new york sunshine + alessandro simonetti collaborate in fence furniture

seems like new york city has done it again by getting together two of its most creative personalities to collaborate: john margaritis founder of creative collective, new york sunshine install team, and workwear brand U.P.W.W. creative director, alessandro simonetti. together they have produced an exhibition and capsule collection around the city’s fences launched during men’s paris fashion week.

‘alessandro and I met in new york when he was photographing a famous basketball court in west 4 called the cage,’ margaritis told designboom at the launch in paris. ‘he then began to do a series on smashed-up fences which he would photograph at night, and that was our starting point. he asked me to do a collaboration on the clothing and it was my idea to also do the art show. I knew I wanted to do something with fences to tie everything up resulting in a couple of benches and a light fixture.’

all images courtesy of U.P.W.W. / alessandro simonetti

margaritis and the new york sunshine install team’s three-piece installation references simonetti’s body of work composed of black-and-white photographs of chain-link fences shot around lower manhattan construction sites — from alphabet city to the financial district. ‘I wanted to take alessandro’s fence photography and turn it into furniture, and as I have worked a lot with concrete, I wanted to incorporate it too,’ he continues.

known for using raw industrial materials in his work, this is the first time margaritis uses chain-link fence as a medium. ‘chain-link fence is not as sharp as barb wire but it’s really difficult to maneuver — that’s why we gave them that shape, because you can have them in a perfect roll. with the lamp, I wanted to make it in such way that it would cast the shadows of the smashed fence everywhere.’

‘I enjoy doing this a lot and I plan to continue doing it,’ the designer said when asked if he would continue with the series. ‘we have a cardboard compressor that squishes things under a lot of pressure, so we have been experimenting with compressing leftover scraps and making different shapes. you know, like when a car gets smooshed, like that, really crushed, super tight, like an extreme version, very compressed — that’s what we’re looking at.’

at the show, simonetti presented 10 large 36″x52″ xerox prints in editions of 3 from FENCE, together with a bound book of 200 pages, 162 full-bleed black-and-white photographs, co-published with CLASSIC. the monochromatic photographs showcase fences graphically, allowing the viewer to dive into the different shapes that create maniacal patterns and rhythms resulting in a hypnotic visual experience.

last — but not least — margaritis and simonetti also released a 10-piece capsule collection for U.P.W.W., referencing the new york sunshine install team’s aesthetic. ‘I have no fashion background, even though I have a small line and do stuff,’ commented margaritis on the collaboration. ‘but just being able to work with them was a dream as they have the made in italy brand and actually know how clothes are supposed to fit, that’s why I did that corduroy suit. I mean, if I was super organized and super professional, I would have everyone in my shop wearing that suit. so it was like having their italian style and making a corduroy suit that you can actually work in. but then of course we did graphic tees, which is my thing… so it’s just a little like using their italian heritage and giving it a twist.’