United States AND SOUTH KOREA

USM x Comme Si

The founder and creative director of the luxury sock and loungewear brand Comme Si experimented with new uses of the USM Haller system by envisioning a zen environment for gathering, relaxation and meditation. She drew inspiration from traditional Korean hanok architecture which is characterised by its simplicity, functionality, and proximity to nature. Plants, textiles, and the earthy colour palette mesh with the geometric forms of the modular furniture, achieving harmony between the natural and the manufactured. The exhibition offers a fresh perspective on USM modular furniture, harmonising its geometric shapes with the soft textiles of Comme Si.

USM x Comme Si debuted at the USM showroom in Soho, New York City in Spring of 2024.

Los Angeles

For its second stop the exhibition found itself in a National Historic Landmark in Los Angeles: the Neutra VDL House designed by the renowned modernist architect Richard Neutra in 1932. Neutra’s ethos of redefining luxury through simplicity and a thoughtful connection to nature, seamlessly blends with Jenni Lee’s designs for USM x Comme Si.

Seoul

With its third iteration the collaboration returned to its roots of inspiration in Korea. This time hosted by long-time USM partner SpaceLogic in Seoul. The USM x Comme Si exhibition beautifully showcased once more the fusion of Eastern traditional aesthetics with Western contemporary design, of which Jenni Lee drew her inspiration.

“I’ve created a semi-sheer panel by fusing linen with glass, in a way that appears light and ethereal from afar, but strong and sturdy up close. When lit up it mimics the warmth of a glowing paper lantern”

says Jenni Lee about the USM Haller E square lamp that she created reinterpreting the traditional Korean hanji paper, found in the doors of traditional hanok houses.