Anna Castelli Ferrieri (1920-2006)

August 6th marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of the Italian architect, designer and Kartell co-founder Anna Castelli Ferrieri.

Despite initial flirtations with modernism, including a trip to Paris to visit Le Corbusier, the young Anna Castelli Ferrieri was drawn ever more to the Italian neo-rationalism  - especially that practiced by Franco Albini.

And although Kartell products may not be physically reminiscent of the work of Albini, the ethos behind the company and its approach to design are clearly rooted in Albini’s mix of traditional Italian design combined with modern approaches and affordable materials.

In addition to helping establish the golden era contemporary Italian design in the 1960s and 1970s as characterized by the likes of Joe Colombo or Ettore Sottsass,  Anna Castelli Ferrieri also contributed to the Italian design canon with her 1969 Componibili modular storage system; a system that remains a classic of contemporary Italian design.

From 1976 until her retirement in 1987 Anna Castelli Ferrieri served as artistic director by Kartell and oversaw the establishment of Kartell at the forefront of the development and utilization of modern plastics in product design.

Anna Castelli Ferrieri died on June 22nd 2006 aged 87.

Componibili by Anna Castelli Ferrieri for Kartell

Finally a good use for designer jeans.....

The other week we briefly swapped our designer chairs for designer jeans, our crazy student sideboards for crazy student hats and and our designer bookcases for designer handbags: It was Berlin Fashion Week.

The short busman’s holiday in the German capital was principally concerned with a new, and still relatively secret, project but we also wanted to take the opportunity to compare and contrast the designer furniture and designer clothes industries.

Sure they are both about brands, star designers and market share.

But what we miss in the designer clothing industry is the innovation.

WHAT scream an offended ostentation of materials engineers in our direction.
Sorry. You MISS the INNOVATION!!!!

OK, badly explained.

Sponn chair by Antonio Citterio and Toan Nguyen for Kartell. As seen during Berlin Fashion Week

Aside from new materials, we miss the innovation.

A pair of jeans are a pair jeans regardless of where the pockets are.

Which makes the launch of most “new ” jeans simply presentation over substance.

“These jeans are good because they were designed by her that used to be in that band that were formed in that reality show!!!”

“These jeans are better than those jeans because these are straighter cut. And stop at the ankle”

If you think we over-exaggerate just ask yourself why the editors of fashion magazines are celebrities in their own right and the editors of design magazines are well paid specialist journalists?

The devil may sit on a Vitra chair; but no one is going to make a film about it!

We’re not going to pretend that there aren’t designer furniture producers who also place presentation above substance - but the majority are principally concerned with improving and further developing existing furniture types. Building more value into the product

We just didn’t see anyone in Berlin trying to improve or further develop trousers.

Where we do feel more at home in the designer fashion world is amongst those sections and products where innovation has a little more room. Designer accessories rather than designer clothes. As it were.

A Prada Handbag

Such as handbags.

A new Prada handbag, for example, doesn’t have to impress us with the newness of its material or the colour of its fabric - just with its form, functionality and, perhaps most importantly, that it is somehow a further development from previous Prada handbags.

Much like a new Kartell chair.

It’s going to be plastic. But why should we buy it?

They’re trousers. Nice colour.

And just don’t get us started on “trend analysts”

And so we returned from the stifling bustle of Berlin more convinced than ever than in the world of clothes design the true creativity rests in ye goode olde wordsmithery and not in the tailoring.

And wondering if Kartell will ever produce designer handbags?

Although the majority of Ron Arad’s work could squash most of Isamu Noguchi’s, he played fair and held back from producing a Well-Tempered chair, preferring instead to work on variations in plastic.

Despite some good Infinity Bottle Rack, Lovely Rita and Bookworm work for Kartell, Isamu Noguchi’s constantly high standard Akari lamp variations held the Israeli at bay and the final 0:0 was a just result.

The Group C table and all Group C results can be found here.

Following his ankle injury Cesare “Joe” Colombo was replaced for this match by Antonio Citterio, one of the most experienced designers in the Italian squad.

Opening with a quick Mobil for Kartell Antonio Citterio quickly reinforced this with a Follow Me for Vitra. Despite the intensity of the opening Citterio couldn’t break Maarten Van Severn’s legendary calm and the doyen of Belgian furniture design responded with an elegant LCP for Kartell and MVS Chaise for Vitra combination and so cancelled out Antonio Citterio’s excellent work.

All further attempts by both sides made little headway, and the match ended 0:0

The Group A table and all Group A results can be found here.

Although stylistically worlds apart both Ron Arad and Charles Rennie Mackintosh are united by their individual and uncompromising style and approach to design. As expected it was Charles Rennie Mackintosh who made the stronger start, taking a  1:0 lead with his Argyle Chair - a brave break form contemporary convention and a deserved lead. Ron Arad’s attempts at stemming Mackintosh’s dominance largely lacked the required precision and all landed wide of their intended target. Late in the second half however Ron Arad did manage to level proceedings with his ingenious and genre redefining Bookworm bookcase for Kartell.

An intriguing and just 1:1

The Group C table and all Group C results can be found here.

Day two of the 2010 (smow) designer furniture World Cup and the first all female match: Patricia Urquiola against Hella Jongerius.

As expected Urquiola started in her typical robust, voluminous fashion as demonstrated by her work with the likes of B&B Italia, Cassina or Molteni & C. Against the more wily, formally adventurous Jongerius, however, Urquiola advanced only slowly with her classic “lounge” approach.

Switching to a more synthetic  “Kartell” Approach seemed to offer Urquiola more options, however Jongerius countered with the fully unexpected Polder Sofa for Vitra and the contest was decided; 1:0 for Holland.

The Group B table and all Group B results can be found here.

Hella Jongerius Fans celebrate her late win.

The opening match of the 2010 (smow) designer furniture World Cup pitted not only two of the great design nations against each other, but two of the most influential post-war European designers: Verner Panton and Cesare “Joe” Colombo.

In a brave early move Verner Panton attempted to go solo with his Bachelor chair, Colombo managing to counter at the last minute with his Armchair Modell 4801 for Kartell. Following further good build-ups and clever uses of plastics, Joe Colombo eventually took the lead with his Universale chair 4867. Verner Panton responded immediately and, both adapting to the Italians plastic style and helped by shifting consumer perceptions, levelled the score with his Panton Chair for Vitra.

Despite several good attempts by both Verner Panton and Joe Colombo neither designer could make any further breakthrough and the match ended in a deserved 1:1

The Group A table and all Group A results can be found here.

The undisputed highlight of the Kartell stand at Saloni Milano 2009 was the cat and mouse game with the special forces Kartell had hired to prevent visitors taking photographs.
Despite the Kartell stand taking up an area half the size of Lombardy, the highly trained troops proved particularly efficient and we, for example, were forced to camp out overnight in a disused fox hole just to get a quick snap shot of the Dr NOs.

Judging by the pre-Saloni press, this year is going to be even more fun.

They’re turning out the lights and employing the forces of the Dark Side to stop photographers!!

"Welcome Black 2010" Philippe Starck and Kartell in Milan

“Welcome Black 2010″ is the motto of Kartell’s Saloni show and the invitation promises a dark landscape full of sorcery and demonic goodness.
Or it does if you interpret it as we do.

Aside from fighting Jedis and terrifying young children, Kartell will launch new products by, among others, Tokujin Yoshioka, Philippe Starck and Eugeni Quitllet, Piero Lissoni and Ferruccio Laviani.

We’ll be taking the night vision goggles and you can read our impressions of Kartell’s new products in our (smow) in Milan coverage from April 14th.

Invisible Chair by Ttokujin Yoshioka for Kartell

Ghost Buster by Philippe Starck and Eugeni Quitllet for Kartell

Safer Internet Day 2010

9th February 2010, Brussels

Under the motto “Think before you Post” the from the EU funded  Safer Internet Day 2010 is focused primarily on how one deals with privacy in the internet, especially as concerns young people, photos, social networking sites and chatrooms.

Which is naturally a positive thing.

In essence one of the core reasons that people for all kids, run into problems on the internet is because they blindly believe everything they read.

Previously “the camera never lied”, we know now they can; and so we have transferred our faith in the internet.

But it does as well.

And not just children are naive in their relationship with the internet.
Many adult internet users are, psychologically, at an earlier development stage than most children when it comes to computers and modern technology.

Alone the regularity with which users are taken in by so-called “phising” emails illustrates how many adults simply do not understand the risks that can hide behind a little bit HTML or a clever flash graphic.

The webpage looks nice - it must be genuine.

Mart Stam copies awaiting collection... Bauhaus era products are amongst the most copied designer furniture classics

One of the areas that has blossomed over the internet is the trade in illegal copies of designer furniture classics; for all Bauhaus classics and the works of Charles and Ray Eames.

And regardless how often warnings are given thousands of consumers waste their money - and all too often risk their health - by purchasing the cheap copies.

There are however a few pointers that can help you identify who is genuine and who is only looking to make a quick buck at your expense.

As a general rule the copies are described as being “inspired by” or “in the tradition of” the actual designer: That is assuming that the designers name or the producer is even named; for if the crooks don’t use names, it’s more difficult for the license holder to press charges.

Generic names provide safety for the criminals: but also a large clue for the consumers.

The second big clue is the price.

If the price is too cheap to be true - it’s probably an illegal copy.

There are reasons that some designer furniture pieces cost what they do - and they’re not all to do with greed.

In addition to the investment in the development process necessary to bring such a product on the market; designer furniture is made from durable, expensive, materials. Which is also your guarantee of a quality product that should outlive you and possibly even your children.

The cheap copy may not even see the week out.

The third test is the answers you receive from the customer service department. If the retailer is selling officially licensed products they can prove that and will have no problem providing full answers to questions. The crooks will duck and dive and assure you that all is OK…without being able to back it up.

(smow) only sells officially licensed products from producers such as Vitra, Kartell, Artemide, ClassiCon or Tecta.

Beware of illegal Eames Lounge Chair copies!!! (these are however legal artworks, made from Vitra originals....)

And have no problem answering questions and providing proof that the products are genuine.

An interesting side-project of Safer Internet Day is the cooperation with INHOPE, the International Association of Internet Hotlines.

INHOPE acts as a central registration point for reporting websites with illegal content.
Again principally geared towards protecting children in the internet, there is no reason why users cannot report websites offering illegal copies of designer furniture.

Or perhaps better, tell us.
Should you discover a website offering illegal copies of designer furniture classics let us know, and we’ll not only report them to the responsible authorities but also build a databank of such sites to help consumers shop safely.
And then hopefully we can all have an even happier Safer Internet Day 2011

There is little doubt as to who the most popular furniture producers with the exhibitors here in Köln are…. Vitra and Kartell.

Two producers whom the Messe Köln sadly can’t attract to the show in their own right.
And that despite the fact that all the snack bars here in Köln Messe use Maarten van Severen’s genial .03

On the stands here however we’ve seen, for example, Panton Chairs being used to augment otherwise tasteless bedroom suites and the classic Vitra DSR by Charles and Ray Eames standing at more than one table. Across the Rhein at designers open meanwhile, the somewhat less well earning young designers are more modestly kitted out interror.be, for example, with his Elephant Stool by Sori Yanagi.
Many of the more garish room set ups, meanwhile, use Kartell lighting as accessories.

The curious thing is - it works.

That however may just be due to the number of ironic bad taste hotel, spa and casino ensembles that Philippe Starck has organised of late. And not just lamps, Kartell seating pops ups up fairly frequently as well.  Sadly we’ve not seen as many from the Starck “Ghost” range as we like, however, we have seen some excellent ero|s| usage.
And as if all that wasn’t enough, the stands on which visitors fill out their registration forms are finest USM Haller.
But that USM Haller aren’t here is less of a surprise… they don’t do trade fairs.

And so despite our concerns over the aesthetics standards of some of the exhibitors here; it’s comforting to know that at least someone in the organisation can appreciate quality designer furniture.

.03 by Maarten van Severen from Vitra

Vitra DSR by Charles and Ray Eames

System USM Haller at IMM in Cologne

Ero|s| by Philippe Starck from Kartell