Spanish design superstar Jaime Hayón‘s first solo showing at Galerie kreo in Paris has just opened. The collection titled ‘Game On’ takes inspiration from sports, featuring familiar shapes and details of sporting goods reinterpreted as furniture and accessories. The showing’s theme is perfectly in tune with kreo’s identity. The founders, Clémence and Didier Krzentowski both have a grounding in the sports industry, having worked on the production of the 1992 Albertville Olympic Games.

The sporting cues are distinctive and varied. Table tennis might have had a prominent effect, as several pieces of the collection are closely tied to it. The Ping Pong table’s surface features an oak veneer top with a lacquered metal base. The racket mirror – coming in two sizes, small and large – is crafted from solid oak.

One of the highlights is the Podium cabinet that juxtaposes the vertical surfaces’ MDF material and the horizontal surfaces’ marquinia marble in a jarring way. Taking inspiration from sporting events, the storage unit’s uneven build reflects on the way we hierarchize our belongings.

The Sledge Sofa is another example of a masterful reinterpretation of shapes. Closely resembling a sledge or a bobsleigh, the sofa elicits a modernist vibe of sorts, making for a sophisticated and fun piece of furniture, that could feel right at home amongst pieces from the 20’s and 30’s as well as the present. There’s also a collection of table lamps inspired by ball games. The hand-blown glass fixtures are decorated using the patterns from basketballs, footballs and volleyballs, giving them a unique geometrical look.

While the concept matter is lighthearted and fun, the pieces don’t seem flimsy or toyish. That’s thanks to the top-notch materials used, including ceramic, marble, leather, hand-blown glass and more. With seemingly out of place inspirations, Hayón once again proves that design should know no barriers. Going after his imagination, he created great looking and fully functional pieces using everyday shapes and forms. His unauthoritative stance and unhindered creativity is one that would be beneficial to adopt for many.

via The Face