Yonoh is celebrating twenty years, and at Sancal we’re delighted to have been part of that journey. Since our first collaboration, we’ve shared projects, conversations and a way of approaching design rooted in curiosity, simplicity and a desire to do things well.
Clara del Portillo and Álex Selma had already made their first steps as designers before taking part together in NUDE Valencia in 2006. That edition marked the first time they presented their work as Yonoh.
Yonoh’s logo is an ambigram, a word that can be read almost the same way when turned upside down. It also reflects the fact that Clara and Álex have two different ways of looking at things, yet have managed to develop a distinctive shared approach to their work.
Over the past two decades, they have designed objects, furniture and lighting. Their collaborations have resulted in a strong portfolio in which their Mediterranean roots meet a Scandinavian approach to the profession. As Tachy Mora puts it, their work is characterised by “an elegant, warm, harmonious, functional and highly refined design.”
Their work starts with curiosity: observing, experimenting, simplifying and finding solutions that work, but are also beautiful and have a sense of familiarity, often drawing on simple ideas and recognisable elements. Far removed from passing trends, their designs are defined by clear forms, precise solutions, carefully considered proportions and an aesthetic that continues to work long after its initial presentation.
More than a decade after our first collaboration with them, we at Sancal know this way of working well. Sumo, Mosaico, Mullit and Planta are very different designs that have become part of the story, and friendship, we share.
In words of Esther and Elena Castaño-López, “both Clara and Álex are very discreet people, and that quality of their personalities comes through in their products. They are very easy to work with because they are also open and flexible, while knowing exactly where their boundaries lie. That determination is essential for a designer.”
Yonoh is now celebrating its 20th anniversary, and what better way to look to the future than by revisiting everything that has happened along the way? Clara and Álex have brought together a selection of objects created over these two decades and invited friends and collaborators to join them in celebrating this milestone.
We’re delighted that Sancal is part of that story.
Happy 20th anniversary, Yonoh! Here’s to the first twenty years, and to those still to come.
