CHRISTIAN LOPEZ SWAFFORD  / FOUNDER 

Christian Lopez Swafford, (b. 1981, Washington, D.C.) work reconciles the traditional lyricality of European and Amerindian aesthetics with the pragmatism of the Information Age. Combining disparate styles and histories is a practice at which he is expressly adept. Raised in Washington, D.C., he spent much of his childhood in Oaxaca with his mother, a painter who encouraged Swafford to immerse himself in the rich artistic legacy of Mexican culture; meanwhile, his father, an American software engineer, was pioneering business applications of systems information storage during the early years of personal computers. Years later, Swafford went on to earn his BFA from Parsons The New School for Design in New York, where he studied the implications of art and design in the implementation of—and advocacy for—social issues. Today, in addition to his work with Material Lust, Swafford works with those just emerging into the world of design, as a teacher and lecturer at his alma mater.

Parsons School of Design, New York, Instructor, 2009- PRESENT

Studio Sofield, New York, Head Product Designer, 2011-2013

Aero Studios, New York, Product Designer, 2009-2011

Boym Partners, Freelance Designer, 2008-2009

Parsons School of Design, New York, BFA Product Design, 2004-2008

LAUREN LARSON  / CO FOUNDER

Lauren Larson (b. 1986, Portland, OR) merging a fine arts background (nurtured in large part by her mother, an american painter), with rigorous academic design training, her work is concurrently soft and striking, assertive and enigmatic. Larson earned her BFA from Parsons The New School for Design, where she received the award for Outstanding Design Achievement in 2008.

Marc Jacobs International / JGA, New York, Interiors Director, 2012-2013

Victoria Hagan Interiors, New York, Designer, 2008-2011

Skidmore Owings and Merrill, New York, Internship, 2005-2006

Parsons School of Design, New York, BFA Interior Design, 2004-2008

MATERIAL LUST (American b.1981,1986)

Dark horse disciples of art and design, Material Lust (Christian Swafford and Lauren Larson) abide by a Solitarian philosophy, wholly independent of trend, trajectory, or corporate system. Though their work draws on myriad influences—the guidance of their artist mothers; the old-world methods of the master artisans with whom they partner in Florence, Italy; and a will to upend the commercial and conventional—their intent remains sharply focused. Through preservation of time-honored technique and an uncompromising commitment to forward-thinking design, Swafford and Larson honor the dignity in the ominous, the grotesque, and the oft-forgotten; pushing the bounds of what deserves to be seen.

In spring 2016, Material Lust opened the Annex, a collaborative space that is an evolving extension of the brand’s vision to bring radical design to the forefront—and one that redefines the concept of a Total Work of Art. 2019 marked the sixth year for the studio in their work-live loft in Soho, New York.

In addition to furniture and textile design, the pair bring over ten years of experience to Creative Consulting, Art Direction, Product Design and Interiors, working regularly with clients seeking bold and unorthodox methods of developing their brands, products, or spaces. 

“Mixing art and design practices under one roof, a New York based duo hits their stride” - ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST

"If design has a dark side, Lauren Larson and Christian Swafford are it."- ARTSY 30 EMERGING ARTIST TO WATCH

“It was evident that the depth of their shared artistry is synced perfectly – like a sixth sense that only they can tap into... If the world hasn't already taken notice, it will soon realize that we are living amongst two design greats that will go down in the annals of history. The ultimate power couple...”- KNSTRCT

“Like the alacritous compositions of the Futurists in the context of the careful Impressionists, there is something extremist about Material Lust’s forms, and it is this unsettling effect that the designers seem to covet.”- COOL HUNTING

For all INQUIRES please email info@material-lust.com.
For all PRESS inquiries please email NES CREATIVE natalie@nescreativeservices.com.