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Friday Five with Thien Ta Trung

With his sister My, Thien Ta Trung, founded Periphere 10 years ago in Montreal. Together, they set out to create a unique furniture company that offers locally produced cutting-edge designs; something almost non-existent in the Canadian landscape. Experimentation and the use of distinct materials and production techniques were and are still the foundation of the design philosophy behind the studio. Over the years, Thien has worked and experimented with injection moulding, fiber glass, laser cutting, concrete moulding, Corian, and blown glass, amongst other materials. In 2008, looking to reach a wider audience, Thien launched Domison, his bridge line of sophisticated and modern, yet affordable furniture.

Thien and My opened a 4,500 sq. ft. showroom on the fashionable Saint-Laurent Boulevard in Montreal. The space has become a platform for the diffusion of creativity and culture, where spectacular installations and events regularly take place. This past April, Thien opened a second location in Toronto in the furniture district, with the same philosophy.

These are five sources of infinite inspiration for me:

1. Fashion
The madness and frivolous nature of fashion is exhilarating. Cuts, prints, details, stitching, volume, textiles, colors, textures – there’s never ending sources of inspiration. Fashion is pure emotion, both timeless and ephemeral. Dries Van Noten would rank at the top of my list.

2. Music
I can come up with a collection of furniture just by listening to a song. Great music defines a period; that crystallization of time helps me feel and see things. At the moment: anything from the Kitsune house.

3. Architecture
Great architecture is timeless. The shape, the volume, the material: so much to see and analyze. Architecture is like a giant version of a piece of furniture. Powerful shift in aesthetic and ideologies are seen through ground braking constructions by visionary individuals. Anything from SANAA.

4. Cities
Big cities, small cities, they always excite me – the people, the food, the energy, the culture, and the history. Travel recharges me, gives me fuel and injects a fresh perspective each time. Copenhagen is a favorite city of mine, with bicycles dominating the cityscape, reinforcing the green movement.

5. Retail
I can’t shop online. It has to be physical and in the flesh! Retail concepts that are well articulated can be as therapeutic as yoga or meditation. They touch and inspire, yet you don’t have to buy anything. The bygone world of Design Research founded by Ben Thompson in the 50s is a great lesson on how things can be done.

Jaime Derringer, Founder + Executive Editor of Design Milk, is a Jersey girl living in SoCal. She dreams about funky, artistic jewelry + having enough free time to enjoy some of her favorite things—running, reading, making music, and drawing.