Inalpe Throw: A New Perspective on the Swiss Poya
Why return to the Poya after already dedicating a creation to it?
That is precisely the question I asked myself when imagining the Inalpe throw.
The Poya is one of those Swiss traditions we recognise instantly. The herds, chalets, trees, figures and mountain paths form a familiar world, deeply rooted in life in the alpine pastures.
I had already explored this world with La Poya Edition, as part of our Swiss Identity collection.
With the Inalpe Edition, I wanted to return to it and see where a different perspective might lead.
Poya and Inalpe: One Inspiration, Two Interpretations
The connection between La Poya throw and Inalpe throw is intentional.
The name Inalpe itself reflects this connection. Like Poya, it evokes the tradition of taking the herds up to the alpine pastures and the Swiss imagery that surrounds it.
Place the two throws side by side and their shared roots immediately become apparent. Herds, chalets, trees and scenes of alpine life appear throughout both designs.
Then the eye lingers.
And two distinct personalities begin to emerge.
La Poya throw has a highly structured composition. The scenes unfold almost like the pages of a story. Figures play an important role, chalets give rhythm to the composition, and the central scene brings together several references to Swiss life and traditions.
The Inalpe throw leads the eye elsewhere.
Nature takes on a greater presence. Paths guide the herds across the contours of the landscape, trees shape the scenery and chalets seem to settle naturally within it.
Inalpe, a Landscape for the Eye to Explore
In the design of the Inalpe throw, I particularly like the way the eye can choose its own path.
It can follow a herd, move through the trees, discover a chalet along the way, then return to the centre of the composition.
At its heart, a large bouquet draws the eye.
To me, it evokes alpine flowers and the richness of the vegetation that accompanies the warmer season in the mountains. Its delicacy contrasts with the silhouettes of the herds and creates a sense of space at the centre of the design.
Around it, the different scenes seem to unfold.
This construction gives the Inalpe Edition a more organic composition. The landscape takes over from the figures, creating a gentler rhythm shaped by curves, vegetation and details that gradually reveal themselves.
Two Orientations, Two Ways of Reading the Design
The orientation of the design also shapes the way it reveals itself.
For La Poya Edition, we chose a composition that unfolds vertically. The scenes follow one another as the eye moves through the design, almost like different moments in a story.
With the Inalpe Edition, I wanted to open the design across its width.
This creates a different reading. The eye follows the paths, crosses the contours of the land and moves alongside the herds through the landscape. Nature is given more space, and the composition seems to open up with it.
I like the way this change offers a new reading of an inspiration they both share.
In La Poya Edition, the vertical composition accompanies the succession of scenes. In the Inalpe Edition, the horizontal composition invites the eye to travel more freely through the landscape.
Two Nuances, Two Sensibilities
The difference between La Poya throw and the Inalpe throw also comes through a very precise exploration of nuance.
For me, the choice of nuance is an integral part of the design. A slightly warmer, softer or more mineral tone can change the perception of the entire composition.
For La Poya Edition, we chose a grey with a strong character. Its contrast with the white defines the silhouettes and gives the composition its graphic strength.
With the Inalpe Edition, I wanted to introduce a different sensibility.
We therefore explored shades of beige in search of a soft, natural nuance with just enough presence to reveal the design.
The final nuance sits somewhere between sand and subtly mineral tones. Depending on the light and the materials around it, it reveals different depths within the design.
This work on nuance changes the perception of the whole composition. On the Inalpe throw, the trees appear more delicate, the curves of the landscape feel softer and the central bouquet takes on a distinctive presence.
This is perhaps where La Poya throw and the Inalpe throw express their individual personalities most clearly: one inspiration, shaped by two explorations of nuance and two different sensibilities.
A Swiss Tradition Seen Differently
Creating the Inalpe throw after La Poya throw allowed me to return to a familiar world with a fresh perspective.
I wanted to continue this story through the landscape, the design and, above all, the exploration of nuance that gives the Inalpe Edition its own sensibility.
Poya and Inalpe draw from the same roots, yet offer two different perspectives on the mountains.
That is what I enjoy about this new creation.
I hope you will enjoy discovering Inalpe in turn, exploring its nuances and all the details that make up its story.
François Viñas
Comments