PLASTER WARS
When design icons clash and the medium is… plaster.
Last week, Paris’s famed Maison & Objet design fair ignited more than just creativity — it sparked a rare and very public feud on Instagram.
The source of the scandal? Not velvet. Not marble. Not mid-century walnut.
It was plaster.
Yes — chalky, textural, pure white plaster became the unexpected star in a tale of design appropriation, accusations, and aesthetic homage.
Two of the most respected names in interior design were accused of copying the work of a well-known sculptor — all over a minimalist chandelier composed of just a few modest plaster forms. The internet lit up, with designers and fans alike weighing in.
But if we’re being honest, this fight has been centuries in the making.
Because plaster is not a trend — it’s a timeless material used by the greats.
Take the legendary John Dickinson, whose iconic Three-Legged African Stool still commands attention today. Inspired by a tourist-shop artifact, Dickinson's version was crafted in white plaster, reinforced with rebar and stabilized with resin — a piece that now lives in design museums and luxury homes alike.
Designers like Michael Taylor and Angelo Donghia championed his work, bringing that soft, sculptural presence into the sharp lines of 1980s interiors.
Now, in 2025, plaster is back — not as a revival, but as a material of mastery. Whether in statement lighting, sculptural furniture, or architectural accents, it's clear:
📣 Plaster is powerful.
And in the right hands, it’s art.
