For anyone that’s been eagerly awaiting the bouclé covered sofa trend to finally move on, Tom Dixon enters with aluminum foil. And like a wadded up ball of Reynolds, there’s a few layers to this story.
During Miami Art Week, Coalesse(Steelcase’s contemporary furnishings brand) hosted maverick British designer Dixon in the Steelcase Wynwood showroom for a temporary showcase and installation launch. Coalesse collaborated with Dixon on a textile design project for Ateliers Jean Nouvel’s Seating Collection introduced at NYC’s ICFF 2025.
You can see Nouvel’s design intent was to create monolithic sculptural shapes, but the realities of upholstery on organic forms meant the inevitable inclusion of seams. It’s a detail Dixon wasn’t particularly enamored with. He turned to one of Nouvel’s favorite materials, aluminum both to solve the visible seam problem and give a nod to the designer.
Dixon’s pattern is created from scans of crumpled aluminum foil. The scale was chosen to best camouflage those seams. My immediate thought was the exterior wraps automakers use to disguise the details of forthcoming production vehicles when they’re tested on public roads. It’s a clever and memorable idea. And you might as well go all the way and wrap the walls and floor around the pieces to create an installation that’s magic eye and 3D texture maps mashed together.
Tom Dixon spoke at the event about some recent projects like the affordability challenges in producing the outdoor Groove collection(more stamped metal than fully tubular). It was a slide near the end of a prototype of his early S-Chair that I hadn’t seen before. Initially it was a metal frame wrapped in inner-tubes mounted on a base made of a discarded Volkswagen steering wheel.
Those of you eagle-eyed readers might also have noticed a couple Jack Lights in the showroom without power cords. These are the reissued versions I’m told are soon to released that feature LED bulbs and an internal rechargeable battery. They’ll also finally be available in the US, no wire splicing needed.
Full Description
Coalesse and renowned British designer Tom Dixon come together for a collaboration rooted in artistry. Debuting December 3, 2025, the sculptural installation will be on view for a limited time during Miami Art Week at Steelcase’s pop-up in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood (343 NW 25th St.).
Tom Dixon designed a custom textile pattern—skillfully executed by Designtex at their digital studio in Portland, Maine—that mirrors the sharp, linear angles of crumpled metallic foil. This fabric is smoothly upholstered over the organic, elemental forms of Coalesse’s Jean Nouvel Seating Collection. The juxtaposition of angular graphics against rounded silhouettes invites guests to experience a striking confluence of art and design.
“Collaboration and connection are what this Miami Art Week exhibition is all about, says Meghan Dean, General Manager, Design Brands and Partners at Steelcase. “A powerful collaboration brings out the expertise of each contributor, creating something only possible when they come together. Coalesse is a master of this—creating enduring modern furnishings for all the places we connect—and we are honored to have Tom Dixon’s artistic vision bring a bold, unexpected dimension to these pieces.”
To mark the occasion, Dixon shared insights into his approach to art, design and creative partnership during a Behind the Brand conversation, moderated by design and lifestyle editor Dan Howarth. The talk welcomed an audience of architects, designers, art lovers and friends of the brands involved.
“The objective of the custom fabric is camouflage,” designer Tom Dixon explained during the Miami Art Week talk. “I knew that Jean Nouvel loves aluminium—aluminum to you guys—and I knew that his design for Coalesse is very difficult to upholster due to its rounded forms. So I set about trying to find a pattern that would work with the complex upholstery needed, and by crumpling up a sheet of aluminium, you’re getting a randomized pattern that allows you to camouflage all of the seams.”
In addition to the artistic collaboration, Tom Dixon will also showcase his brand new, first-ever outdoor furniture collection: Groove. As guests make their way into the Steelcase space, they’ll take a journey through the Groove Garden, a dynamic display inspired by the art deco style raised ridges on the pieces themselves.
Photos and Text: Dave Pinter
Additional Text: Coalesse
