The conversation: VINCENT VAN DUYSEN

You could call him the founder of minimaluxe or the most influential designer working today but, as he tells our editor Pip Rich, just don't call him a minimalist

Iconic designer Vincent Van Duysen founded his architectural studio in Belgium in 1989, coining a look that has taken on a universal appeal that we are now calling minimaluxe. He recently made headlines by working on Kim Kardashian’s incredible home. 

PIP RICH One of the easiest ways to characterise your designs is by the materials you choose – so many of them natural. Stone, wood, linen… why are you drawn to them?

VINCENT VAN DUYSEN Natural materials are the focus of my creations. They instil a sense of serenity and wholeness. I think a significant part of the emotion in my work comes from my consideration for the materials within a space.

PR I understand that – I have a real emotional response to your work, a sense of being calmed. But concrete features heavily, too, and couldn’t be any more man-made. Why does it sit so well with your natural elements?

VVD I like concrete because of its texture, rawness and authenticity. It is a very tactile and versatile material. I used it once at Casa M where, besides the beauty of the material itself, finding the right tonality to blend with the surroundings was a challenge.