02 January 2009

A Natural Balance

Textiles designer Eun Il Lee takes his inspiration from the every-day, relationships and the balance of nature.

Korean-born textiles designer Eun Il Lee believes in balance - “Design is balancing the thought, the philosophy and the material itself,” he says. “Like men and women, are alike, but they are totally different. When it harmonises, it makes family, it makes love.”

Lee’s textiles use a range of materials from synthetics to leather strips, natural reed grass, silks, papers and metalics. But all his designs revolve around an Oriental philosophy: “My perception of silk is feminine. The combination of hard (abaca, pina) and soft (silk) materials is precisely the philosophy of yin and yang. Put together, they fight and harmonize to create a new personality.”

Based in the Philippines Lee has been actively promoting and supporting the country’s silk industry, but has found a great deal of international success, particularly in Europe.

By leap-frogging from the Philippines to the Japan and the US then into Europe Lee has been able to gain much attention in Paris with his eponymous brand eunillee.

He believes the Europeans appreciate the rawness and textures of his work, and his approach and knowledge of techniques other than the simple graphic figures they’re used to.

Although he did not have formal training in textiles design, Lee’s creative process and craftsmanship is incredibly professional, “My inspiration comes of the every-day. I just let it naturally come to my mind from nature especially, from lifestyle – where you are going, where you belong.”

Lee’s product Artvivant is available in Australia through Blinds by Bayliss.

bayliss.com.au/

artvivanttextiles.com/

Eunillee, Eun Il Lee, textiles