Singaporean industrial designer Gabriel Tan charts a new milestone with his first collaboration with Italian furniture company B&B Italia
When Singaporean product designer Gabriel Tan made the bold decision in 2021 to relocate to Portugal even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, it helped kickstart a series of momentous collaborations. The first of which is with Italian manufacturer B&B Italia, one of most recognisable furniture makers around the world.
Entitled Quiet Lines, this B&B Italia collection is designed for the bedroom, and crafted in a way to inspire a sense of tranquility and help elevate daily routines in this personal space. Tan will also soon unveil new collections with a leading American manufacturer as well as a sofa range with a German brand later this year and in 2024.
Don’t miss: Why Singaporean designer Gabriel Tan chose to relocate to Portugal
The designer has been relishing all the opportunities that his relocation to Porto has offered by deepening his professional connections in Europe while being in close proximity to the workshops where his designs are being made. “Being based in Porto, a city with a growing design culture, has also allowed me to connect with other designers and creatives, which has been a source of inspiration and support,” he shares.
Tan was listed on Tatler’s Gen.T List in 2019, which celebrates Asia’s most promising young leaders. The designer is known for pared-back designs that pair a timeless appeal and attention to craft traditions, and his spatial design practice Antimatter has realised beautiful abodes in Singapore, including an award-winning penthouse that was named one of the winners at the Tatler Homes Design Awards - Singapore in 2022.
Aside from helming his eponymous practice Gabriel Tan Studio, Tan also founded Origin Made, a design collectibles brand with objects crafted by Portuguese artisans. He is also the creative director for the Japanese furniture brand Ariake.
His latest collection for B&B Italia will be launched during Milan Design Week, which runs from 18 to 23 April this year, in conjunction with the Salone del Mobile.Milano furniture fair. Before the design week festivities kick off in earnest, we catch up with the designer as he tells us more about his creative journey thus far and his milestone-making collection with B&B Italia.