This was one of the first projects that I took on when I came to South Africa. I made the Vanity Screen for a private customer and built it in my first workshop – a corregated iron shack in the back garden of Nettex, a well established textile company run by the humble John Ric Hansen. John, following the recommendation of his son Bruce, allowed me and my tool box an undetermined free stay. Some people are that generous, thanks John.
A woman approached me one day to design an element for her bedroom – to separate her bed from overlooking the inside of her doorless ensuite bathroom. She was imagining a wall, I saw a screen… something that could be manipulated and moved. Could this divider have a function I asked myself? Then I started to conceive the perfect object of vanity for women – somewhere between the bathroom and the bedroom, a secret space with mirrors, light. I used sexy red rosewood, white mother of pearl painted fabric, leather and brass exuberance. I had to decide whether I should go with commercial hinges or if I should make them, so I made them of course – in brass so as not to spoil the look. The same detail went into all the other parts, leather handles, hooks, etc. I had the glass for the lights sandblasted with a 1920 glass effect and steam bent some of the rosewood.