Kiki Goti's design is first and foremost an experience. Materials become a playground, dictating the aesthetics of her creations. Last April, during Milan Design Week, her first furniture collection, "Selene," was unveiled. Let's take a look.
Kiki grew up in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. After studying architecture in her hometown and a master's degree in computational design at the University of Stuttgart (Germany), the designer flew to New York to share her knowledge with students at Parsons School of Design and with numerous design studios focusing on the exploration of materials.
A CREATIVE SOUL
The health crisis prompted the designer to find a new way to occupy her mind. In her New York apartment, Kiki Goti amused herself by designing furniture pieces with whatever materials were at hand. It became a pastime that would stay with her. We discovered the designer's work in September 2022. At Espace Commines, among the creations of other emerging designers, Kiki attracted attention with her OO+II chair. A metallic UFO that seemed to have landed from another planet.
TRANSFORMATION AND TRANSITION
Two years later, Kiki Goti presented her first furniture collection, "Selene," at the 2024 edition of the Alcova platform in Milan. The name, a tribute to her native language, means "Moon" in Greek. Known for its symbols of transformation and transition, the natural satellite serves as a guiding principle for the furniture collection. The designer explains: "I used lunar references both as a formal language, including circles and spheres in each piece, and as a material language, playing with different levels of reflective textures."
The idea for this series came to her after studying the spaces of the Villa Borsani, where she exhibited this year. “I wanted to capture this moment of transition and create pieces that accompany the visitor on a journey of reflection and self-discovery,” she says. She thus unveils the Moon bench, the OO+II chair, the Celestial table lamp, and the Nuphar mirror—four design pieces revealing the link between the cosmos and craftsmanship. “I approach each material intuitively, letting its properties dictate the direction of my design. This allows the creative process to unfold organically.”
AN ODE TO CRAFTSMANSHIP
Silvered glass, organic mirror, textured aluminum… The materials used to create the pieces in the “Selene” collection play harmoniously on the theme of reflection, subtly reflecting forms: “The Nuphar mirror captures the very essence of this idea, resembling a serene pond of water lilies where one can float and contemplate one's own image.” The centerpiece of the collection, the mirror was created in collaboration with the Venetian glass manufacturer Vetralia.
Intuition is at the heart of Kiki Goti's creative process. Inspiration comes to her by exploring the characteristics of a material. By delving deeper, she discovers something captivating within it, which then serves as the seed for a larger idea. "The material then acts as the initial catalyst, guiding the emergence of the concept."
Alongside her work as a designer, the young woman founded the architecture and interior design studio The House Special Studio in collaboration with her partner Vincent Staropoli. This adds another string to her bow.
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