Shaw Contract has partnered with renowned Hip Hop Architect Mike Ford to create a distinctive rug collection celebrating Hip Hop's 50th anniversary. Ford aims to position Hip Hop as design inspiration, exploring tactile experiences and spotlighting its genius. The collaboration highlights Hip Hop's textures, patterns and rhythms, showcasing its energy, optimism and rich history. This collaboration delves into the intersection of design and Hip Hop culture.
The collection showcases five patterns, each embodying a unique attribute of Hip Hop culture. The DJing pattern is inspired by the worn stack of records DJs would carry with them; the Breakin pattern pays homage to makeshift cardboard dancefloors from the 70s and 80s; the Emcee pattern reflects the artistry of rap lyrics through mathematical analysis; the Graffiti pattern celebrates the collective art and fluid lettering styles; and the Knowledge pattern represents the latest element of Hip Hop and translates the complexities of lyrical analysis into tangible design.
Adhering to Shaw Contract's 'People Together, Planet Forever' initiative, a portion of the collection’s proceeds will help fund future Hip Hop Architecture camps, which empowers underrepresented youth and further broadens Ford's work of using design as a tool to advance equity, justice and inclusion within communities.
This collection makes a striking aesthetic contribution to any commercial interior, introducing the vibrancy and energy of Hip Hop culture into the design space. Each rug in the collection possesses unique qualities from the record sleeve-inspired textures of DJing to the artistic layering of “tags” on the Graffiti rug. The innovative concept of infusing Hip Hop's spirit into rug designs combined with Mike Ford's renowned architectural prowess results in a collection that is both visually appealing and culturally significant.
The rugs are available in three colorways and as 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 12’x15’ rectangular shapes and a 11’ circular and continue to build on the Shaw Contract rug program. Rugs add a welcome warmth to commercial interiors which have trended toward more hard surfaces in the past few years. Shaw Contract rugs and this collaboration in particular add a warm residential feel to any space through their rich textures and warm colors.
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