Faye Toogood Has Fun With Poltrona Frau Designs And In Milan
Although the British designer practises many mediums, she found in interiors and objects a chemistry that had been missing: a direct relationship with how people interact with her creations.
At this year’s Milan Design Week, Robb Report Malaysia spoke with British designer Faye Toogood, who was named Designer of the Year in 2025 by Maison&Objet. Her creations stand out as sculptures, appealing to those with a penchant for whimsy, softened by understated elegance.
Finding beauty in unexpected places, she turns references like gummy candies into sofas, and was inspired by the womb during her pregnancy to create one of her most iconic designs: the Roly-Poly chair. “I grew up with parents who were very nature-based,” Toogood says. “I spent a lot of time outside and had very little in the way of toys. So, I used my imagination a lot as a child.”
For Poltrona Frau, the designer explored new ways of working with leather, building on the brand’s long-standing craftsmanship in the material. In this season’s showcase, she expands on the Squash collection with an accompanying night collection, consisting of a bed and nightstands, titled LieLow. Similar to the Squash pieces, the LieLow series is upholstered in Pelle Frau leather, which has the ability to crease and gather. Flat surfaces take on an enveloping appearance, while hard edges are rounded and softened, shaping a setting that is ready for slumber.
How did your journey into design and interiors begin?
I had a very important person in my life who was not my grandmother but was like one to me. She was a highly educated woman who was really into reading, culture, architecture, gardening, and art. She introduced me to that world. But there’s also an artist named Barbara Hepworth in the United Kingdom, who was active around the 1960s and 1970s. You can still visit her studio to this day. I remember going there when I was about eight or nine, and thinking, “This is what I want to do.”
Before becoming a designer, you were an editor and stylist at The World of Interiors magazine. At what point did you decide to shift from your role?
I remember that eight years into working at the magazine, I felt that if I didn’t leave then, I would probably end up staying there for another 15 years. I was becoming increasingly frustrated with the two-dimensional pages and with working in photography—producing all these sets and then putting them in the bin. I decided I wanted to work on something more permanent, and I realised that my designs allowed me to engage with people. Working in magazines made me feel distanced from people.
What led to the collaboration with Poltrona Frau?
They approached me three years ago while I was in Milan and asked if I would be interested in working on some pieces with them. We decided to launch the Squash Chair two years ago and, I have to say, it represents a completely different direction and aesthetic of the brand.
Poltrona Frau’s style has always been very refined and timeless. How do you come up with designs that also feel like you?
I am interested in imperfection, which is a challenging concept for a heritage brand that prides itself on craftsmanship. The way I try to translate that for Poltrona Frau is by allowing the leather to express itself and not forcing it to be completely flat. Enjoying the gesture of the leather and allowing it to feel alive is, for me, a form of imperfection—not stretched and ironed out. It’s not meant to be rigid.
What are you most excited about showcasing in Milan this year besides your collection with Poltrona Frau?
I’m really excited about my new collaboration with Meritalia. It’s my first year working with them. My long-standing collaboration with Tacchini is important to me as well. Last year, we launched Butter, a sofa. This year, we’re introducing 10 more components to the modular sofa, an armchair, and a fixed sofa. I’ve also designed the interior of their showroom, Casa Tacchini.
You’ve always experimented with different types of materials. What is one that surprised you the most?
It’s probably wood. It’s such a simple, classical material, yet it can be so incredible when working with different types and thicknesses of wood. It’s so adaptable—you can create so much from such a simple material. It can be quite challenging but, in the past few years, I’ve really enjoyed designing wooden pieces and discovering different expressions out of wood—whether through how it’s carved, finished, or cut.
What’s always fun about being in Milan every year for design week?
Italian food. But they eat very late, and I’m not used to that.
If you hadn’t made that jump from editor to designer, what do you think you’d be doing now?
I’d be an editor of a magazine. I think I’d be working with Anna Wintour.
What do you enjoy when you need a break from work?
Nature, walking, landscape, peace. I’m a shy show-off. I come out to socialise and be really involved, but I’ll need to go back into my quiet space.
Aperol Spritz or Negroni Sbagliato?
Neither. I don’t take sugar. I like water and matcha. I’ve found my favourite matcha place here in Milan: Moko’s Matcha Milano.
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