Just the dose of color we need, RADCAT, a new lifestyle brand born in Beirut, brings fluffiness and vibrancy to our homes.
The home décor and accessories brand was founded by three friends; graphic designer and illustrator Nour now head designer of RADCAT, Ziad who is new to design and perfected the craft of tufting and candle making on the job, and Isabella, a fashion design graduate and textile artist, who designs products and creates social content for RADCAT. ‘Everything that we learned, we did through extensive research, YouTube and most importantly trial and error.‘ The trio started making their own candles in the spring of 2019 as a fun way to escape the surrounding chaos, during the economic crisis that hit Lebanon coupled by the global pandemic. With the tough situation in the country, they were at first hesitant to launch their brand, however ‘just like cats who somehow always manage to land on their feet after a fall,’ they went ahead and created RADCAT, a feisty, cozy, fun-spirited brand that adds a touch of playfulness to every day things. Colorful tufted mirrors, cozy rugs and sunny coaster sets are designed as individual décor elements or combined in a collection, and can also be customized. The trio molds soy wax mango gardenia, strawberry cheesecake or crème brulée scented candles, incense holders and pots into fun pastel ‘Meow’ kitty cats, ice cream cones or a Medusa, and introduces new products as they go along such as their tufted bottle holders.
Picking colorful yarns, sketching, outlining, tufting, cutting and trimming, the trio likes to keep the design process simple and fun, ‘to leave room for happy accidents.’ When Ziad tells us his favorite product is the hand shaped incense holder, the very first object they created that was not a candle, Isabella remembers ‘Nour’s hand was molded in silicone and we had absolutely no idea if it was going to work or not. She had to sit still for about thirty minutes only to realize that her hand wasn’t positioned correctly. We had to repeat it a few times to get it right, and it was honestly worth it!’ From her side, Nour has a penchant for the Sunset tufted coasters that she keeps on the bedside table for her morning coffee cup but also to place her rings when she takes them off. The young entrepreneurs try to keep an ethical approach when designing and producing their collections; they use eco-friendly materials such as 100% natural & vegan soy wax, linen and cotton wicks, and keep scrap fabrics and yarns to repurpose them later. The three cat lovers tell us to stay prepared for new launches; ‘there are no limits to what we want and can create.’ Already they are working on new collaborations ‘two very special projects we’re so excited about. One is with a super cool sustainable swimwear brand and the other a fashion designer we really admire!’ From home small décor elements to big dreams, the trio invites us on a bright-colored journey in the comfort of our home.
Photo credits: Lara Zankoul
