It's often said that you should always mind the quality of "things that separate you from the ground", namely shoes, vehicle tires, or perhaps the most important: mattresses. After all, isn't rest the ultimate luxury? Imagine coming home to your own bed after a long day or a lengthy trip—the comfort and familiarity are often the only things we need. This sense of luxury and comfort seems to permeate premium mattress brand Lady Americana and couturier Hian Tjen's collaboration.
While the pairing might be unexpected at first, it makes more sense the longer you think about it. Collaborating in two mattresses named Halcyon and Galene, the designer lent Lady Americana his signature touches of elegant embroidery. Halcyon, measuring in 180 X 220 centimeters, sported the pattern of calm waves. Taking its name from the Greek personification of calm seas, Galene, measuring in 180 X 218 centimeters, is adorned with three koi fish swimming upon ripples of water. Even if the intricate graphics are covered with bed sheets, knowing that it's underneath you when you're laying on it is nothing short of luxurious-not unlike wearing a silk underlayer, or a sleek watch just underneath your sleeves.
 Texture of Lady Americana and Hian Tjen's Halcyon/ Foto: Lady Americana |
While widely known for his bridal dress designs, Hian Tjen's collaboration with Lady Americana can be seen as the extension of his oeuvre. A representative from Lady Americana, Alvin, stated that a big part of the market for mattresses are newlyweds, as weddings are not only about the big day, but what comes afterwards. Indeed, making a home together is a crucial step in starting a new phase in life.
Partly inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, Hian Tjen stated that the period made a lot of us realize the importance of our living space, especially our rooms. The designer himself stated that your own bed is, in a way, like a home. We spend a third of our days in it, hence the importance. The inspiration doesn't stop there either, as the mattresses possess antibacterial, antifungal, and antimite properties, ensuring for a good night's sleep and longevity.
As the designer's first collaborative project in this medium, Hian Tjen himself stated that it comes with a whole new set of challenges—one of them is to produce embroideries big enough to fit on a mattress. Of course, comfort should come first in products such as mattresses, so crafting a detailed embroidery which would not affect the overall contour of the mattress is of utmost importance. After about a year of development, it's safe to say that the result delivers. As for what's next? The show units of Lady Americana and Hian Tjen's collaborative mattresses and bed set are adorned with matching bed and pillow sheets, which are currently for display purposes only. However, that may change soon as the designer and Alvin from Lady Americana hinted.
Lady Americana and Hian Tjen's collaboration is available for purchase now in limited quantity.
(cxo/alm)