The Suitcase Series was initiated in 2008 with the Pile of Suitcases,Maarten’s graduation project at the Design Academy Eindhoven. A year later hefinished two more pieces in the same spirit, commissioned by Nina Yashar ofgallery Nilufar in Milan, and The Suitcase Series was born. The collection wasinspired by the designer's great passion for travelling and exploring theworld. The nostalgic daydreams one experiences when recalling great journeys ofthe past, the excitement one feels while packing for a new adventure, those arethe emotions that Maarten wants to arouse. Impressive towers and asymmetriccompositions are made by piling up suitcases and briefcases in preciousleathers created by Maarten De Ceulaer in a close collaboration with one of themost renowned leather artisans in Belgium, Ralph Baggaley. The craftsmanshipand detailing is simply sublime and calls for instant admiration. These pieces,though colorful and playful, evoke luxurious and sophisticated atmospheres, butat the same time they carry the dynamic vibe of modern nomads, that travelthrough cities and continents without restrictions or boundaries. This dynamicis wonderfully captured; it feels like time was suddenly stopped while these suitcasesand briefcases were floating through time and space, creating pieces offurniture in which the structure is the storage space, with convenient drawersand boxes of various dimensions. The Suitcase pieces wanted to be an answer toall its predecessors, closets which were big, heavy and static. These cabinetsare rich in poetry, and consist of different volumes, which can easily bedismantled, separately transported or reconfigured if desired.

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