| Mohamed Fouad’s Stuffed Pigeon, though a little eccentric, is both functional and creative |
| By Farida Helmy |
| Stuffed Pigeon is a new local brand that offers handmade designs that are simple, functional, creative and unique. Expected at press time to be up-and-running by the end of October, stuffedpigeon.com features designs that make a statement with the least amount of resources possible. Combining raw materials and recycling ready-made components, Mohamed Fouad designs eye-catching products that won’t burn a hole in your wallet. The 30-year-old Fouad originally trained as an architect but chose to leave the field because he was not happy with the school of design adopted in Egypt. “I follow the Bauhaus School in architecture, where function comes before design. When I worked in different offices around the country I didn’t find that mentality there,” says Fouad. “If Shehab Mazhar were around when I was [working as an architect] I would have probably continued. He’s one of the best in the field right now with his simple minimalist production and design.” While he has been working as an associate creative director at Leo Burnett for six years, Fouad is itching to go back to his roots. “The idea of Stuffed Pigeon isn’t new for me. I’ve been thinking about it for years. I would document all my ideas in a sketchbook: the design idea, how it would be done, the measurements and the supplies I needed for it,” he explains. “I now have a workshop in my house, equipped with all the tools I could ever need to work on my designs.” The website features designs that Fouad has worked on in the past year ranging from furniture, home accessories, fashion and wheels. The furniture include sideboards, tables, dining sets and chairs made of wood and sometimes a little bit of steel. Home accessories include alarm clocks, lamps, cushions and storage units, while his fashion line features T-shirts, pins and leather bags. And the wheels include bicycles and scooters for adults with customized boards. Fouad also has a vintage line reselling classic products people love but can’t find or can’t be bothered to find. His vintage line includes a list of cool and quirky home accessories. Though Stuffed Pigeon designs are definitely different and may not be to everyone’s choice, Fouad says he has already sold pieces, even before the launch of his website. The designer also talks to people about the problems they have with existing products so he can try and solve them with his new ones. “I don’t want Stuffed Pigeon to be mass production, 10 pieces will be the maximum for each product. It’s handmade, so it should be unique. I do everything myself,” says Fouad. “I don’t want to position myself with other brands. My dream is not to have my furniture in the Four Seasons hotel. I would love to have a small store in Zamalek or Maadi where I can have a workshop area and people can come see the work as it’s done, with a couple of coffee tables and cool music playing.” With prices ranging from LE 60 up to LE 8,000 and LE 10,000 for the dining tables made of the finest wood, Fouad says he gets his inspiration from everyday items and tidbits, as well as from designers’ forums. “I love to go to London to see how designers work and see their products showcased in a Sunday market they have especially for designers,” says Fouad. “They also like to combine everyday products into their designs. If anyone finds anything lying around that’s not being used at the office or at home they give it to me. I try to reuse anything in my designs, if it looks good of course. I use PVC pipes, old printer cartridges, anything really.” Choosing not to name all of his products is not out of laziness; Fouad just thinks it’s simpler that way: “I don’t want to have a big name and become like the Egyptian designers who become big hits abroad, I just like to keep it simple. Life is simple, so why complicate it with design?” |
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