Peter Mabeo Photo by Robin Hill
FENDI, the luxury brand based in Rome, Italy, commissioned Botswana furniture and accessories brand Mabeo and their partner design studio to create a collection of 10 pieces inspired by their ongoing craftsmanship. Mabeo traveled across Botswana to communicate about the project and bring together various craft techniques and perspectives from across the country. Following a creative meeting in Rome with Kim Jones, Silvia Venturini Fendi, and Delfina Delettrez Fendi, Mabeo has developed "Compa," a unique collection that combines distinct yet interconnected techniques. The name "Compa" comes from Mabeo's oldest artisan and means "already completed." It reflects the holistic approach to project conception. While some pieces in the collection are the work of individual artisans, others feature multiple artisans contributing their respective techniques to achieve the piece's structure and functionality. The Fendi and Mabeo "Compa" collection will be showcased at Design Miami 2021, running until December 5, 2021 in Miami.

■ About Mabeo
Founded in 1997 by Peter Mabeo in Gaborone, Botswana, Mabeo is a design studio that expresses craftsmanship from a variety of perspectives, contexts, and positions. After 10 years of creating custom furniture for local commercial projects, the studio began showcasing its work internationally in 2006 and has since been consistently involved in the design world, creating numerous works through important collaborations with renowned designers such as Inés Bressand, Patty Johnson, Garth Roberts, and Patricia Urquiola. The brand's goal is to present the crafts of African artisans to the world in a considered way and to reflect their unique qualities. It is essentially a combination of simple form and purity of thought, the conscientious use and handling of natural materials, the dedication of the artisans, both men and women, and a respect for the sensibilities of the collaborating designers and the rich African aesthetic heritage.
https://www.mabeofurniture.com/
@mabeofurniture

■ About the Product
The multifunctional Lomo Stool consists of three parts that can be used as two storage containers or two stools, or can be combined to form a side table. Mabeo collaborated with Botswana's traditional ceramic artisans and its own woodworkers to achieve this fusion of two different materials. Further demonstrating the multifaceted collaboration of the Kompa collection, the interior of the Lomo Stool has been painted by artists living in the Botswana desert.

Mabeo bridged the physical and psychological distance between the artisans. The process was marked by compromises and even disagreements, but even these were used to great effect to achieve these tangible results.

Lomo Stool Photo by Robin Hill ©
Maduo Chair Photo by Robin Hill ©
Two pieces in this collection further directly express the collaboration with Fendi. One of these, the "Efo Stool," blends two disparate materials—clay and pangapanga wood—with a repetition of the Fendi "FF" logo, creating a balance between materials, techniques, and production processes. The wood module and clay sculpture fit seamlessly together, yet remain independent.

The second, the "Maduo Chair," directly echoes the "FENDI O'Lock" piece of jewelry designed for the House by Delfina Delettrez Fendi, fourth-generation Artistic Director of Jewelry. Its geometry and joining methods retain the original's basic structure, subtly highlighting the craftsmanship while also providing practical seating.

In addition to these three pieces, the collection also includes the Chichira Cabinet, a basket-woven cabinet with drawers; the Foro Chair, rendered in clay and pangapanga wood; and the collection's largest piece, the Gabi-Gabi sculpture, composed of hand-hammered galvanized metal sheets and wooden drawers; and the Gabinyana Table Lamp, a unique shape inspired by the Gabi-Gabi but much smaller and with an integrated lamp; and the Shiya Seat, handcrafted from plywood and solid wood, a solution to industrial thermoforming.

Chichira Cabinet Photo by Robin Hill ©
Gabinyana Table Lamp Photo by Robin Hill ©
The final piece to be unveiled at Design Miami 2021 is Mabeo's reinterpretation of Fendi's iconic Peekaboo bag. To create the unique Peekaboo, Mabeo approached artisans in desert regions where plant-based materials are scarce. Their honest interaction with the environment, using traditional methods such as tanning, treating and stitching, as well as metal casting and hand-carved wooden components, demonstrates a respectful and balanced interaction.

The limited edition book "KOMPA", which accompanies the launch of the Kompa collection, serves as a document of the travels, meetings and work-in-progress that led to the realization of the collection, and is accompanied by illustrations of the 10 pieces.



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