Interview with Occa-Home

Occa-Home is constantly evolving and developing and our buying team are always on the hunt for exciting new brands and designers to add to our expertly curated collection. That’s why we were super excited to start working with hot new brand, ByALEX and the stylish A-Range. With a desire to create effortlessly functional pieces and a passion for sustainable materials, ByALEX is rapidly gaining international fame for its stunningly simple designs. We managed to catch up with the man behind the brand, Alex Swain, to talk about design, materials and where it all began…

“I had a very varied design education,” Alex tells us. “I was exposed to a lot of different creative disciplines and over time, I started to build a natural passion for furniture. During that time I also lived in a very small flat in London. I didn’t feel like I could afford the Vitra end of the spectrum and I wanted something a little bit more functional and a little bit different design-wise. I felt the disposable throw-away culture was increasing and I didn’t like that from an ethical point of view so I thought I would design something myself. I didn’t really plan to set up a business and build a brand, it all came out of an honest need that I had at the time.”

ByALEX is based on a philosophy of ‘purity by design’ and the A-range with which the brand began embodies this perfectly. Each piece is designed around a simple A-frame which gives each piece a distinctive style as well as incredible functionality. “We started up three years ago with the ByALEX A Stool which has four bolts and three pieces and has been engineered to fit together in thirty seconds,” Alex tells us. “We got a great response from that and so we developed the range around it. The A-range is bold, graphic and pure and the A-frame is a symbol of strength that’s been around in architecture for centuries. People seemed to instantly identify with it. To me, it’s a very simple design, but to others it has a lot of character and personality which, as a designer, you don’t necessarily plan.”

Functionality is at the heart of the ByALEX ethos and each piece has been born out of a specific need. “With the A Stool, I just wanted something that’s very simple and that can be used around the house. It really was that need to have something that you can put your laptop on, use as a seat or as a drinks table that helped create it. The aesthetic has been driven from the idea that design can improve things and we should always be reviewing and trying to make things more practical, using better, longer-lasting materials.”

Sustainable, ethical materials are also something that Alex is very passionate about and his designs kick against the disposable furnishing culture. “I really didn’t like the idea that you take a sheet material like chipboard and wrap it in a nice coating and then sell it,” he tells us. “With the A-range, we don’t try to hide the edges of it, we like to show that it’s made of top-end quality plywood with a great durable finish, which makes it really practical. The pieces are without contamination, in the simplest form and made from the most honest material.”

Functional, simple forms are the basis of Alex’s designs and these characteristics are also what appeal to him most. “Some of my favourite designers are Dieter Rams and Barber Osgerby” he tells us. “I think Dieter Rams has probably been the most influential, the Dieter Rams record player is one of my favourite pieces in terms of its form, its simplicity, its overall function and the materials used. Barber Osgerby also do a sofa that exposes the frame of the sofa, you can peel back all the layers of upholstery and that’s right up there for me too.”

Despite only beginning three years ago, ByALEX already has big plans for the coming year with a number of exciting new projects in the pipeline. “We’re working around the home office category and desktop accessories are an area that we’re looking at now,” says Alex. “I’d like to think I design things that I have a personal interest in and that I recognise a need for. I think right now people want more flexible working so we’d like to focus on that. That’s not to say we’re only focusing on that, we’re also working on a dining chair which will be made of new materials, using new processes. We’re looking at water pressure technology and traditional carpentry, there’s nothing better than a hand-crafted solid wood piece of furniture in terms of sustainability. We’re also looking at a kids’ range as well but I think that will happen in a year or so. We want to focus on two or three things at one time and get them absolutely perfect before we move on to new ideas.”