LONDON.- Alcantara and Ross Lovegrove unveiled Transmission, their latest collaboration, which is on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Tapestries for London Design Festival. The installation was created by the British designer to mark the fifteenth edition of the annual design event, which brings together the biggest names from the industry to London, for a week-long celebration of design and innovation.

British designer Ross Lovegrove, inspired by the Devonshire Hunting Tapestries at the V&A, created Transmission, a spectacular 21-metre-long fluid and free-standing three-dimensional tapestry, which is made entirely from Alcantara®, the renowned Italian material.

Created using Alcantara®, a tactile and pliable material, the soft undulating folds of the installation reflect and highlight both colours and forms of the medieval tapestries. The versatility of the material is highlighted in the different methods of treatment, including colouring and embellishment.

Mr Andrea Boragno, CEO of Alcantara, said of the partnership: “Alcantara is delighted to partner with London Design Festival and present such a unique work of art. Lovegrove ’s unusual use of shapes and Alcantara’s® ability to lend itself to any creation are the perfect marriage for the wonderful Tapestry Room.

This artwork is the expression of what Alcantara today is: the intersection between emotion, beauty, technology and performance. These values reflect the positioning of our contemporary lifestyle brand which is increasingly associated with design, creativity and art.”

Ross Lovegrove echoes this by saying: “Having already worked with Alcantara earlier in the year, I felt there was so much more that could be done with the material, which is why I eagerly accepted the commission to create Transmission.

“I hope people will be able to take a few moments of respite, away from the hustle and bustle of London, to enjoy the stillness of the Tapestry Room at the V&A Museum and admire the installation. I want to show people that art and design are made for more than just looking at, which is why I invite everyone to feel the installation, have a play with it and enjoy the tactile nature of Alcantara®.”

The V&A Museum has been the official London Design Festival hub since 2009. Once again, this unique event will see the iconic spaces within the museum transformed by an extraordinary collection of specially-commissioned installations and displays by the world’s most exciting designers.

Founded in 1972, Alcantara represents one of the leading Made in Italy brands. Registered trademark of Alcantara S.p.A and the result of unique and proprietary technology, Alcantara® is a highly innovative material offering an unparalleled combination of sensory, aesthetic, and functional qualities. Thanks to its extraordinary versatility, Alcantara® is the chosen material for leading brands in numerous specialist fields: fashion and accessories, the automotive industry, interior design, home décor and consumer-electronics. These characteristics, together with a serious and proven commitment to the use of sustainable materials, allow Alcantara to express and define contemporary lifestyle: the lifestyles of those who love to enjoy everyday products to the full whilst respecting the environment. Having analyzed, reduced and offset all CO2 emissions linked to the company, in 2009 Alcantara® was certified “Carbon Neutral". To document the company’s journey in this field, Alcantara conducts and publishes an annual Sustainability Report, certified by the international service corporation Deloitte and available for consultation on the company website. Headquartered in Milan, Alcantara also have production facilities and a research department in Nera Montoro in the heart of Italy’s Umbria region (Terni).