A Form of Recognition

Fullord is honoured to contribute to the Santa Barbara Literary Festival, taking place from May 1 to 3, through the creation of its official awards.

Founded by Sandrine Thibault, the festival celebrates literary excellence and the power of the written word, bringing together voices, ideas, and cultures. In this context, Fullord was invited to design four unique pieces, imagined by Creative Director and Founder, Sandrine Thibaud, and crafted in the House’s own manufacture.

Conceived as more than an award, each piece is envisioned as a work of art, expressing the deeper values of literature and creation. Drawing from her personal journey, Sandrine Thibaud brings together multiple symbolic elements into a single, unified form. The concave flame rises upward, evoking both freedom and the elevation of thought. It reflects ideas in motion, ascending towards something greater, while also suggesting the vastness and limits of human knowledge. Its presence carries a sense of power, eternity, and aspiration.

At its core, a golden plume emerges, symbolizing the writer’s voice. As an extension of thought, it bridges the inner world and the written word, embodying creativity, transmission, and freedom of expression. The use of gold reinforces this dimension, long associated with knowledge, consciousness, and a deeper, more spiritual form of richness.

The materiality of the piece grounds this upward movement. Olive wood, known for its longevity and resilience, connects the work to the earth, carrying meanings of wisdom, fidelity, and abundance. It anchors the object in a sense of continuity and rootedness. At the tip of the plume, a subtle reference to the Masai spear completes the composition. A symbol of protection and strength, it reflects a personal connection to Sandrine Thibaud’s origins, while introducing a final gesture of balance within the form.

Created as four distinct pieces, these awards reflect a dialogue between literature and design. Like the written word, they give form to what is often intangible, offering a lasting expression of thought, emotion, and meaning. A form that does not conclude but invites each reader to continue the story.