Samsung links up with Swedish jewellery brand Louis Abel on an accessory that elevates its latest flip phone into a covetable fashion piece

There’s something pleasing about a flip phone. Just ask Jimmy Loutfi, creative director of buzzy Swedish jewellery brand Louis Abel. “For me, the flip phone brings back nostalgia from growing up during the evolution of mobile phones,” he says. “It reintroduces that physical interaction—you’re not just tapping a screen; you’re engaging with the device in a way that feels more personal.”

Given this appreciation for the tactile nature of the flip phone, when South Korean tech company Samsung approached Loutfi and his team at Louis Abel with the ambition of doing something unique, it was an intriguing proposition. It was more intriguing still given that the worlds of Samsung and Louis Abel are, at first glance, so seemingly disparate. “How do you take refined tech and infuse it with the craftsmanship and emotion that defines Louis Abel?” muses Loutfi. “That conversation between innovation and artistry is what drew me in.”

The answer came by way of the Korean concept of ‘Inyeon’. Whilst the concept explores the invisible bonds that exist between people, this project highlights the invisible bond between technology and fashion. “Inyeon speaks to the idea that certain relationships between people are meant to happen, that some souls are connected across lifetimes, carrying a significance beyond what we can see,” says Loutfi. “This concept really moved me when I first encountered it, and I wanted to honour Samsung’s rich Korean heritage by crafting an accessory inspired by this idea.”

The result is the limited edition Inyeon case for the Galaxy Z Flip6; a silver ring realised in Louis Abel’s signature, textured organic aesthetic that affixes to the case, instantly transforming the piece of technology into a natural extension of the hand. According to Loutfi, the piece both showcases Louis Abel’s design language whilst “introducing it in a new context”. Releasing today in an edition of 75, the accessory is available via Louis Abel’s website as well as at their limited Stockholm pop-up at Sankt Paulsgatan 22.

For Samsung, pushing the boundaries of technology is nothing new. To that end, collaborating with Louis Abel on a piece that renders this new phone a covetable fashion accessory is characteristically outside-the-box. “We’re always looking to push the boundaries of what technology can achieve, and this collaboration with Louis Abel allows us to explore the intersection of style and innovation,” says Samsung’s Anders Elmby. “This partnership merges the worlds of fashion and technology, bringing together Swedish minimalism and Samsung's Korean innovation – a combination that is unique and exciting.”

Connecting a physical object to a matter of ancient philosophy comes naturally to Loutfi. “At Louis Abel, my work centres on crafting narratives that inspire reflection and emotion,” he says. “Through this collaboration, I had the opportunity to explore a meaningful aspect of Korean philosophy.” A flip phone has never been so poetic.

The Louis Abel x Samsung accessory is available via Louis Abel’s website as well as at their limited Stockholm pop-up at Sankt Paulsgatan 22.