Oliver Stiff's Fashion-Inspired Furniture Blends Corsetry and Deadstock Textiles

Royal College of Art graduate Oliver Stiff has unveiled a series of sculptural furniture pieces that merge fashion design principles with furniture, aiming to imbue objects with the desire and identity typically associated with clothing. The London-based designer's collection includes the Hurmull Chair and Side Table, crafted from recycled tubular steel and sustainably sourced leather offcuts, with lacing details inspired by corsetry to create a bodily silhouette. The Socialite Chair, meanwhile, utilizes FSC-certified birch plywood and recycled metal, upholstered with deadstock fabrics donated by fashion house Vivienne Westwood. Stiff emphasized the unpredictability of working with donated materials, comparing the composition to styling an outfit. For the chair's promotional imagery, Andreas Kronthaler provided garments from Vivienne Westwood's latest collection, allowing fashion and furniture to coexist visually. Stiff's work challenges perceptions of waste and value, noting that high-quality Italian textiles from manufacturers like Tessilbiella can be deemed waste simply because they are surplus. He also aims to counter the notion that sustainable design must look modest or recycled, instead creating pieces that feel theatrical and glamorous. Stiff was awarded the Ultrafabrics Sustainable Design Award at this year's New Designers event in London.