The Face of Africa

The Face of Africa inspired by a passion for African Ethnic Art, represents an ideological and nostalgic outlook on this rich and perplex continent. The duo artists chose a convex mirror upon a brass base to evoke a traditional feeling of Africa with a slight bewitching twist. The signature use of buttons in this case hinting towards ethnic symbolism and geometric patterns as well as the more playful motifs used in wax cotton prints. Each button is picked for a texture and color to fit harmoniously into the theme. Ornamented by authentic Nigerian masks, buttoned and feathered leather whip, African knives, porcupine quills, horn, the Face of Africa speaks to the viewer as being African, while embracing its modern interpretation.

Fifty Shads of Grey (Buttoned Woman's Bust)

The Loubouton Collection’s Fifty Shades of Grey raises questions regarding the position of women’s sexuality in the twenty century. The E. L. James trilogy proved successful at Marketing and mainstreaming sex and erotic fantasy to women but why are women subjecting themselves so openly to such prose? With close to 100 million copies sold, it certainly marks the beginning of a tidal wave in literary erotica. In the upcoming months to the launch of the movie, there have been many heated debates between academics, journalists, psychologists and particularly feminists around this trilogy and movie, which are revolving around similar questions. Is there really an underlining need today to become submissive? Is there an underlying sexual revolution resulting from suppressed desires? Revaldi House chose to focus on the female figure, creating a bust; or more precisely a torso of a female figure. This traditional choice of a bust similarly raises the issue of the social conditioning of women’s sexual desires. While choosing 50 different shades of grey vintage buttons in order to contour and shade the outline and curves of the feminine body, Fifty Shades of Grey also plays on the subtleties of women’s erogenous zones and mysteries of arousal.

Spectrum Missoni Style Multi-Colored Buttoned Mirror

Inspired by the fashion house Missoni, they artists explained the story behind the mirror. "For this piece we imagined our own Spectrum, using different shades of the main colors, which form the original and played on the concepts behind color analysis.” Focusing on the marketing usage of color analysis, they opted for what they regard to be Italian choices of color. As Italian Fashion always revolves around daring color combinations, they chose modern Italian mixes and focused on the 1970s Missoni zigzag stylish patterns. In transferring this pattern from the weave of Missoni pieces to buttons, the dynamics behind color analysis stand out in the choices of color but also the different textures of the buttons, which achieve the depth found in the various textiles.

Closure Buttoned and Hand Painted Side Table with Mirrored Shelf

According to psychologists a need for closure comes from an aversion to ambiguity. In such a light this piece plays on the optical infinity created through the use of mirror reflecting the impossibility of such a mindset. The mirror underneath the drawer reflects the shelf of the table creating an infinite viewpoint and this idea is repeated in the use of mirrors lining the edges of the drawer. While three of the legs as the rest of the table have had 7 layers of paint after buttoning, one leg is left partially unpainted, reflecting the vulnerability of such a need for closure, while the rest of the painted legs show the determination behind the idea of finding closure; thus leading to a new beginning represented by the seven layers of paint.

Feeding off of the history of humble and innocent button-loving owners blissfully unaware of their role, the Loubouton Collection was born from the almost accidental appearance of a few buttons on an intentionally sober piece called Type X. A passion for detail, quality and richness in form and color, these small objects that are so neglected in the realms of clothing, gradually grew into a creative and cumulative obsession. Each piece's title, fashioned from an eloquent wordplay and meaningful homonyms, echoes a particular depth of value. It echoes an analogy of world history, such as the mirror Con Kissed Adored where the never-ending semantic and chromatic reflections interweave the Spanish Conquistadores. Each button was thoughtfully chosen for its close link to the spirit of the piece. Once the delicate and meticulous assembly of thousands of buttons was completed displaying a palette of cascading and contrasting hues and shades, the piece was hand-varnished by a car body specialist. The Loubouton Collection offers a variety of designer furniture, such as mirrors, dining and coffee tables, centerpieces for hotel lobbies, vases and busts. The Duo’s flair and ability to capture the essence of their clients’ dreams and needs continues to attract special commissioned pieces. This is more than emotion. This is synesthesia.