Born in Tunisia, where they naturally grew to appreciate traditional arts and crafts, partners in work and in life Yasmine Sfar and Mehdi Kebaier have been working together since 2019 (after meeting three years prior through a mutual friend) on a family project called ‘tinja’ (Société de Façonnage et d’Artisanat), which Sfar took over in 2012. They recently decided to jointly launch a new brand, Altin, with their first collection, Orbit. “It is the natural progression of our collaborative work with ancient techniques and our desire to project a very personal vision through them,” the duo says.
Altin designs numbered artisanal and artistic pieces, made in Tunisia and produced in limited series with innovative techniques applied onto ancient savoir-faire, merging experimentation and craftsmanship. “We value the unique qualities of materials found in the earth but allow them to transcend their origins,” say Sfar and Kebaier. “Wonder and curiosity lead us through undiscovered horizons to create a new world that we could one day call home.”
A total of eight pieces makes up the Orbit series, including two that were presented at the Made in Milano gallery during Milan Design Week earlier this year: the hand-carved palm wood seat Petite Ourse – a French name for the little bear constellation – and the Rêveur I sofa, whose metal structure is reminiscent of futuristic spaceships. Both pieces feature inviting, rounded shapes. The Nébuleuse pendant, Mer et Cratère table, Premier pas floor lamp, Ganymède cabinet, Grande Conjonction light sculpture and Arche hand-carved palm wood console complement the collection.
“These are pieces whose material presence carries a part of the soul of the people who have handed down these traditions from generation to generation, over the centuries,” says Kebaier. “It’s a powerful emotion that can only be expressed in the concrete presence of the object that has been created.”
The use of kiln-fired clay, oxidised red metal, golden sea rush, warm brown palm wood and the greyish tones of raw steel are “inspired by the beauty of space and our commitment to presenting materials in their most organic and natural forms, closely reflecting nature’s allure,” adds Sfar. “The Orbit collection is an ode to the mysteries of the cosmos and the human imagination, drawing inspiration from science fiction, space travel, the works of Jules Verne and Ziggy Stardust.”
Embracing the earthy essence of Tunisia, all the pieces are entirely handcrafted by local artisans, paying homage to the local culture.
“Our creative approach is rooted in our fascination with the chain of know-how transmission that links us to the dawn of human history and our desire to revive this link in the present day,” says Sfar. “This has led us to explore Tunisia’s diverse traditions and place them at the heart of our creative experiments. They tell us a story about the country, the regions, their material resources and [humanity’s] connection with nature.”
Images are courtesy of Altin
