Karen Chekerdjian > Designer Profile

 

Karen's work falls into a category of its own, one that could be called 'Industrial Handicrafts'. Unmoored from time thanks to their blend of traditional manufacturing technique and industrial aesthetic, distinctively Lebanese and yet also International, these objects are comfortable in almost any kind of space, as much at home in a traditional Levantine house as they would be in a minimalist interior. As such, they are perfect reflections of the spirit of the city in which they are created. 

Karen Chekerdjian is an object and product designer of Armenian-Lebanese origin. She graduated from Milan’s prestigious Domus Academy in 1997 with a Masters in Product Design and Design Direction. Her route to industrial design has not been direct. Film, adverstising and graphic design have each helped shape her vision. Prior to attending Domus, Karen worked at Leo Burnett advertising agency and in 1994, co-founded Mind the gap, a graphic design studio that con- tributed to the beginnings of the practice in Lebanon. At Domus, she studied under Massimo Morozzi, a founding member of the legendary 1960s design studio, Archizoom and currently Art Director at EDRA, Italy’s globally renowned high-end furniture manufacturer. After graduation, Karen worked in Milan for a number of years. During this period, one of her first designs – a suspended hanger system entitled Mobil was produced by EDRA. 

In 2001, she returned to Beirut and opened Karen Chekerdjian Studio. Beginning as more of a conceptual think-tank, dedicated to exploring new ideas in design, the Studio has gradu- ally become more focussed on production; furniture and everyday objects in small series, limited editions and made-to-order commissions. The Studio also takes on interior design projects, which have included restaurants, a hotel, retail stores and most recently, Maison Rabih Kayrouz, the flagship Beirut boutique of the Lebanese couturier.

Karen Chekerdjian Store opened in 2010 in the up-and-coming Beirut Port neighbourhood. The Store showcases Karen’s work and also stocks a thoughtful selection of items produced by other people ranging from design objects to specialty food items. Karen’s work is displayed at a number of boutiques around Beirut and Milan, chief amongst them contemporary Middle Eastern handicrafts boutique Orient 499, the city’s premier vin- tage furniture stockists XXe Siècle, and the famous Gallery on Via della Spiga.

Store: Beirut Port District

Buy online at: www.karenchekerdjian.com