In the US some call him the King of Rugs. His name is Michael Christie, and he is a leading American carpet journalist, blogger of ‘The Ruggist’ and, since the Fall of 2017, Editor of Rug Insider. He was also a speaker during the panel discussion at Domotex 2018 about trends in interior design.

Last week we had the chance to meet and to spend some time with him here at Aquafil’s headquarter in Italy. We invited him to present us “For the love of carpets”, a photo-illustrated presentation which chronicles the modern decorative carpet revolution from its inception in the later half of the nineteen-eighties up through the present. Spanning approximately thirty years of carpet design and manufacture, the presentation rhetorically asks ‘What makes a great carpet?’ and ‘How do I use modern carpets?’.

Brace yourselves fellow rug aficionados, I’m about to write the word: ‘Nylon’ 🤫 All levity aside did you know there are variants of the material/fibre that are capable of being fully recycled, recreated and remoulded again and again? I had no idea but in a week I’ll be visiting with Aquafil in Italy to learn more about the firm’s @econylbrand regenerated nylon – including of course its applications in the rug, carpet, and broadloom world. As I quoted in the ‘Summer 2018 | Mid-Century Modern’ issue of @ruginsider: ‘Sell your expertise and you have a limited repertoire. Sell your ignorance and you have an unlimited repertoire. He was selling his ignorance and his desire to learn about a subject. The journey of not knowing to knowing was his work.’ — Richard Saul Wurman on Charles Eames. Watch out world I’m on a journey from ignorance to knowledge with the intent to sell!! Image courtesy of @econylbrand #rugs #carpets #broadloom #nylon #recycle #color #colour #design #interior #interiors #interiordesign #knowledgeispower #fortheloveofcarpets #ontour

Un post condiviso da The Ruggist (@theruggist) in data:

We fell in love with the carpet designs presented and the approach of Michael to the study of the never-ending cycles of trends and designs in rugs.

If you still don’t know ‚The Ruggist‘ here is a short interview where we talk about his very first carpet, his favorite rugs and trends.