Carole Baijings on status quo and collaboration with Fatboy

Tekst: Marianne Lie Berg Foto: Produsenten

The lazy pillow Fatboy is actually 22 years old, and it has shown to be an item that has not gone out of fashion. The fact that Fatboy is a Deutch design concept, is not a shocking revelation, knowing that the Netherlands used to be in the forefront of design experimentation back in the 1990-ties. With Droog Design and Design Academy in Eindhoven, among other forces, the country grew up to become one of the really strongholds in the development of international design. The brand has now gotten the famous designer Carole Baijings to design a whole new series of patterns and colors that take the good old friend to another level.

1. Carole Baijings, you used to work together with Stefan Scholten for your brand Scholten & Baijings. How has it been since you and Stefan parted ways?  

It surprises some people when I say that not all too much has changed. Since going solo I’ve certainly seen more of my femininity come through, but the reality is my design philosophy hasn’t changed at all. I’ve always only made products that I personally would like to have at home and the ‘Atelier-way-of-working’ still guides this process. That means that I hand-make my own colours, materials, and models and in doing so create new and unique shapes and forms. I’m proud of what we achieved as a duo but I’m equally loving how true I can be to my artistic intentions now that we’ve split.   

2. What would you say is your individual style?

Colour is my truest passion. It’s at the heart of what I design and something I like to toggle with from start to finish. Colour, and with it ideas of transparency, layering and grids have the potential to add so much dimensionality to a piece - it’s so much more than just the icing on the cake!

3. How did the cooperation with Fatboy come about? 

I’ve known Pauline for a long time, but it was when I ran into her at the IMM Fair in Cologne that we discussed the idea of collaborating. We had a lovely talk and I guess we both just felt a click. I’m a big believer that the best results come when you work with people you like to be around. It seemed like an exciting opportunity to design a new version of Fatboy’s Original.  

4. Can you tell us how you developed the colors and patterns on the Fatboys?

A great inspiration behind my colours has always been nature. It sounds cliché but you never see a flower that’s too bright, do you? In fact, it’s sometimes this juxtaposition of color that we see in nature that makes it so beautiful. I saw The Original as a blank canvas and really just tried to introduce a palette that was bold, but still refined enough so to suit most interior spaces. By mixing and combining colours by hand, a whole new colour image was created. Pairing this unique colour palette with the soft and coated cotton canvas that we developed together, the bean bag became exactly what I had envisioned. It really creates ‘A Pop of Colour’ in your interior. I love that.

5. Why has an item like the Fatboy been such a success in so many years, seen from a design perspective (thinking about the original floor pillow)? 

The last few months I’ve personally experienced how pleasurable it is to have a Fatboy at home. We have the ‘Slim’ (and now of course the ‘Pop of Colour’) and between my son Rem and I, we can attest to how versatile it is. It’s been a place to do homework while catching those first few rays of sun this past summer but also a landing spot when Rem decides it’s time to climb trees in our backyard. It’s somewhere to chill but also take an afternoon nap. It’s even been used as a sled to fly down the staircase (nobody was harmed but I probably wouldn’t advise this!). I’m proud to have been able to add my touch to this product and I’m excited to see how people incorporate it into their interiors.