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In the three- and two-paneled versions, Vanity Mirror 2 and
Vanity Mirror 3, the hinges’ 180o rotation allows the panels
to be folded flat over each other, effectively ‘closing’ the
mirror when not in use. This introduces an element of ritual
to the use of the mirror – another, subtle, parallel with the
ritualized process of performing one’s toilette at the classic
vanity table. In Vanity Mirror 1, the single-panel mirror, the
hinge allows for a 15o rotation along a central axis, so even
in its simplest form, the Vanity design gives you the ability
to alter the look and feel of the room and the light with the
slightest of adjustments.
The hinges themselves are finished in brass, which pairs
beautifully with the warmth of the hand-crafted walnut
veneer used on the panels. Created bespoke for the Vanity
Mirror Collection, the hinges require the highest degree
precision in order to achieve the necessary tolerances (just
one-tenth of a millimeter) and ensure a satisfyingly smooth
but reassuringly controlled motion.
Another vintage reference point for GamFratesi was Gio
Ponti’s F.A.33 Wall Mirror of 1993, which was reintroduced
by GUBI in 2015. In its previous mirror design for GUBI, the
IOI Wall Mirror, GamFratesi responded to Ponti’s art deco
aesthetic. With Vanity, the studio pays homage to the iconic
curved line that defines Ponti’s design by incorporating
a gentle arc into the upper and lower edges of the Vanity
frame. This creates a sense of kinship and coherence within
GUBI’s portfolio of mirrors, while also introducing depth and
intriguing play of perspective to GamFratesi’s design.
From its earliest days, GUBI has led the way in integrating
mirrors into interior spaces beyond the bathroom, where
they would conventionally be found. The Vanity Mirror
Collection follows suit, being designed for use in all rooms
in the home outside the bathroom, including those where
mirrors might not be typically featured. The design thus
brings both clean contemporary elegance and an unusual
versatility and interactivity to any space or style, with a
gentle but reverent nod to history woven in.
GamFratesi has been working with GUBI since the inception of its studio, and the collaboration has produced some of its
most admired modern designs. Drawing on their dual heritage, Italian Enrico Fratesi and Danish Stine Gam share GUBI’s
ability to synthesize seemingly opposing ideas – the classic and the contemporary, the intellectual and the sensorial, the
crafted and the engineered. These defining juxtapositions – and the explorative material curiosity that animates their design
practice – are brilliantly exemplified in the Vanity Mirror Collection.
Vanity Wall Mirror 1 and 2
Vanity Wall Mirror 3
