Evan Clabots studied at both the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and the University of Art and Design in Helsinki (TAIK) in Finland. Before finishing his studies, he had received the Gersh Abraham Award for Design Excellence from Swingline and had licensed a product with IKEA.
In 2004, he joined the NYC based studio, Dror. As the first hire of the fledgling studio, Clabots headed both the Product Design and Interior Design departments. During his time at Dror he designed products for clients including Alessi, Boffi, Cappelini, Puma, Swarovski, and Target, and designed commercial interiors for Levi’s Footwear, Creative Recreation, and NYC fashion retailer Atrium. His work at Dror has been recognized twice with the Good Design award from the Chicago Athenaeum and featured at La Triennale di Design Milan.
In 2010, Clabots founded Nonlinear Studio, a multidisciplinary creative studio offering a broad range of services including product design, furniture design, interior design, brand identity and art direction. Nonlinear is focused on using the creative process as a brand development tool, understanding the interrelation of branding, design and media reach. The studio has worked for clients including Ralph Lauren, NBC, Mother Industries, and Ikon3.
For Clabots, design is a process of developing a complete story. Form no longer follows function. Instead, there is an interconnected play between what something looks like, how it works and how it interacts with someone’s life. His process is driven by the question of “why something is?”, not “what something is?”. Each defining element in his work acts in context with the other. Together they form a cohesive and compelling narrative. View more previous work at www.evanclabots.com
Previous Work
CAPPELLINI PEACOCK CHAIR
Client: Cappellini, work done at Dror
The chair consists of two layers of 1/4” industrial weight felt woven onto a steel frame. The sections of felt are circular and when woven onto the frame, create a radial pattern reminiscent of a peacocks’s feathers. Clabots roles: design development, engineering, production of design documents, design review, and project management.
Dror for Tumi
Client: Tumi, work done at Dror
The Dror for Tumi Collection features luggage that transforms to meet the modern business traveler’s ever changing needs. It includes a hard case carry-on that expands with a revolutionary living hinge and a backpack that easily transforms into a tote. Clabots roles: involvement in creation of concept, design development, and engineering.
+/- BATHROOM CABINET
Client: Boffi, work done at Dror
Rotating from horizontal to vertical it allows access to the products inside while providing a larger vertical mirror. When closed, you hide the products and create clean uncluttered aesthetic. Clabots roles: involvement in creation of concept, design development, engineering, production of design documents, design review, and project management.
SWAROVSKI FLOOR CHANDILIER
Client: Swarovski, work done at Dror
The chandelier from the ceiling to the floor in this custom chandilier for Swarovski. Sweeping parabolas are created from a woven grid of clear strands holding 6,400 Swarovski crystals. Clabots roles: involvement in creation of concept, design development, engineering, production of design documents, design review, and project management.
“STACK” BOOKCASE
Client: Target, work done at Dror
The “Stack” Bookcase is a series of trapezoidal boxes hat come nested, one inside of the other. They can be stacked vertically, linked in series or configured in and desired composition, giving the guest the ability to customize the shelf to their space and needs. Clabots roles: involvement in creation of concept, design development, engineering, production of design documents, design review, and project management.
“TILT” LAMP
Client: Target, work done at Dror
The “Tilt” lamp transforms from a decorative stick lamp to a useful task lamp with a simple mechanism. The simple mechanism was derived from the parallel tray that lift out of a tack box. This allows for an engaging interaction at a low production cost. Clabots roles: involvement in creation of concept, design development, engineering, production of design documents, design review, and project management.
CONCEPT SHOE FOR PUMA
Client: Puma, work done at Dror
The shoe was developed around people’s misuse of sneakers, taking off their shoes by stepping on the back of the shoe with the opposite foot. Clabots roles: involvement in creation of concept, design development, engineering, production of design documents, design review, and project management.
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CREATIVE RECREATION SOHO SHOWROOM
Client: Creative Recreation, work done at Dror
For the Creative Recreation showroom the objective was to reflect the essence or the Creative Recreation sneaker in the design of the interior space. Clabots roles: involvement in creation of concept, design development, engineering, production of design documents, design review, and project management.
LEVI’S FIFTH AVENUE SHOWROOM
Client: Levi’s Footwear, work done at Dror
The showroom highlights the newly launched footwear brand, which opened early 2006, located on Fifth Avenue in NYC. Clabots roles: involvement in creation of concept, design development, engineering, production of design documents, design review, and project management.