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Designer
Jess Sorel
Jess Sorel is an industrial designer whose career has spanned nearly twenty years in the contract furniture industry. He completed his industrial design major at the California College of Arts and Crafts, now the California College of the…
Biography
Background
Jess Sorel is an industrial designer whose career has spanned nearly twenty years in the contract furniture industry. He completed his industrial design major at the California College of Arts and Crafts, now the California College of the Arts, in 1992, then spent twelve years at Metro Furniture, seven of them as design director. In 2008 he launched his own studio, sorelstudio, for product design, creative direction and design strategy.
Signature Style
Sorel is driven by curiosity about the context in which objects are made and used. He draws on architecture, automotive and motorcycle design and fashion, works through sketches and models, and keeps asking whether a piece looks good in multiples. His Caid collection pairs an architecturally subtle outer shell with a softened interior.
Notable Works
- Palisade, healthcare waiting-room seating, tables and screening accessories for Nemschoff / Herman Miller
- Caid and Arno seating collections for Decca
- Move, Cruz, Kone, Blok and Vista for West Coast Industries
- Agility and Emme for Nucraft
Legacy
Sorel holds numerous design and utility patents. Caid was a Best of Year winner in the 2015 Interior Design awards, and his Palisade Flop Sofa has been recognised by the German Design Award, Best of NeoCon, the Chicago Athenaeum's Good Design programme and the Core77 Design Awards.
Products
Palisade Chair
Mid-century inspired chair with a powder-coated metal frame.
Palisade Lounge Chair
A solid wood lounge chair with contemporary features and a nod to mid-century modern.
Palisade Booths
Waiting-room booth with an integrated table on an offset pedestal base for wheelchair access.
Palisade Sofas
Waiting-room sofa with mid-century inspiration and a choice of upholstered or open arms.
Palisade Bench
Low, linear bench with a powder-coated steel frame.
