Apparatus returns with Act V: Afsaneh, a collection about seeds and knowledge
New York studio Apparatus has introduced Act V: Afsaneh, its first new collection in five years. The furniture and lighting range is organized into four series—Esfand, Gol, Rahvi, and Jahaan—that trace ideas of seeds, flowers, knowledge, and the cosmos. Led by artistic director Gabriel Hendifar, the collection uses materials meant to feel both past-facing and future-facing, with seed forms appearing in sconces, vessels, and an incense burner.
Apparatus, the New York design studio under artistic director Gabriel Hendifar, has released Act V: Afsaneh, its first collection in half a decade. The furniture and lighting range is split into Esfand, Gol, Rahvi, and Jahaan, tracing the seed, flower, knowledge, and cosmos.
Seed shapes recur in sconces, vessels, and an incense burner. Gol combines cast-glass seeds with fiberglass shades; Rahvi features amulets using seven semi-precious stones, including tiger's eye, lapis lazuli, and red jasper. Jahaan centers on the table as a communal gathering point. A damask rose and oud scent and five Martha Graham Dance Company films accompany the launch.
The collection may influence interior designers, collectors, and design audiences by showing how narrative, craft, and scent can be integrated into furniture and lighting. Its seed-and-knowledge theme could encourage slower, meaning-driven consumption and cross-disciplinary collaborations, such as dance and film. Because Apparatus is a high-end studio, its reach may remain niche, but its ideas could filter into broader decor trends and discussions about cultural heritage and sustainability.