We’re all used to seeing tributes to the animals of the past in museums and textbooks, but thanks to Moooi & Arte‘s collaborative wallcoverings, we are now able to bring some of these extinct beings back to life in the comfort of our own homes.


Moooi was founded in 2001 and named after the Dutch word for beautiful. While co-founder Marcel Wanders does have significant say in the direction of the company’s artful designs, Moooi’s work is ultimately comprised of pieces by many different designers. All who collaborate are encouraged to stick to their own individual creative processes. This is where Arte, a designer and manufacturer of wallcoverings, comes into play. The two internationally renowned businesses have recently come together to pay homage to some of the beautiful and exotic animals that have sadly been lost to extinction in their “Extinct Animals Collection.”


The Extinct Animals Collection contains an array of products, including carpets, leathers, and other fabrics, but its main focus is wallcoverings. These coverings are based off of historic drawings from artists of the past. Arte’s website explains that each design is inspired by the unique beauty of a single animal, showcasing “striking combinations of colors, features, and patterns of its fur, plumage, or skin [that] bring [the animal] vividly back to life on our walls.” The animals featured in the collection range from birds like the dodo pavone and the calligraphy bird to marine life like the umbrella squid and flying coral fish. The collection also immortalizes mammals like the blushing sloth, bearded leopard, and armored boar.


There are 11 different patterns in total. Ten of these display an animal individually, while the last, the “Menagerie of Extinct Animals,” showcases them all, hiding each creature inside an elaborate jungle print set against a black backdrop. While the other designs are also heavily influenced by the characteristics of each animal, they celebrate them in a much less obvious way. The collection includes a varied assortment of coverings, some with the bright colors of the Menagerie print and some with more neutral tones and a focus on texture rather than color. The “Dodo Pavone” design is a great example of one of the collection’s more luxurious textured wallcoverings, with its 3D print made entirely from creamy suede. Made to match the natural look and feel of the bird, this pattern features soft outlines of intricate feathers.


The collection also incorporates a diversity of materials, such as suede, gauze, and foil. The design inspired by the Bearded Leopard, for instance, is lined with cork and a flock finish. The pattern mirrors the actual leopard’s coat, with colors of “pale yellow to deep gold and a dark constellation of rosebuds adorning it.”
Moooi unveiled the Extinct Animals Collection at this year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan. Though the wallcoverings are not available for purchase quite yet, the designers promise that they are coming soon.