David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem, cofounders of the Beirut-based design studio David/Nicolas, are obsessed with time—a bit surprising for two guys who have only just reached their 30s. “We are always trying to understand how things worked before, how they are now, and how they might be later,” Moussallem explains of their trend-eschewing style, a blend of classic and contemporary elements that they’ve dubbed retrofuturism.
We call it ahead of the curve. Since launching their firm in 2011—they first met studying design at the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts—Raffoul and Moussallem have established themselves as champions of craftsmanship, tackling projects ranging from furniture pieces to automotive design to shops and restaurants.
For their current exhibition, “Supernova,” on view through October 6 at Carpenters Workshop Gallery in Paris, the duo took their lofty ideas to new heights, looking to the cosmos for inspiration. “A supernova is basically when a star explodes and creates two kinds of reactions—either a new star or a black hole,” explains Moussallem, noting that the exhibition comprises two distinct collections of objects. While the Constellation series is a study in sleek silhouettes and pristine stone surfaces, the Monocle series mixes marquetry, marble, and glass into intricate compositions. A case in point is their Monocle bar cabinet, which debuted in 2017 at TEFAF New York, where it caught the attention of designer Richard Petit of AD100 firm The Archers. “It’s a covetable design object, but it’s also a lot to think about,” he says. “The complex construction is simultaneously postmodern and deeply sincere.”
Other recent projects include the Beirut restaurant Kaléo, a limited-edition chair for Nilufar gallery, and the Brussels flagship for luxury lingerie brand Carine Gilson, the duo’s first fashion boutique. Here, as in all their interiors projects, David/Nicolas took a holistic approach, custom-designing everything from the sumptuous pink seats to the pristine glass shelving. Says Raffoul, “It’s important for us to communicate a vision, not just create a product.” davidandnicolas.com
