In their minimalist Tiss-Tiss series, the Japanese-French design duo Aki+Arnaud succinctly combine the harshness of metal with the fragile poetry of fabric. Aluminium components are sand-cast in a relief of linen fabric, with a usually loose weave fixed in rigid formations. Such is the level of detail achieved by their expert casting process that the metal exhibits an illusory trompe-l’oeil effect. The distinctive patina was not conceived purely as a technical challenge, but also as a means of capturing a moment in time. Influenced by the Buddhist philosophy of Impermanence, Aki+Arnaud transform fluid fabric into metal, as a means of preservation.