Ikigai by Mokum

Taking inspiration from the Japanese concept ‘Ikigai’, a philosophy for life, Mokum’s latest collection seeks to create a sense of joy, contentment and well-being via luxury interior textiles.

Mokum’s Ikigai collection is an evolution from the La Primavera collection, adopting many of the same key themes of feminine design, visual optimism and bringing the outdoors in, but shifting to a more Asian aesthetic.

Given our close geographical proximity to Asia, we share an inherent love of simplicity, quality and craftsmanship. This was a key source of inspiration for the collection which includes a preference for natural fibres and complex weaving techniques.

The word Ikigai translates very closely to ‘life value’ with ‘iki’, meaning life and ’gai, meaning value. In Japanese culture, if one has found their Ikigai, they have found their purpose and are living a life full of joy and content.

The patterns seek inspiration from Japan’s long history of watercolour painting, particularly of landscapes and florals, creating modern interpretations of this classical art form. Lotus flowers, peonies and wisteria are combined within our landscape panel, Mizu Garden, which features red crowned cranes basking in an oasis. The floral motifs are also rendered separately within printed linen and velvet designs, alongside a tailored small scale boucle upholstery, inspired by Japanese geometry.

The collection is grounded in textured plain upholstery and drapery constructions, on which to combine with the patterns or integrate into existing interior spaces.

The colour palette throughout the Ikigai collection elicits a sense of nostalgia as we see neutrals warming up, as people seek comforting colours within the home. Including beautiful tones of parchment, calico and cream as well as a resurgence of brown, which has returned from banishment.

The Ikigai collection also focuses heavily on green, which is very much in line with what we’re seeing in colour trend forecasting. Green elicits a calming energy within interior spaces - creating a sense of bringing the outdoors in, and encouraging us to slow down and become more mindful.

Artisanal craftsmanship is celebrated and revered within Ikigai, as conscious consumers steer away from mass produced items in search of bespoke, specialty pieces which create joy within the interior space. Ikigai seeks to deliver a collection, which is contemporary at its core, however offers longevity via its quality and classical inspiration.