Figures Of Fun

‘Drawing Collectible Toys’, by Hayon Studio and Caran d’Ache

Swiss stationer Caran d’Ache thrives on creative encounters. In the past few years alone, its writing instruments have been leathered up by Peter Marino, given a chromatic makeover by Paul Smith, and clad in checks and stripes by Mario Botta. So when the brand agreed to be part of our Handmade exhibition, we were keen to come up with a very different challenge.

It was Caran d’Ache’s communications director Catherine Bagnoud who came to us with a solution. Instead of pens or pencils, why not work with pigments instead? One of the pillars of Caran d’Ache’s business – which had so far resisted reinterpretation – is its wax pastels, available in permanent and water-soluble versions. The former, called Neocolor I, was invented in 1952 and is cherished for its smooth texture, bright and long-lasting hues, and ability to colour many surfaces. Almost seven decades on, Neocolor I is still manufactured in Caran d’Ache’s workshops near Geneva, where it exists as loose, luminous chips before being melted into paste and moulded into familiar crayon forms.