ALMOST 30 YEARS ago, Ozwald Boateng took the traditional Savile Row suit and turned it into something sexy and new, using vibrant colours and patterns from his Ghanaian heritage. And now, in his first interiors collection, Boateng has done the same with homewares.

Most eye-catching is his take on the iconic Chesterfield. The shape is largely familiar, but take a closer look and the Boateng impact becomes clear – the colours ranging from golden yellow to raspberry red, the elegant ball-shaped legs and, finally, leather embossed in the designer’s Tribal pattern, which has long been used in his suits.

‘I like to take something that is very familiar and find a different language around it by paying attention to the details,’ says Boateng. ‘This is the approach that I have long taken with textiles and in this case I applied it to furniture; it was an interesting opportunity to build a new language around something that we knew so well.’

The Chester, as it’s called, is part of the Culture & Craft collection and is a collaboration with Poltrona Frau, the Italian brand known for its craftsmanship. Also included is Boateng’s take on Poltrona Frau’s classic 1930s Vanity Fair armchair, which he upholstered in matteeffect velvet digitally printed with the Tribal pattern. The design can be also found on rugs and wallpaper, all in the distinctive Boateng jewel tones.

Boateng, who was born in London to Ghanaian immigrants, made history when, aged 28, he became the youngest and first Black tailor to open a store on Savile Row; since then, his suits have been worn by the likes of Mick Jagger, Spike Lee and Stanford Blatch in Sex And The City.

His store is beautifully designed (by architect David Adjaye) and Boateng has long had an interest in interiors. ‘The concept of taking tradition and finding interesting ways to modernise it goes beyond clothing. I was always attracted to the idea of interiors and furniture, but it was a matter of finding the right partner,’ says Boateng. ‘When I saw how Poltrona Frau works, the craftsmanship, it became a pretty straightforward decision for me to do this. I like the idea of collaboration, of someone who shares the same philosophy that you do because then you can be as creative as you want.’

The Culture & Craft collection is available from Poltrona Frau and Ozwald Boateng