Industrial Authentics

Press release

Berlin Amsterdam

Brothers rescue East German design from abandoned factories

Berlin/Amsterdam, September 27, 2012 - Blom & Blom, founded by two brothers who collect and restore forgotten industrial artefacts, launches its webshop showcasing an exclusive selection of lighting fixtures and furnishings salvaged from abandoned factories. The passion for “authentic items with a story to tell” is the driving force behind its mission to give new life to the objects from industrial ghost towns in the former DDR. In order to keep the rich legacy of the collection from being forgotten, Blom & Blom provides a ‘passport’ with each product, describing its history and origin. www.blomandblom.com Blom & Blom creates interior concepts from design to realization centered around their collection, which is also available worldwide through their website. Pieces from the collection of Blom & Blom now live on in restaurants, offices, and homes where they play a central role in defining novel interiors with a story to tell. “It all started with exploring abandoned industrial sites just for the fun of it”, says Kamiel Blom, the creative side of Blom & Blom. “When we strolled an old laboratory, or a deserted military complex, we always had a split feeling. On one hand, there was our fascination for the amazing atmosphere of these places, and on the other, our frustration that the industrial treasures they hold would ultimately end up in a dumpster.” The industrial terrains the brothers come across often originate from WWII. They were later taken over by the Soviet Union, and abandoned with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The result is history recorded in industrial form, frozen in time, and forgotten. “Although the lamps and furnishings are themselves special because of their distinctive DDR design, the history of the sites where they come from is what makes them so intriguing.”, explains Martijn Blom, the business side of Blom & Blom. “The passport we provide with each of our products keeps their rich history from being forgotten.” Before their “industrial authentics” find a new home, each piece is carefully restored in the Blom & Blom workshops in Amsterdam and Berlin. “Each object is carefully cleaned, restored, and modernized to current standards. It takes a lot of effort, but it’s definitely worth it”, says Kamiel. “Especially the lighting fixtures are of such extraordinary craftsmanship. They are often made for extreme industrial use, and yet their designs are so pure and sophisticated. It would be a real shame to let these special works just disappear.”

blomandblom com

press release