Have you ever encountered a design that immediately captivated you with its form or material? Some product designers possess a unique talent for blending materials, visuals, and references, creating an indescribable attractive power.
Raised in a household fuelled by a passion for creation and craftsmanship, Marc Sweeney is one of these talents. With a multidisciplinary approach, he refined his vision during his MA in Product Design at Istituto Marangoni London, inspired by the Italian essence linking design and fashion. Now a cherished alumnus, he continues to inspire the industry, his peers, and IM students, not just because he approaches furniture crafting akin to a fashion designer curating a collection but mainly because his passion for movie direction has led him to become the storyteller of contemporary product design.
In essence, Sweeney is one of the most multi-hyphenated furniture designers of the new generation. Intrigued by this emerging professional pushing boundaries and blending cultures while documenting the entire process? As a wannabe filmmaker turned product designer, we sat down with him to discuss everything from the importance of having a narrative and a multi-faceted perspective to the performative nature of craftsmanship.
The Gloy Chair is Sweeney’s interpretation of both the material and the traditional techniques used to create the Orkney chair, a piece of Scottish vernacular furniture. Photo courtesy of Marc Sweeney
Did you know that Giulio Cappellini himself admired a project of his, Marc Sweeney’s Gloy chair, and the documentary he filmed on its journey to the Orkney Islands, exploring the Orkney chair as a main reference? Cappellini, a mentor at the Istituto Marangoni Design School and a prominent figure in Milan’s global design scene, celebrated Sweeney during the student’s project exhibition ‘The Red Thread’ held in London for LDF22.
Did you always aspire to be a product designer?
No, I actually always wanted to be a filmmaker. In a unique way, I have become one. Many of my projects inherently incorporate narrative to deepen the dialogue in the final product. What better tool for storytelling than filmmaking? There’s a performative aspect to craftsmanship during the creation process that I want people to witness.
Marc Sweeney combined material research and Scottish heritage narratives into his Gloy chair
What is the journey that brought you to design?
Due to my dyslexia, my excellence was in everything creative and visual. I initially pursued Fine Art, but it wasn’t the right fit. Also, growing up in a household driven by a passion for creation and craftsmanship, influenced by my dad’s role as a wooden boat builder, sparked a passion for spaces and objects, along with playing with Lego.
Turned red stool, 2022. Design by Marc Sweeney. Photo courtesy of Marc Sweeney
Turned purple stool, 2022. Design by Marc Sweeney. Photo courtesy of Marc Sweeney
You were the first Istituto Marangoni London MA Product Design student in 2021. Why did you choose to study here?
I love Italian essence design! The idea of being in a fashion school appealed to me. I am more inclined towards refining my work and establishing a link between my creations and the fashion industry.
How has this choice to be in a fashion school shaped your product design for the future?
My approach aligns more closely with a designer curating a collection or accessories; there’s a narrative and emotional element involved, not merely the design of a product. I love engaging various skills to create intricate objects and infusing my identity into design.
Gloy chair, 2022. Design by Marc Sweeney. Photo courtesy of Marc Sweeney
For your final MA project, you designed contemporary furniture based on a Scottish handmade heritage chair. What did you aim to convey?
I crafted a chair interpreting a historically significant piece of Scottish vernacular furniture: the Orkney chair. Traveling to Orkney, I studied the chair reflecting the inhabitants’ struggle for survival. The chair’s high-backed design was created with limited materials (native black oat straw and found driftwood) to keep wind draft away and trap heat from a fire. Thus, I learned the traditional straw weaving technique and discovered the value of a piece of survival furniture. This journey is encapsulated in a documentary, conveying the emotional, visual, and auditory facets of design identity.
Scotland landscape. Photo courtesy of Marc Sweeney
Marc Sweeney working with straws. Photo courtesy of Marc Sweeney
From left to right, the Orkney chair, oat straw, the Gloy chair by Marc Sweeney. Photo courtesy of Marc Sweeney
Now that you’ve graduated, how do you define yourself as a product designer?
I identify myself as a designer-maker. My aim is to forge a connection between myself, the object, and the end user. I rarely linger on the same approach for too long; I employ making as a means of visualising and understanding.
IM alumnus Marc Sweeney’s Gloy chair. Photo courtesy of Marc Sweeney
How do you feel during the making process?
The process can be uncomfortable and frustrating initially, but it leads to a profound cathartic moment as I grasp the material’s characteristics and process intricacies. Immersing oneself in the studio environment is crucial.
IM London Product Design alumnus Marc Sweeney working on his Gloy chair. Photo courtesy of Marc Sweeney
You have self-designed and manufactured a pepper mill with a sustainable aim and a luxury aesthetic. What did you learn from the production process?
My pepper mills are part of a larger body of work I term Guerilla Production. This entails creating small-batch multiples instead of one-of-a-kind pieces, and it took over a year. I had a functional prototype right from the start; however, there’s a significant difference between crafting a single flawless object and being able to produce a series while maintaining high quality. Consistency proved to be the most intricate aspect of this process.
Pepper mills designed by Marc Sweeney, part of his Guerilla Production, 2023. Photo courtesy of Marc Sweeney
