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Straits Times
11-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Home-grown designer Nathan Yong launches luxury furniture and lifestyle brand
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Nathan Home is the latest venture of renowned Singapore designer Nathan Yong, seen here with the brand's Tetris sofa. SINGAPORE – Design Within Reach. Herman Miller. Living Divani. These are all prominent international names in the world of furniture design – and Singapore's Nathan Yong has conceptualised designs for these and other global brands. Now, the 2008 President's Design Award winner has a new furniture and lifestyle brand, Nathan Home ( ), which will let Singapore customers acquire his designs online and in person. The brand offers home furnishings, including sofas and sculptural pieces. Many of the pieces can be customised, such as the Tetris sofa (from $3,950) that is made up of modular pieces. Customers can order the 'end' and 'middle' pieces in a few different sizes. Two fabric colours are available. All products are made in Malaysia by Mr Yong's factory teams, who have worked with him for the last two decades. 'They are the same factories that have been producing my designs for international brands like Herman Miller,' Mr Yong, 54, tells The Straits Times. His relationships with established brands have spanned years. American furniture company Herman Miller has been selling one of Mr Yong's designs, the Line Media Console, since 2010. Nathan Home offers a variation of that louvred design, the Line Legs Console ($4,500), in white ash or walnut. The brand's full catalogue is on its website. But most items can also be viewed in person, by appointment only, at the Nathan Home showroom at 8 Baker Street. The restored double-storey colonial house feels as serene on the inside as its isolated and verdant locale in Seletar, and was launched together with the brand in June. Finding and settling on the place took a year, says Mr Yong. Nathan Home's showroom is located in a colonial bungalow at 8 Baker Street. PHOTOS: CALEB MING 'I felt strongly about creating an environment where people can see the actual products, touch the materials, and make purchasing decisions in a very clear and peaceful manner.' With its calm, tropical vibe, Nathan Home feels like a place out of time. Likewise, the products showcased within are items the owner can grow with, rather than toss in a few years because they are out of trend. That sense of timeless harmony also describes Mr Yong's design approach and philosophy. 'I believe in design that makes your life better by making it more beautiful,' he says. Function is important, he notes, but a functional space does not make a home. 'Home should be a place of beauty and restoration, a place where you can relax and enjoy time with your loved ones,' he says. At the same time, calm and relaxed design often equates to boring and grey. Hence, the Rio sofa (from $2,610), for instance, is available in a dusky pastel pink that feels soft, playful and welcoming. The Rio sofa is available in pastel pink as well as teal, cream and grey. PHOTO: CALEB MING 'Colours do not have to be loud or jarring. It's all about balance. You can't go wrong with speckles of colour and a thoughtful mix of wood, vintage and sculptural pieces,' he points out. But one material you will not find in his designs is plastic. 'I don't like plastic. Wood, on the other hand, is trustworthy. It lasts and lasts and lasts.' Along with responsibly farmed solid wood, he also favours stone, stainless steel, leather and natural fabrics such as 100 per cent cotton – materials that are comfortable and lasting in Singapore's equatorial climate. The transportive power of home furnishing design was imprinted on him early in childhood, he says, when his mother took him to Swedish furniture retailer Ikea. 'This was in the old days, when it was located in Katong, where I grew up. It was just so completely different to anything I had seen up till then,' says Mr Yong, who describes his family as being 'very humble and very working-class'. Designer Nathan Yong's furnishings are not only functional, but also infuse a home with beauty and serenity. PHOTO: CALEB MING Mr Yong was part of the second batch of students to take the industrial design course at Temasek Polytechnic, which itself was the first of its kind in Singapore. When he graduated in 1991, he knew exactly what he wanted to do – design and build his own furniture – but realised it was an as-yet-untapped niche in Singapore. This led to his first venture, Air Division, launched in 1999. It did well, with Mr Yong's designs for the brand earning him the President's Design Award in 2008. Despite the company's success, Mr Yong was forced out in 2009 due to internal disagreement. He still considers it a personal low point. Not being one to hide away and mope, he forged ahead on his own. He built on the work that he began in Air Division, such as collaborations with international clients, including French furniture company Ligne Roset. Then, new and successful enterprises followed. Grafunkt, a furniture shop he co-founded in 2009, is going strong, and settled into its own Joo Chiat shophouse in 2024. The upscale boutique, which specialises in imported pieces, started out at shopping centres like the former Park Mall before moving to Millenia Walk and then Funa n. With the launch of Nathan Home, Mr Yong hopes to bring both fresh and established designs from his oeuvre direct to the Singapore market. Nathan Home offers both fresh and established creations from designer Nathan Yong's oeuvre. PHOTO: CALEB MING 'I don't like to stay still. I get bored easily. I think I'm just too interested in life and too curious about why people or things think or work in a certain way,' he says. 'I suppose I'm at the age where people start thinking about retirement, but there's still so much I want to do. 'Not many Singaporean or South-east Asian designers have had the same opportunities to work with international brands, and I feel a responsibility to make the most of this moment and do what I can, while I can,' he adds. Nathan Home may yet be his swansong, he says. But, for now, he is already contemplating his next design: stainless-steel floor lamps. 'I can already see the core concept in my head – I just have to get around to drawing it,' he says.
WIRED
26-06-2025
- Health
- WIRED
I Spent More Than a Month on the Anthros V2. Here's Why This Office Chair Rules
It's rare for me to keep sitting on a chair I'm reviewing well after I've given it enough testing time. Usually, I want to hop back on my Herman Miller Embody, which feels just right for my body. But the Anthros V2 has been a pleasant surprise. It's been on my radar for several months, thanks to endless Instagram marketing reels, but honestly, those just made me even more skeptical. Anthros is a newcomer to the scene, only launching the first version of the chair in 2023. It makes grand claims about improving your posture and offering better support than office stalwarts like Herman Miller. It doesn't help that the V2 chair is north of $2,000, though it seems to be on sale often enough for around $1,900. But after nearly two months of sitting, the claims hold up—I find it more supportive than almost all the chairs I've tested, and my posture has been great. The Embody still holds a place in my heart, but the Anthros V2 might be the best chair for anyone looking to sharpen up their posture, especially if you've been dealing with back pain. Pelvic Support Photograph: Julian Chokkattu The Anthros chair focuses on supporting the pelvis, not the lumbar, similar to Herman Miller's Aeron and Embody, except it gives you far more to work with when dialing in the backrest. After setting it up, I had a call with an Anthros ergonomics therapist, something that's included for every customer. The therapist looks at how you're sitting in the chair (via video call) and will make suggestions until you feel comfortable in the seat. I wish every luxe chair offered such a service. The rear knobs on the left and right of the chair control the two-part backrest system. The right knob moves the lumbar backrest forward and back, and the left knob handles the top. I haven't sat on a chair that lets you adjust the backrest to this degree, and I find it helps tailor the chair precisely to your body shape. It's the top backrest that took me a little time to get used to. On my first day in the chair, I felt a little sore because it almost felt like the chair was pushing in. In reality, there wasn't any pressure, and I started feeling my back gently resting on the backrest. It was my posture correcting itself; it felt straight as a whistle. I also appreciate the compact design, which proves that you don't need your whole back to be held up by a backrest to feel supported, much like how you don't need a headrest on an office chair if it's designed well. I spent a lot of time reclining in this chair, and my posture didn't change. You can lock the recline with the front left knob, but I kept it unlocked on the tightest tension (via the front right knob), allowing me to gently slope back. I never felt uncomfortable. That might also be due to the plush Cloudfloat seat, which is thicker than what you'll find on most high-end office chairs. My only gripe with this seat is that I found the depth lacking for my 6'4" frame. It leaves about six fingers' worth of a gap between the edge and the back of my knee, when it should ideally be two to three. It's not a deal-breaker, but I'd have liked to feel that coverage extend closer to my knee. The seat is the perfect width for me, though taller and bigger folks may find it constricting. Got Your Back Photograph: Julian Chokkattu There's a good degree of customization when purchasing the chair. You can choose between a white or black frame, add fun back panels like wood or specific designs, and opt for fabric or leather upholstery. I've been sitting on the smooth Athlon Performance fabric, which hasn't shown any signs of pilling even after nearly two months of daily use.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hit by Tariffs, U.S. Furniture-maker MillerKnoll Swings to Net Loss in Fiscal 2025
MILAN — MillerKnoll, a leading American furniture-maker known for its iconic midcentury modern designs, was hit by taxes and U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policy in its fiscal full year 2025. Despite higher sales and order growth, the firm posted a net loss after reporting a profit the year before. 'Prior to tariffs being reimposed in January, MillerKnoll had seen three consecutive quarters of order growth in the North American Contract segment. The onset of tariffs interrupted this trend in the third quarter,' the firm's chief executive officer Andi Owen explained during a conference call on Wednesday. MillerKnoll was hit by an unusually high effective tax rate of 257.6 percent in the fourth quarter. More from WWD Tariffs, Currency Top of Mind at Curated White Resort Trade Show With Consumer Confidence Sliding, Could Shoe Sales Slow Sooner Than Later? Design Miami CEO on First Event in South Korea Zeeland, Mich.-based MillerKnoll, whose portfolio includes American brands Knoll, Herman Miller, Design Within Reach and Holly Hunt, as well Copenhagen-based Muuto and textile firm Maharam, said it posted a net loss of $36.9 million in the fiscal year 2025. This figure compares to the net profit of $82.3 million it posted in the 12-month period ended June 1 a year earlier. The tax and tariff impact was more drastic in the fourth quarter. The firm posted a net loss of $57.1 million in the three-month period, compared to a profit of $9.9 million. For the fiscal year ended May 31, net sales inched up to $3.67 billion versus $3.63 billion. Its loss before income taxes and equity income was $21.9 million compared a profit of $99.7 million a year earlier. Operating margin narrowed to 1.4 percent compared to 4.6 percent in the prior year. MillerKnoll expects the tariff effect to continue in the near-term though the company plans to continue to offset this in part through its ongoing pricing strategy, said chief financial officer Jeff Stutz. In anticipation of the Trump-imposed tariffs MillerKnoll had already announced a 4.5 percent list price increase, which came into effect June 2. 'Given the volume of orders pulled forward ahead of our price surcharge and the normal time it takes to begin benefiting from list price changes in our contract businesses, we expect margins to be negatively impacted in the near term by tariffs currently in place, but remain confident, our pricing actions will offset these later in the fiscal 2026,' he said. U.S. companies across the board are changing their pricing strategy in response to rising tariffs. A report from software company 7thonline, shared with Sourcing Journal this month, showed that 35 percent of retail executives said that, in response to a tariff increase they would adjust product pricing. Already, one-quarter of executives said they are managing tariffs by passing the cost to the consumer; while some retailers, like Walmart, have been transparent about their plans to hike prices, others have stayed quiet. Other retailers have taken a different route — 22 percent of those surveyed said their companies have absorbed added costs affiliated with tariffs. MillerKnoll was positive on its performance in the fourth quarter, despite the net loss. Its adjusted earnings per share, which exclude these one-time impacts, beat expectations. Its adjusted EPS was $0.60, $0.25 above the consensus estimate, the company said. MillerKnoll came to be after fellow U.S. heritage brand Herman Miller bought Knoll in 2021. It is listed on Nasdaq. Owen added that despite obstacles, the firm remains focused on opening stores. In fiscal 2025, Miller Knoll opened four retail stores: two DWR (Design Within Reach) stores in Palm Springs, Calif., and Paramus, N.J., and two Herman Miller stores in Fairfax, Va., and Coral Gables, Fla. Earlier this month, the American furniture company cut the ribbon on a 12,000-square-foot archive space located at its Michigan Design Yard Headquarters in the city of Holland, bringing to the fore a new space that celebrates its role in American midcentury design. During Design Days 2025 in June, MillerKnoll unveiled a new Chicago flagship, which is indicative of its evolving retail strategy. For the first time in Chicago, Herman Miller and Knoll came together in a 70,000-square-foot space situated inside the city's Fulton Market, alongside other MillerKnoll brands like DatesWeiser and Geiger, as well as a reimagined Herman Miller retail experience and a materials lab featuring Edelman, Knoll Textiles and Maharam. Due to an unpredictable macroeconomic situation, the firm was cautious on guidance, noting that it would only issue first-quarter forecasts for the time being. 'Even what remains a rather volatile environment with respect to tariff policies and geopolitical issues around the world, we are limiting our guidance this quarter to the first quarter only. We do, however, remain committed to being transparent and resuming our full-year outlook for sales and earnings as visibility improves,' Stutz said, adding that tariff related costs could reduce earnings in the first quarter by between $9 million and $11 million before taxes. MillerKnoll sees first quarter net sales in the range of $899 million to $939 million, up 6.7 percent versus the prior year at the midpoint of $919 million. Gross margin is expected to range from 37.1 percent to 38.1 percent. Adjusted operating expenses are expected to range from $290 million to $300 million, while adjusted diluted earnings per share are expected to range between $0.32 and $0.38. Tariffs introduced by Trump have impacted U.S. furniture and textile firms across the board. MillerKnoll said about 17 to 19 percent of all of its consolidated cost of goods sold are imported into the U.S. from other countries. Fellow American furniture firm RH said earlier this month that it sees tariff-induced disruptions negatively impacting its revenues by about 6 points in the second quarter and expects to recover in the second half of its fiscal year. Looking ahead, MillerKnoll also sees tariff pressures easing. 'We expect the impact from the tariff-related cost to decrease over time as our pricing actions layer into the results. Further, we believe our collective mitigation actions to fully offset these costs as we move into the second half of the fiscal year,' Stutz said. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
WIRED
26-06-2025
- Health
- WIRED
Anthros Chair V2 Review: Surprisingly Great
It's rare for me to keep sitting on a chair I'm reviewing well after I've given it enough testing time. Usually, I want to hop back on my Herman Miller Embody, which feels just right for my body. But the Anthros V2 has been a pleasant surprise. It's been on my radar for several months, thanks to endless Instagram marketing reels, but honestly, those just made me even more skeptical. Anthros is a newcomer to the scene, only launching the first version of the chair in 2023. It makes grand claims about improving your posture and offering better support than office stalwarts like Herman Miller. It doesn't help that the V2 chair is north of $2,000, though it seems to be on sale often enough for around $1,900. But after nearly two months of sitting, the claims hold up—I find it more supportive than almost all the chairs I've tested, and my posture has been great. The Embody still holds a place in my heart, but the Anthros V2 might be the best chair for anyone looking to sharpen up their posture, especially if you've been dealing with back pain. Pelvic Support Photograph: Julian Chokkattu The Anthros chair focuses on supporting the pelvis, not the lumbar, similar to Herman Miller's Aeron and Embody, except it gives you far more to work with when dialing in the backrest. After setting it up, I had a call with an Anthros ergonomics therapist, something that's included for every customer. The therapist looks at how you're sitting in the chair (via video call) and will make suggestions until you feel comfortable in the seat. I wish every luxe chair offered such a service. The rear knobs on the left and right of the chair control the two-part backrest system. The right knob moves the lumbar backrest forward and back, and the left knob handles the top. I haven't sat on a chair that lets you adjust the backrest to this degree, and I find it helps tailor the chair precisely to your body shape. It's the top backrest that took me a little time to get used to. On my first day in the chair, I felt a little sore because it almost felt like the chair was pushing in. In reality, there wasn't any pressure, and I started feeling my back gently resting on the backrest. It was my posture correcting itself; it felt straight as a whistle. I also appreciate the compact design, which proves that you don't need your whole back to be held up by a backrest to feel supported, much like how you don't need a headrest on an office chair if it's designed well. I spent a lot of time reclining in this chair, and my posture didn't change. You can lock the recline with the front left knob, but I kept it unlocked on the tightest tension (via the front right knob), allowing me to gently slope back. I never felt uncomfortable. That might also be due to the plush Cloudfloat seat, which is thicker than what you'll find on most high-end office chairs. My only gripe with this seat is that I found the depth lacking for my 6'4" frame. It leaves about six fingers' worth of a gap between the edge and the back of my knee, when it should ideally be two to three. It's not a deal-breaker, but I'd have liked to feel that coverage extend closer to my knee. The seat is the perfect width for me, though taller and bigger folks may find it constricting. Got Your Back Photograph: Julian Chokkattu There's a good degree of customization when purchasing the chair. You can choose between a white or black frame, add fun back panels like wood or specific designs, and opt for fabric or leather upholstery. I've been sitting on the smooth Athlon Performance fabric, which hasn't shown any signs of pilling even after nearly two months of daily use.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MillerKnoll, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2025 Results
ZEELAND, Mich., June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MillerKnoll Inc. (NASDAQ: MLKN), a growth-oriented small-cap value company in the industrial and consumer sectors, today reported results for the fourth quarter fiscal 2025 ended May 31, 2025. Visit the Company's investor relations website to view the earnings release. At 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time today, MillerKnoll will hold a conference call and webcast to discuss fourth quarter results. Participants may access the conference call live via webcast on the Company's investor relations website. Alternatively, participants may access the conference call live via telephone by dialing: USA / International Toll: +1 (646) 307-1963 or USA / Toll-Free: (800) 715-9871. The conference identification number is 2466570. An online archive of the webcast will be available on the Company's investor relations website within 24 hours. About MillerKnoll MillerKnoll is a global collective of design brands built on the foundation of two icons of modernism: Herman Miller and Knoll. The portfolio also includes furniture and accessories for commercial and residential spaces from Colebrook Bosson Saunders, DatesWeiser, Design Within Reach, Edelman, Geiger, HAY, HOLLY HUNT, Knoll Textiles, Maharam, Muuto, NaughtOne, and Spinneybeck | FilzFelt. Guided by a shared purpose—design for the good of humankind—MillerKnoll generates insights, pioneers innovations, and champions ideas to better align spaces with how people live, work, and gather. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE MillerKnoll
