Swedish designer Simon Skinner’s latest project was born out of both love and frustration. The latter came as a result of the lack of grooming products for Black hair available in his native Stockholm.
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Dubbed ‘Syntax’, the design project focuses on the afro pick; an object that goes beyond the functionality of a comb and has come to be symbolic of strength and pride in the Black community. An inherently personal project for Skinner, Syntax reimagines the afro pick as a work of art, with the collection comprising eight sculptural pieces. Inspired by antique combs composed of bone, the afro picks in Syntax take on both vintage and futuristic tones, rendered in aluminium and colourful translucent materials. With the exception of the aluminium version, each of the combs and afro picks are handmade.
Each afro pick and comb has its own unique identity. Ceremony is inspired by the first archaeological excavations of ivory thousands of years ago, while Spine is a futuristic take on old combs crafted from bone. Femi, a wavy aluminium comb, is inspired by the fluidity and diversity and is now part of the permanent collection at Nationalmuseum, Stockholm.
Perhaps the most personal of the collection is Afrospecialist: dedicated to Skinner’s personal barber, it tells the tale of how barbershops around the world provide communities with a blend of culture, friendship, and conversation that transcends the boundaries of hair.
The Syntax collection is available via Simon Skinner’s webstore.
Words by Theo Rosen
