MYS 2021: The Next Generation of Craftsmanship with Silverlining
Joined in our studio by Jason Chadda, Director of cutting-edge furniture makers Silverlining, we discussed the impact of the pandemic on world of furniture design, the company's impressively elite clientele and how the most exciting project is always the next one.
Creating furniture for superyachts comes with a unique set of challenges. The environmental factors onboard can be hard-wearing on furniture traditionally used in a landbased setting: "I think it's environment, indoor, outdoor, light, fading of materials, vibration," listed Jason Chadda. "All of these things are taken into account when we make something [...] we work very closely with the designers involves both interiors but also the engineers from the yard and outfitters."
Traditional furniture-making is a highly skilled industry, but unfortunately the skills that have been handed down for centuries may be hard-pressed to find a new generation of hands to be passed on to. To address this, Silverlining has launched the Silverlining Academy of Skills to inspire future furniture makers to take up their tools: "The handskills are a dying art and its become increasingly difficult to recruit people with the skills that we need, so were going to teach it!" shared the Director. "We've had a number of generous clients who have offered scholarships [...] it's hopefully somewhere people will stick around for a long time."
Jason also told us how Silverlining boasts an impressive returning customer base, in some instances the company relationship has spanned across three generations of the same family: "In 37 years we have had less than 75 customers," divulged Chadda. "Which is a reflection of the fact that it is repeat business."
Of course, the next project is always the most exciting. With one eye always on pushing the boudaries of furniture design, Jason Chadda shared with us the realities of working on such revolutionary furniture design: "The clients we work for tend to be innovators, pioneers and we think of something that we think is the ultimate and then an hour after showing it to the client they have thought of a way we can push it even further. And that is what we enjoy the most, pushing the boundaries."
"The clients we work for tend to be innovators, pioneers [...] And that is what we enjoy the most, pushing the boundaries."