Like Tides, Royal Botania, and B & B Italia, Skyline Design is an industry standard in outdoor furnishings. Known for their rare fusion of durability and luxury, Skyline ascended to the top ranks of the outdoor niche rather hurriedly (launched in Europe and Asia in 2000, their U.S. presence humbly dates back to “07). To what may we attribute this semi-meteoric rise?

Resin Wicker furniture collection. Manufactured by Skyline Designs.

The answer is three-fold: a recognizable aesthetic (streamlined and linear), a singular construction philosophy (hand-woven fibers on aluminum frames), and a marked technological bent. And while Skyline’s propensity for the rather antiseptic sounding “ViroTM,” “Raucord by Rehau,” and “Ecoplast,” may not immediately engage the neural pathways of left-brained types, these cutting-edge synthetic fibers are nevertheless the crucial ingredient in a winning recipe for “lightweight, chemical and UV resistant, all-weather proof, high-tensile strength furniture that is safe for the environment and 100% recyclable.” Each of the aforementioned and enigmatically-named fibers are the branded offspring of a new concept in furnishings for patio and pool. “Outdoor resin wicker furniture”—most commonly made of the color friendly, non-staining, UV/weather-resistant, and eminently durable wunderkind called polyethylene—is a far remove from classical palm wicker. And while I suspect some purists out there might take exception, resin wicker is nearly identical in appearance to palm: it can be woven in the same fashion, thus preserving the signature summer look, yet will not fade or degrade in the elements. The proof of this particular pudding manifests as Skyline’s line-up of virtually indestructible outdoor rooms: “Brando” has a decidedly Colonial look, much as one might have expected from the gargantuan actor who had the moxie to purchase his own exclusive island; “Corona” is a bit on the whimsical side, its profusion of spheroids and ovoids evocative of the iridescent nimbus that often rings celestial bodies; and “Althea” (a tribute to the vengeful mother of Jason and the Argonauts fame) is spare and severe yet undeniably alluring, very like its namesake.

In keeping with the aim of keeping up with the Joneses, Skyline continues its pioneering research into systems technology. New this year and certain to be on everyone’s radar (and beneath everyone’s butt) at #NeoCon09 is the High Performance Outdoor Cushion. Manufactured in partnership with Over and Under, the HPOC is a fortuitous synthesis of the water and sun repellent Sunbrella Next Generation Fabric, Dri-Fast/EZ Dri flow thru foam, a Sta-Dry inner liner, and Gore Tenara lifetime sewing thread. Admittedly, when broken down into its composite parts, Skyline’s new super cushion begins to sound a bit like a Frankenstein’s Monster amalgam of the haut monde in outdoor furniture. But unlike Mary Shelly’s gift to humanity, this particular creature is not only hyper-intelligent and surpassingly strong, but possessed of ravishing beauty to boot.

Sample some of Skyline’s outdoor schemes—featuring the new High Performance Outdoor Cushion—at #NeoCon09, June 15-17.