Shiro Kuramata was Japan’s most influential designer of the late twentieth century. His poetic creations are based on a surprising use of materials and a minimalist approach that is characteristic of many Japanese designers . Miss Blanche is probably Kuramata’s most famous piece. Its airy elegance is the result of his experiments with the aesthetic potential of acrylic resin and its combination with other materials. The illusion of roses floating in space was achieved through a lengthy and difficult technical process which involved inserting plastic roses into a mould made from galvanized sheet steel, then gradually pouring liquid acrylic resin into the form. Before the acrylic hardened, the roses had to be carefully positioned with tweezers to create the desired ‘floating’ appearance and prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the mould. In 1989 Kuramata stated that the armchair was a homage to Blanche DuBois of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. His design was apparently inspired by the floral-patterned dresses and corsages worn by Vivien Leigh, who played Blanche – an ageing Southern belle – in the film version by Elia Kazan from 1951. The artificial roses in the Miss Blanche armchair, alluding to vintage chintz upholstery, can thus be seen as an ironic reference of a bygone era and past beauty.
Text: Keiko Hashimoto
