In 2013, home fashion label Buster + Punch emerged from a garage in East London, with a refreshing stance on everyday detailing and fittings that elevated them into desirable and trendy pieces.
The brand’s founder Massimo Buster Minale was renowned for his work as an architect by day and maker of custom motorcycles by night – the latter sold from the garage a few hundred yards from his London flat. His motorcycle clients began commissioning one-off interior pieces and detailing for their homes. Minale had always struggled to find premium hardware and fittings for his architecture projects for Richard Rogers and Foster & Partners and now saw a clear gap in the market.
Extraordinary attention to detail
Buster + Punch was rooted in Minale’s love of hand-crafting custom motorcycles and his passion for architecture and design. A decade after its launch, the brand is now synonymous with solid metal collections that span lighting to furniture, accessories, hardware, a bespoke kitchen and its ground-breaking electricity switches, dimmers and sockets. It has also reimagined the LED light bulb, introducing a range of new forms and softening the usual stark, bright white to a warm glow.
It’s a journey that has put hardware, detailing and fittings on par with statement pieces of furniture as key considerations for architects and interior designers when embarking on new projects. And the results are projects, from small renovations to premium builds, that are extraordinary in their attention to detail.
Three signature looks
The Buster + Punch aesthetic is defined by three signature ‘looks’, Cast, Cross or Linear, which run through its collections. Expanding the options further are the brand’s finishes, which can add more personality to homes or spaces. It’s a simple yet foolproof 1,2,3 case of choosing your look, picking the desired finish and then specifying hardware, switches, lighting and more.
Two collections in particular summon up the brand’s appeal and have powered global growth. The signature Cross Hardware Collection features a timeless and tactile cross-knurled diamond pattern while the Electricity range sees everyday interior details like light switches, dimmers and outlets turned into solid metal icons. With analogue actions reminiscent of a music producer’s soundboard and classic valve amps, they are designs that combine a clarity of design and function with solid ruggedness and reliability.
The power of detailing
The brand’s collections give architects and interior designers scope for combining products, furniture, lighting and detailing into a cohesive aesthetic. The collections can be seen across the globe in residential and contract interiors: from Michelin-starred restaurants to members-only cocktail bars, concert halls and hotels to elegant apartment renovations and alpine retreats. It’s a recipe for design that unlocks the power of good detailing as the foundation for a successful interior.
Elevated interiors
In 2023, ten years and a long way from the garage of its birth, Buster + Punch has lost none of its love for using solid metals to enhance and elevate interiors and architecture. It remains a brand with the lean, agile energy of an underground fashion label, a strong sense of identity and an attitude that’s unmistakable.