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Style beyond time
Written by: Štěpánka Strouhalová
Photo by: Archiv & Věroslav Sixt (Aroma ritual)

	Jan Lexa & Alena Lexová

The enlightened activities of the husband-and-wife architect team of Alena and Jan Lexa has, over the course of a decade, become Fast, ranking among the very best furniture designers in Europe.

IN 1990, when the thirst for less traditional interiors was on the rise, these fresh young graduates of the Czech Institute of Technology struck out on their own, and had the good luck to meet a similarly enlightened manufacturer, Josef Faltýnek, who was willing to experiment and set quality as a benchmark. The Lexas created a limited collection of furniture, then gradually increased their focus on designing customized interiors. "We were trying to make furniture simple, functional, and mainly something we could manage to produce," Alena explains. As time passed they forged their own unmistakable hallmark: high quality veneered and solid-wood furniture that incorporates metal parts and reflects European trends. "Our furniture is highly adapted to its function, so it's easy to live with. We don't tend to go to extremes, and we're not trying to set off any trends, even though there are a few exceptions," explains Jan.
Timeless designs account for the lion's share of their production - furniture that looks good under varying circumstances, in confrontation with the modern environment and historical style. "We enjoy a certain playfulness and quick wit that lies unobtrusive, which makes it all the more surprising. For example, I'm picturing a chiffonier with hidden drawers, or an extendable conference table that easily converts into a dining table," Alena says.
Some advantages of limited-collection production are great flexibility and adaptability to customer demands. "Furthermore, limited collection production allows us to include specific details and focus on the look," Jan adds. The Fast brand has earned several awards for "good" and "outstanding" design from the Czech Republic Design Center, along with several journalism prizes on the occasion of the Art&Interior exhibitions.

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