to design that resists standardised production and celebrates innovative making.