Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Dreeben.
Founded in 2011, AKMD developed out of a thirteen-year friendship and design collaboration between Ayush Kasliwal and Michael.
The two met in Jaipur, India in 1998: Michael had recently completed an MFA in sculpture at the University of Chicago and was working on a Fulbright grant, studying vernacular woodworking; Kasliwal had just completed study at the prestigious National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, with a degree in furniture design. What they found was a mutual interest in fine craft practices and how these could inform contemporary design. This has become a driving concept behind the AKMD collection.
AKMD is based jointly in Chicago and Jaipur.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Both Ayush and I are designers by training, but of course, there are a slew of other responsibilities that are key in running a small business successfully. When we can, we engage outside expertise in tackling areas where we’re not as strong, though we’ve had to learn a lot on the fly.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the AKMD story. Tell us more about the business.
Both Ayush and I are makers and our design approach begins with a deep understanding of the inherent characteristics of the material and of production method — allowing the process to drive design, rather than the other way around. Our work is pragmatic and honest: the materials are presented straightforwardly, as are the mechanical connections that bind the pieces together.
Our furniture is notably free of veneer and plastics, that don’t provide the kind durability that one can expect from solid wood, cast metal, or saddle leather And although everything we offer is meticulously crafted, our pieces are comfortable and unfussy — pieces that you can live with, that will respond positively to use and age by developing a patina that reflects their history in one’s home.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think persistence is more important than luck. Everyone experiences good and bad luck in the shorter term. The people who ultimately survive in competitive creative pursuits are the ones who hang on the longest.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3403 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60651 - Website: akmdcollection.com
- Phone: (773) 394-5761
- Email: info@akmdcollection.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akmdcollection/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AKMD-164064563682827/
Image Credit:
Brian Franczyk
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