So, a couple of weeks ago while I was skimming through my instagram and trying to not violently hit purchase on the new Prada Galleria Tote bag, I happened across a new Dubai-based company, that peaked my curiosity.
URBN Avenue or Urbn.Ave on Instagram, is a local company helmed by power couple Sarah & Mathieu; French and Emirati entrepreneur's whose shared goal lies in the creation of contemporary art utilising repurposable materials, or as they would phrase it 'industrial art with a touch of luxury.' The aforementioned touch of luxury comes in the form of famed designer insignia such as the instantly recognisable interlocking c's of the Chanel logo or the Hermés Duc carriage in signature orange and even the Christian Dior logo, delicately applied and hand grafted onto a careful curation of recycled and repurposable items such as jerry cans, bottle caps, spray cans and even barrels.
While the concept of reworking designer insignia across everyday objects has been floating around the home-art sphere for a few years with notable works from artists such as Peter Ilies Chanel sculpture at Saatchi Gallery ranging from $580 to mysterious figures such as Ghost Art at Artsper, whose Rolex emblazoned fire extinguishers range upward from 800 Euro. Between figures like the aforementioned and the world of ultra-expensive collector editions, brands such as Urbn Avenue, have a unique story to tell and a new age audience willing to listen.
These pieces bring art into the homes of aspiring creatives, fashion enthusiasts and entrepreneurs while breaking the barrier of an elitist world. The act of repurposing and recycling materials to create something wholly new and coveted is a steady show of awareness from the regions creatives; that we need to save our planet, and one sure fire way to do that is by eliminating the waste we have so wholeheartedly contributed to it. Sarah, a devout environmentalist and chemical engineer (with a background in chemical treatment) prepares and cleans each and every Urban Avenue product by hand before they are transported to Matthieu for the painting process.
Ultimately, Urbn Avenue, offers new and exciting art collectors a chance to not only elevate their living/work spaces with statement pieces that propel the importance of recycling, repurposing and up-cycling, but also allow businesses (or individuals) to customise their own works depending on their unique specifications. As of the date of publication, Urbn.Ave has created items for Glu Beauty and Dubai Police along with a slew of other vip clients and are soon to launch an exclusive collection for The Leaf Master Cigar Shop at the Hilton Al Habtoor. For their existing fan-base the duo are also launching the mini extinguishers and baby barrels, which are sure to make for great conversations starters in the home. As for me, this little writer has his eyes on the Chanel emblazoned extinguisher and jerry cans, price on request by Urban Avenue.
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