What makes a timeless design? That was the question that a panel of design experts — i-D’s Osman Ahmed, interior designer Jenna Fletcher, and typographer Alex Trochut — gathered to discuss last week for an evening hosted by i-D and Jaeger-LeCoultre at 180 Strand in London. Taking the 92-year history of the watchmaker’s iconic ‘Reverso’ watch, an emblem of Art Deco design, the panelists discussed some of their favourite objects and designers — as well their own constant quest to create something new that will still remain timeless in years to come.
In his work as a lettering artist, Alex crafts the look of words into artworks of their own, redefining the traditional craft of typography. Drawing inspiration from his home in New York and his influence from his grandfather who was a renowned typographer in the 1940s, Alex’s work redefine traditional notions of typography. As a letterist — he is responsible for crafting the look of words, not just echoing their meanings but transforming them into artworks of their own. On the other hand, Jenna Fletcher is a London-based founder of Oswalde Shop, a multidisciplinary design consultancy, interior design studio and retailer of 20th-century design that was birthed during lockdown. Jenna began sourcing furniture from a wide array of periods and styles while utilising digital platforms to distribute them — today her brand is fast-growing, while remaining a bespoke service driven by human interactions between Jenna and her clients.
Form and function inspire both of them. Both use design as a means to create solutions that enhance the way we live — whether it’s where we sit, or how we read. Launched this year, Alex is the latest artist to join the roaster of Jaeger Le-Coultre’s Made of Makers programme, which brings together a community of artists, designers and craftsmen from a variety of disciplines outside watchmaking into the fold of Jaeger-LeCoultre to expand the dialogue that exists between horology and art. Following in the footsteps of sound artists, chefs, sculptors, and even a mixologist, Alex turned to canon of Art Deco for inspiration in this collaboration, a visual signature that remains deeply imprinted on the landscape of his adopted hometown of New York. The style also inspired the identity of the original Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso in the 1930s, helping make it one of the most iconic watches ever made.
Discussing the period, both designers reflected on what makes it still so pervasive in the contemporary design world. Jenna explained that timelessness is the result of finding the sweet spot between something being fresh and original that stylistically stands the test of time. Alex agreed, with the point that timelessness is distilling whatever style you choose to maximise the impact of the concept and that time is the master. See some highlights from event below — and check out our video recap here.
Credits
Photography Jake Kenny