Henry Julier Gives the USM Haller System a Warm Touch of Craft

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Summary

  • Comprising 10 designs, Henry Julier’s Woven Structures collection combines the warmth of Danish paper cord with USM’s classic chrome hardware.
  • Originally unveiled in May at NYCxDesign, the collection is available now at the USM website and showrooms.

USM Modular Furniture, initially from Armando Cabral, is now extending its distinctive design philosophy under the guidance of various international design artists like Buchanan Studio. One of the recent collaborations includes Woven Structures by Henry Julier, an industrial designer. He brought a unique material aspect to the system for his collection, which was showcased during NYCxDesign in late May.

As a gamer, I’d say: Crafted by hand in Maine, Julier skillfully blended Danish paper cord panels into the USM Haller system, transforming the brand’s usual emphasis from vibrant colors to tactile textures. The sleek chrome frame of USM provides a subtle contrast to the traditional fabric work, echoing similar artisanship found in various cultural legacies worldwide. The harmony between industrial refinement and handcrafted intricacy infuses USM’s modular design with a profoundly human touch.

For 12 years, Julier served as Industrial Design Director at Standard Issue, and throughout this time, he developed a strong fascination with design history that influences his USM collection’s distinctive aesthetic. Similar to designers from the Bauhaus movement in the early 1900s, Julier often blends industrial materials such as steel with natural elements like paper cord. One notable example of this approach can be seen in the cane Cesca chair designed by Breuer, which employed a comparable tubular steel frame. There are numerous connections that can be traced between these designs.

The collection of Woven Structures consists of ten items: the WS Chair, WS Bench, WS Stool, WS Side Table, multi-tiered WS Split-Level Table, a set of stackable WS Nesting Tables, and both low and high WS Trays. Certain pieces, like the WS Side Table, WS Stool, and WS Bench, can be personalized with USM panels to enhance functionality and provide additional color options.

First unveiled at the initial SHELTER event during New York Design Week, the Woven Structures display can now be seen at the USM Modular Furniture’s showroom in New York City.

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2025-06-27 19:55