To close the group phases of the 2010 (smow) designer furniture world cup one of the most anticipated contests: Charles and Ray Eames against Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.

With everything to play for the Bouroullec brothers opened with an adventurous Slow Chair for Vitra before producing a  wonderful Alcove Sofa.

Neither attempt was quite good enough to break through a solid Eames defence; although were good enough to keep Charles and Ray Eames on the back foot and so prevent them making any meaningful first half advances.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec started the second half in much the same fashion as the first; a Steelwood chair and shelving combination for Magis posing a tough challenge for Charles and Ray Eames.

The pair responded to the challenge however producing a quickfire DSR, DAR, RAR triple to deflect the Bouroullec’s advances.

With the match heading for an apparent draw Charles and Ray Eames produced a sensuous La Chaise to take a hard fought victory and qualify for the semi-finals.

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

On several occasions in the past month we have repeatedly seen a similar scene.

A scene that has made us cry.

Lovely houses, truly wonderful, carefully considered constructions in idyllic locations - and then in the garden, furniture that the owners have obviously bought, possibly as an after thought, from their local garden centre.

Just looking at some of the chairs made our upper thighs go numb from discomfort.

And as for that recliner yesterday in Berlin!!!!

People, gardens are there to be enjoyed.

Gardens are there to serve as dens of tranquility from the harsh realities of life.

Gardens should not cause injury, far less resemble a middle ages torture chamber.

Good quality designer garden furniture is available. And isn’t hard to find.

Here is our top five for summer 2010.

Tivoli Chair by Verner Panton

Tivoli chair by Verner Panton

Panton’s fist commercially successful product may owe much of its success to Verner Panton’s father installing it in his restaurant; but that is not to detract from the the quality of the Panton’s design nor that of Montana’s construction. Available in a wonderful range of colours Tivoli chair by Verner Panton is guaranteed to brighten up any garden or terrace.

S 43 teak by Thonet

S 43 teak from Thonet

Mart Stams classic steel tube chair in an outdoor version. Available with or without armrests the S43 teak from Thonet allows you to take your Bauhaus living and dining room out into the garden.

Vegetal from Vitra

Vegetal by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

Four years of development with all the resources an established designer furniture company such as Vitra can provide has to produce something a little extra special. Despite appearances to the contrary Vegetal by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec is a delightfully comfortable seat: comfortable as in terms of seating comfort and comfortable as in terms of stability.

Shadylace by Chris Kabe

Shadylace by Chris Kabel

Although, curiously not available in oranje Shadylace by Chris Kabel for droog is one of the better ways to ensure that you always have a shady corner from which to spy on your neighbours and envy their garden architecture talents.

Cobb Grill

Cobb Grill

And once you’ve got the furniture you need to be able to cook: otherwise you’ll need to go back indoors. With it’s cool outer walls and large range of accessories the Cobb grill is not a classic barbecue grill but a complete enclosed cooking system. With which you can also grill. Or cook pizzas. or bake a cake.

After the strenuous match against Alexander Girard, France decided to rest Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for the match against Eero Saarinen.

Their replacement, the enfant terrible of contemporary French design Philippe Starck however failed to match the old Finnish master; too often Philippe Starck strove forward with fairly predictable and poorly considered approaches.

Eero Saarinen was able to make use of the gaps produced by Philippe Starck to good effect scoring with his Tulip Chair and a pedestal table for a thoroughly deserved 2:0 victory

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

Philippe Starck failed to get the better of Saarinen's Tulip Chair through Knoll International

You know how it is.

You arrive early in the office….. Make a coffee….. Turn the computer on…….. Check out the tabloid press websites….. And break gently into the day with stories as irrelevant and vacuous as they are compelling.

It’s just a comfortable and familiar way to start the day.

This morning was different.

The story had all the makings of normal tabloid nonsense: a pop star, a footballer’s wife and a party guest list that you suspect had been thrown together by a tired and bored PR company who distribute invites by clicking “resend” .

“The popstar wife of footballer David Beckham, who has her own fashion label, revealed that she has been asked to design the interior of the new X Y Z - extending the ever-expanding ‘Brand Beckham’ into the world of motoring.”

“On her new role as car designer, she said: ‘I am incredibly excited to be collaborating with X Y. I like to take on a challenge and I’m ready for it.’”

Vehicles by designers aren’t new.

The Interior of James Irvine's bus. Roomier than what Mrs Beckham has to work with.

In cooperation with the Expo 2000 exhibition James Irvine and Jasper Morrison designed trams and buses for the cities of Hanover and Leipzig; London Transport recently unveiled their new routemaster bus from the pen of Thomas Heatherwick; Thonet have developed a delightful gear shift knob in collaboration with Volvo.

Aschau im Chiemgau design legend Nils Holger Moormann has as even designed a complete range of vehicles for nomadic bibliophiles; the Bookinist and Easy Reader.

But “car designer” Victoria Beckham?

Is that really “design”?

Or just an obvious and cheap PR gag from a company whose tradition and customer list would tend to imply that they really don’t need to resort to tired PR gags?

We go with the later. But know that in doing so we’re opening a large can of worms.

The delightful Volvo gear shift knob by Thonet

Is every new Philippe Starck product really necessary? When company A, B or C hire Patricia Urquiola to design a new sideboard - do they really need the sideboard, or Patricia Urquiola as a designer in their portfolio? In a saturated media market are “star” designers being increasingly abused as “blog fodder”? A quick look in our twitter and RSS feeds would tend to imply yes.

Ronan Bouroullec certainly provided a fairly broad hint in that direction during his conversation with us in Milan.

But also did little more than confirm what we all know.

A lot of the products that are launched at design shows are superfluous.

Completely.

They are superfluous because they are not necessary, because they exist only as marketing vehicles for the company; but principally because everyone can see that the designer has given practically no thought as to what they are doing or why.

Consequently, many of the products in Milan might as well have been “designed” by Victoria Beckham.

Which is why we’re not going to Milan 2011: Too irrelevant.

Bookinst by Nils Holger Moormann - a real designer car

Clearly Mrs Beckham isn’t “designing” the interior of the new X Y Z; she’s choosing the fabric.
And it will probably be black leather.

And as such we shouldn’t get so wound-up.

But it does get our goat when something as involved and creative as “design” is reduced to nothing more than a marketeers line in a press release designed to ensure media coverage and thus sell a product or brand.

A marketeers line that is then gleefully repeated ad captandum vulgus by the international press.

Just as it gets our goat when designers who we know are blessed with talents far beyond the normal turn out pointless tat that no one really needs in order to make a quick buck. A little more self-control would be nice; from the designers as well as from the click hungry blog community who give the producers the oxygen they crave - yet often don’t deserve.

“Car designer” Victoria Beckham.

We’d love to be a fly on the wall as Victoria Beckham “designs” the X Y Z interior.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are without doubt two of the brightest stars in the international designer furniture heaven. And two of the most omnipotent.

Something which however may slowly change.

Ronan Bouroullec in the VitaHaus, Weil am Rhein

Following their initial breakthrough with Cuisine désintégrée ( Disintegrated kitchen ), an concept piece by Ronan Bouroullec that was taken on by Italian producer Capellini in 1998, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec went on to develop projects with companies as varied as Authentics, Ligne Roset or Habitat - in addition to realising over 20 further products for Capellini. In 2002 the office system Joyn was released onto the market: Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s first project with Vitra and the start of one of their most commercially succesful cooperations. Together with Vitra Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have created products such as the Algue room divider, the Alcove Sofa range and the Vegetal Chair.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s cooperation with Magis began with Case (Valise) in 2003, since when the brothers have gone on to produce Striped Chair and the Steelwood range. Their latest products for Magis  -the tables Baguette and Central - were launched at Saloni Milano 2010.

Algue by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec at Vitra HQ

In addition to furniture per se Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have also produced innumerate porcelain and textile products as well as realising interior design and architecture projects.  Whereas many early products bear the name of just one of the brothers, for the past ten years all products have been credited to both Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.

In a quick interview at Saloni Milano 2010 (smow) spoke to Ronan Bouroullec about the cooperation with Magis, the role of the Internet in the designer furniture industry and the best and worst aspects of the Milan design week.

“We have to do less, and better” - Ronan Bouroullec, Saloni Milano 2010

In the course of the conversation Ronan Bouroullec reflects self-critically on the brother’s canon to date, indicates that in the future they intend to concentrate on fewer, but more time-intensive, higher quality, projects, an also questions the sense of investing so much energy, money and intelligence in such large furniture shows.

And how Magis are an organic farm!

Honest!

Fuller details on Ronan and Erwan Bouroullecs work can be found at bouroullec.com

Both Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec as well as Alexander Girard had to wait a long time for their opening match in this years (smow) designer furniture world cup - but for the sell out crowd in Pretoria the wait was more than worth it.

Although born in New York, Alexander Girard qualifies for Mexico on account of the Wooden Doll side of his family tree. Opening up with an impressive selection of traditional southern Portuguese patterns Girard was initially confused as the Bouroullec brothers appeared to use the patterns as the basis for a lamp; this turned out to be a clever ruse to allow the brothers to introduce their Algue room divider and so take a 1:0 lead.

Alexander Girard responded with an ever more aggressive range of textile formations which appeared to have Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec beaten; until they produced a counter attack in the form of a Vegetal chair for Vitra.

And that was that.

2:0 for Ronan and Erwan Bourollec against Alexander Girard.

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

Despite the support of his Wooden Doll relatives, Alexander Girard lost his opening match against Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

Organic Chair by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen through Vitra

It may not be the most universally recognised example of either Charles Eames‘ nor Eero Saarinen’s canon however their 1940 “Conversation Chair” is without doubt one of the more important examples of 20th century furniture design.

Designed for the New York Museum of Modern Art’s “Organic Design in Home Furnishings” competition the Conversation Chair was a concept piece and Eames’ and Saarinen’s first attempt at moulding synthetics.

At that time however the technology lagged somewhat behind the designers imagination and it was to be almost a decade before either Charles Eames or Eero Saarinen could transform the lessons learnt into commercial products: Charles Eames with his fibreglass/plastic armchairs for Herman Miller and Eero Saarinen with his Tulip Chair for Knoll.

Tulip chair by Eero Saarinen for Knoll

For the sake of completeness we should also mention George Nelson’s Swag Leg Chair, a design which relies heavily  - albeit with permission - on both the technology and narrative of the Conversation Chair.

Currently marketed by Vitra as the “Organic Chair” Eames and Saarinen’s pioneer work remains a wonderfully confident yet unassuming chair that can be used in all domestic, commercial and retail settings.

And you can win one.

The designer furniture retailer network Creative Inneneinrichter - of which (smow) is a member - is offering an Organic Chair as first prize in their “My way to the VitraHaus” competition.

Second prize is a Vegetal by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and third prize a Panton Chair.

The rules are very simple: Document your journey to the VitraHaus; the most imaginative, creative and original entry wins.

And so whether your planning skydiving onto the VitraHaus, negotiating the Alps Hannibal-esque with elephants or rafting down the Rhein simply register at the Creative Inneneinrichter website and upload your photos/videos/certificates.

Full details can be found at “Mein weg ins VitraHaus”

Although Jasper Morrison built a bus stop next to the VitraHaus - travelling by bus probably won't win you the Organic Chair.

No, we don’t handle the PR for Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.
We would like to.

But we don’t.

It’s just the Brothers are not only among the most assiduous contemporary designers, but they also keep producing work that needs to be presented.

For one reason or another.

Such as Lianes, a lamp that forms part of their new show at Galerie Kreo in Paris.

Lit clos by Ronan an Erwan Bouroullec, Galerie Kreo

Galerie Kreo has in a way become a sort of “Haute couture” stomping ground for Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s first show at Galerie Kreo in 2001 included such gems as Parasol lumineux and the room divider Cabane. Since then Les frères Bouroullec have produced four further shows at Galerie Kreo, shows which have included items such as Lit Clos, “Paravent” or “Sofa”

All in essence concept pieces and all an important part in the creative and professional development of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.

With such an exhibition there is no commercial pressure; just the personal pressure of creating that object that embodies your intentions.

Their sixth Galerie Kreo show includes two objects that don’t really excite us, and one that does.

For us Roches and Conques are decent projects; but nothing particularly new.

Lianes, in contrast excites us a lot.

Lamps on the end of long cables are very much in fashion at the moment; or indeed if we’re brutally honest have been ever since Flos released the Mayday Lamp by Konstantin Grcic.

Our current favorite in the genre, however, is Ray by Berlin design collective llot llov.

Lianes is in essence a refined Ray, with the advantage that one can position the lamp on the cable as required.

Whereas Ray either sits on the ground or can be positioned elsewhere through knots; Lianes simply slides up and down the leather cord to the required height.

High for general room lighting, exactly positioned for reading, low for gentle background light.

And if you can’t find your Hamster, Lianes is flexible enough to help you look behind your USM Haller sideboard.

And somehow we have the feeling we ‘ll be seeing a little more of Lianes in the future.

And for those of you in or near Paris,the exhibition by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec at Galerie Kreo runs until July 22nd.

Galerie kreo

31, rue Dauphine 75006 Paris, France
T. +33 (0)1 53 10 23 00 E.
info@galeriekreo.com

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 11AM to 7PM

Lianes by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec in Galerie Kreo

Lianes by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec - detail

Lianes by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

Lianes by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Galerie Kreo Paris

Working as a furniture designer is a lot like working as a musician or an author. You establish a reputation and then hope to attract someone to publish/produce your work.

However, whereas authors and musicians tend to work exclusively with one publisher/label for prolonged periods, furniture designers generally develop products for numerous producers simultaneously.

Or at least the leading ones do.

In Milan we caught up with Ronan Bouroullec and here he briefly decribes what he enjoys about collaborating with Italian deisgner furniture producer Magis. The complete interview and more details on the new products from Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec once we’re safely back in Germany.

Ronan Bouroullec on Magis @ Saloni Milano 2010 from smow blog on Vimeo.

Having sold everything, including our kidneys and the neighbours cat, we can finally afford to pay for a hotel in Milan.

“Is it really worth it?” ask the pensioners, students and lawyers who gather in front of the (smow)blog flat every March to buy our possessions and so help us finance the life of luxury enjoyed by that special class of bloodsucker that is the Milanese hotelier.

“No” answer we.

“But what are we to do?”

And indeed what are we to do.

One need only look at the press photos from Studio Bouroullec that landed in our inbox this afternoon.

Lighthouse by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are always among the most active designers in Milan; some years they even mange to make Philippe Starck appear like a tired old man.

For Milan 2010 Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec are presenting new products for Established and Sons, Venini, Bitossi and Magis.

Last years Established and Sons product was the Quilt Sofa - a product which, if were honest disappointed us an awful lot. Looked great, sat awful and is pre-programmed to cause all manner of mishaps.

The 2010 effort looks a lot more promising.

Lampalumina by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

Lighthouse by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Established and Sons is produced in conjunction with Murano glass manufacturer Venini. A table lamp in an over-sized candle effect, Lighthouse comes with the most gorgeous, retro-70s Murano glass shade.

Le Freres Bouroullec have also designed a lamp for Italian ceramics producer Bitossi. An almost religiously minimalist piece in white ceramic Lampalumina looks a little bit like a goose and undoubtedly does what it says on the label.

Central by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

For Magis the Bouroullec Brothers have created two tables: The die cast aluminium central is a “classic” bistro table, albeit in a three-legged version and the somewhat humorously named Baguettes is class and aluminium dining table. In both cases we are of the opinion that the effect is much better in “real” then in photos. the smooth, almost indiscernible lines of the tables promising a wonderfully unobtrusive yet defining presence.

And that is why we sell all we own.
And the neighbours cat.

Saloni Milnao 2010 runs from May 14th until May 19th

Daily coverage here at (smow) in Milan, on (smow)twitter, (smow)book and vimeo.

Baguttes by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec