Why are Influencers So Obsessed with this $11,000 Mirror?

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When scrolling through our feeds, it seems our favorite It-girls and It-boys have the secret tips on catching the perfect mirror selfie. The angle, the lighting, the fit, and the camera come together as the formula for capturing the selfies that rack up likes and comments that lands you a prized spot on the explore page. However these days, it seems the perfect mirror selfies from our favorites doesn’t lie in the technique, but rather in the mirror itself.

If you have Instagram, you’ve probably seen that iconic squiggly mirror in a glowing shade of cheerful pink on your feed. From Frank Ocean to Louis Vuitton’s Nicolas Ghesquière, Blackpink’s Jisoo to Elsa Hosk, the Ultrafragola mirror by the Italian design company Poltronova seems to be taking over becoming the must-have interior in the homes of all our favorite stars.

Translating to “the ultimate strawberry”, the Ultrafragola is often sold out and difficult to get your hands on. The curved mirror was initially released at Milan’s Eurodomus 3 trade show in 1970 as a design by architect Ettore Sottsass of Memphis Milano, an Italian design group. The mirror was crafted from vacuum-molded plastic and fiberglass, industrial materials that revolutionized the naturical and automotive industries but had yet to be used in interior design. The mirror has since reissued by Gustaff Westman for Poltronova for a retail price of ,500 using the original 1970 mold with the new thermoformed plastic reflector. However both designs take on Sottsass’ signature curved design which was said to mimic a woman’s form from her hair to her curves. Plus, the soft pink light flatters the skin and aesthetic of the home all-in-one. Psychologically, our brains are attracted to glowing light with warmer colors having an effect on intensifying emotions like passion and happiness, and the Ultrafragola’s radiating peachy glow is the ultimate mood-lifter. Though, influencers and their love for mirrors in their interiors isn’t new.

King Louis XIV of France innovated the idea of a hall of illuminated mirrors, the famous Hall of Mirrors in 1678 under the architect Jules Hardouin Mansart, with the intention of political, economic, and artistic advancements for his kingdom. The 357 mirrors served as a technological feat for the Louis, it was how he added a layer of status as his title of king. In the seventeenth century, mirrors were extremely rare and luxurious to have in one’s home. For the king, mirrors served as a surveillance device allowing him to view his reflection and his guest’s reflections during social events. When the king was not immediately present, his superiority was still felt as he had the financial needs to supply several mirrors imported from Venice. The mirrors were added eyes for his presence to be felt in any foreigner, visitor, and courtier.

During the Enlightenment period, the Rococo interiors became infamous for the pastel color palette and sensuous “S” curve and frivolous décor where mirrors played a central key in people’s homes, palaces, and salons. The mirror shifted from a political focus to an obsession with fashion as it became the aristocratic and bourgeois norm to renovate a room with frames and mirrors. The mirror remained a symbol of affluence, but it was not exclusive to royals because of technological advancements where commoners were soon able to have mirrors in their homes. The mirror allowed for the owner to look himself or herself at eye-level and in full length, allowing for the viewer to be fully self conscious of one’s appearance because of the mirror’s domestic use. It became a tool for voyeurism and vanity where the elite could examine one’s identity in comparison to other identities in the room.

Elsewhere on 31 Rue Cambon, the Chanel boutique and former private apartment of Gabrielle Chanel had a mirrored staircase that lead from the boutique to Chanel’s living space. Chanel arranged the mirrors along the length of the staircase to sit from the fifth step (her lucky number) as her vantage point, where she was out of view of her collections. She used the mirror as a surveillance tool to capture every detail of her runway presentation, from the movement of the clothing, the model’s posture, and reactions of guests watching the show below. The mirrors allowed for her to be in private, as it was the staircase that separated her intimate apartment to her boutique, using them as a modern camera to capture every movement at once while monitoring fashion presentations. To Chanel, the most valuable and true luxury aspect of life is to be hidden from the public eye. It’s how she made her decisions because of viewing her own and her clients perceptions. Creative Director Virginie Viard brought 26 Chanel looks for the Metiers d’Art show in 2020 with the Art Deco staircase where models descended the mirrored staircase in homage to Chanel’s code of runway presentation.

While the home item is a piece of decor, the mirror has always been about an awareness of ourselves and our self images, especially with the technological advancements of today. Mirrors with the enhancement of technology helps us achieve body perfection with fitness mirrors calling for a smarter way to watch one’s appearance while keeping fit. They have built in camera, track progress, and allow users to join in on a series of classes like yoga, cardio, and weight lifting. That means you can view yourself as you workout creating a self conscious effort to get the best workout and afterwards you are rewarded in time with a fit bod. It’s hot girl summer after all, isn’t it?

As history shows, we’ve always been obsessed with the mirror – or rather, our own image, and the Ultrafragola is our latest reflective obsession. And while the Ultrafragola has become the choice item for all our favorite celeb’s mirror selfies, it has also ushered in an era of bubbly and wiggly interior design where right angles don’t exist, only curved and plump lines (i.e. our obsession with Lex Pott Twist candles that started a TikTok movement). Sottsass’ Memphis group is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and the Ultrafragola and its iconic selfies have seemingly kickstarted a revival of Memphis group’s bold and kitchy designs over four decades later.

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createdAt:Mon, 10 May 2021 21:44:42 +0000
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