Ma che bello

A clay oven made by hands and feet

2011-05-17T02:41:00.000-07:00

This is a photo that Craig shows us of how our oven should look once it's finished. Holy smokes! Will we really be able to do this?

A small community of dedicated gardeners and I have re-claimed a bit of the urban jungle for our own. We recently decided that the garden, just round the back of the block of flats in which I live in central London, would be even more special if it contained a clay oven like the kind used for baking pizzas.

Fortunately we have a couple of pros, Craig and Louise, to help us with an otherwise daunting project. I've begun to document the process (We're more than 1/2 way through).

We level the ground where the oven will lie.

Craig fashioned the square shape of the base out of wood.

Esther and I coat the inside of the wooden base with vegetable oil so that the wood will separate easily from the concrete that will be poured in.


We fill the bottom of the base with rubble.

Craig and John prepare concrete to fill the rest of the base.

The base is leveled.


A layer of bricks are laid atop the base and its leveled.

Ines, Michele and Evelyn use their feet to mix clay with sand. The mixture will be used to create the dome of the oven.

This was my favorite part!

We form balls from the clay/sand mixture – lots of them.

John prepares the center of the oven by piling bricks and shaping sand over the top.

We stack and pat the balls around the center brick and sand shape.

And soak newspapers in water to separate clay ball layers.

After quite a few rings of clay balls a beautiful dome shape appears.

Expert hands repair the cracks.

Sarah sketches the shape of the 'door'.

The 'door' is carved out

I add some saw dust and hay into the clay-sand mixture for the next layer. We think its for added insulation.

Havey's Seat Belt Bags - eco fashion triumphs

2011-01-10T09:58:00.000-08:00

The powder-blue handbag sat proudly on the bar in front of its owner. Its woven, textured exterior was beautiful and unique, and the more I gazed at the bag the more I liked it. Sitting pretty, the bag seemed the perfect size for either use during the day, or for a long, slow night at the local pub which is where we were at the moment.

I've grown out of the habit striking up conversation with random people. Years of living in Britain and the social reservation that is practiced there had taken its toll, but this bag was special and I had to know how I could get my hands on one. My sister's birthday was coming up after all, and she needed a new handbag. I bit the bullet, fell back into my American ways, and was so brazen as to ask the young woman where she had picked up such a splendid bag.

I can assure you that a PR agent from Harvey's, the company that produces the bags, could not have done a better job of selling its product than their client did. The fashionable young lady enthused about her accessory: it not only looked good, but that it was durable and to top it all off, made from recycled car seat belts.

I was not expecting that – even eco friendly?

I scribbled down the company's web address and looked it up the next day. The site and the collections on it are absolutely worth checking out as styles and original designs range from fun and playful to elegant and professional.

Jayme Westervelt confirms in her review on Modernecohomes.com that the bags from Harvey’s Treecycle collection bags "are made from recycled seatbelts, organic hemp and water-based inks. This entire collection is a testament that eco-friendly can be chic, stylish and trendy." Now that is truly exciting.

I hope to own my own Harvey's bag as soon as I can find a good enough excuse to merit the investment.

Can the digerati go green : one designer considers

2010-08-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

I’m no tree killer...but could I be something much worse?

I practice digital design and sure, we may not kill as many trees as our counterparts in print design, but what exactly is our impact on the environment? Is there anything about the way we work and what we produce (in my case websites and applications) that is severely damaging? If so, what could we do to ameliorate this?
I went to see the degree show at the Royal College of Art about a month ago with all of these questions swimming around in my head. I was excited to see that the college had invited Sophie Thomas, a graphic designer with a focus on sustainable design practice to speak with a few interested individuals.

Thomas founded her practice Thomas Matthews partnership and the organization Three Trees Don’t Make a Forest, with a view to combine her political and creative inklings and “to provide tools for all designers and businesses who are involved in design and advertising, to inspire them to re-think their working cultures and start to produce sustainable design that really works”. [n.b. Three Trees will soon merge with Lovely as a Tree, a paper and print database created by Caroline Clark.]

The conversation with Sophie focused mainly on print and product design practices and how sustainable practice in design is being taught in education institutions such as the RCA. Sophie’s concern was that sustainability continues to be an addendum to not only a project but to the entire course as it is taught as a separate module. Sophie and those present at the discussion agreed that an approach similar to that described in the book ‘Cradle to Cradle’ written by architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart where consideration of the environmental impact and the life-cycle of a product should be intrinsic to its design: from start to end and back again, where sustainability and design are one and the same.
Some progress has been made, as Thomas mentioned that many design agencies expect to hear about how recent graduates have addressed sustainability in their work. Thomas was also quite positive about major changes in legislation happening on a national and international (however limited) level concerning manufacturing and environmental impact.

While the discussion was interesting, I went away feeling as if we didn’t really address my own personal concerns about the impact of digital in particular. I have begun to do some initial research into this and wanted to share these findings. In future posts I hope to expand on this topic.

Resources or Digital Designers
Green Girls Global blog: How can a web design company be green & ethical? This series of posts was a great introduction to the areas of consideration of digital design and its environmental impact.
The Capgemini Group
This consultancy offers help in planning a ‘green IT strategy’ so that companies may considerably reduce their carbon footprint. Also useful in raising awareness and offering solutions.

Resources for Print Designers

Three Trees Don’t Make a Forest and Lovely as a Tree

In their words...
We give you the low down on how your choices of design, paper and print impact upon the environment...we take you through the process of choosing a recycled or more sustainably sourced paper, and we show you what to look for when choosing a greener printer.

You’ll also find lists of the UK’s most environmentally friendly papers and printers, web links to help make your office green, and case studies to inspire you.

Organic mattresses are dreamy

2010-07-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Organic mattress you ask? Have I taken things a bit too far?

I do admit that the decision to invest in this particular ‘green’ item was a bit more difficult than the electric scooter or bamboo floor options that I mention in previous posts. For one, the mattress cost quite a bit more than a ‘normal’ mattress. As cool as the scooter is and as lovely as the floor feels both cost less than your standard versions.

Creme fraiche
The cost of a standard organic mattress fell into the price range of the more luxurious bedding options. I do have to admit that as far as quality and comfort go, my mattress does in fact feel like luxury. In that sense, it has been well worth the price. But how could I justify the extra spend? I was not really in a position to splurge on such petty things as…a mattress. It would take a lot to convince me.

Luxurious health
The health benefits of an organic mattress at first glance seemed a bit more opaque than the comfort ones. Why does a mattress have to be organic? I’m not going to eat it after all. Was I being overly cautious?

A recent trip back to the States had brought me up close and personal with a revealing article, The Perils of Plastic in ‘Time’ magazine’s April 1st edition about the high levels of harmful chemicals present in most plastics and other manufactured materials. This public acknowledgement of the possible link between these chemicals and many illnesses sent off alarm bells in my head that had been ringing for quite some time.

‘The Story of Stuff’ video added fuel to the flame. You see, ‘regular’ mattresses are treated with fire retardant chemical treatments that you would assume are necessary to cut down on the risk of fire. I could just imagine all those extra toxic chemicals seeping into me as I drifted into an innocent state of slumber.

A log or 20 for the fire
Was my mattress, untreated with any sort of chemical fire retardants, going to be a liability to my safety? As it turns out, absolutely not. Organic mattresses must comply with UK fire regulation laws before they can be sold: They are fire retardant by nature.

‘… the high quantity of wool used within the mattress…[is] naturally fire resistant thereby dispensing of the need to pump the entire mattress full of fire retardant chemicals.’ (from BuyOrganics.co.uk)

Bed Bugs? No way!
I learned from Warren Evens’ website (the bed manufacturer in the UK from whom I eventually bought my mattress), that ‘dust mites do not like the dry, breathable environment of a wool filler making these mattresses naturally dust mite retardant too!’. What, an extra bonus of no bed bugs? Sign me up.

I have now slept many a blissful night on my mattress. I would not exchange it for its toxic smelling cousins if you paid me. Once again, going green has proved its point.

My Bamboo Floor - you'd never guess it was a grass

2010-06-18T02:46:00.000-07:00

I moved to London about three years ago and while I love living here, there are certain aspects of the English lifestyle that I could never adopt; one of these is the omnipresence of the carpet in most homes. I was used to years of living in Italy in homes with hardwood or tile flooring. Easy to clean and appropriate for warmer, dryer Mediterranean climes, these types of flooring are both convenient and beautiful. I was not sure that I could afford such materials in the new flat I had just bought, but I figured it was worth the try. My strong dislike for the floor to floor carpeting that the place came fitted with was enough to spur me on.

I began my search on the internet for flooring suppliers in London, and it was here that I first became aware of bamboo as an alternative to wood floors. A good description for how bamboo is the eco-friendly option is well described on flooring supplier Urbane Living's website:

"Botanically bamboo are not wood but grass and are the fastest growing woody plant on earth. They grow in large amounts and to a height of 60' within the first several months of growth and thereafter are harvested every 5-6 years. This makes bamboo one of the most renewable and sustainable natural resources for flooring."

My desire to find a more earth-friendly option to hardwood fulfilled, I was still to be convinced that this material would be as beautiful and enjoyable in my home as trees would be.

I scoured the internet for images and searched for articles in Metropolis Magazine and was encouraged by several accounts of 'real' architects using this material in some of their more prestigious projects. I visited the showroom at Urbane Living, but still found it difficult to understand how the material might look in my own home.

With the nonchalance of a first time buyer (after all I might only be in this place for a few years), I decided to take the plunge. In the end I could never have afforded the hardwood options available to me anyway.

I could not be happier with my decision. The floor is a rich honey colour and gives off all of the warmth and character that a hardwood floor would have done. It is even more resistant to damaging than wood, as bamboo is super strong and the soft satin finish feels smooth and soothing underfoot.

It all started with a scooter

2010-03-16T08:18:00.001-07:00

In this past decade of urban living, I have relied on either public transport systems or my bicycle to get around. Life on the subway in NYC was entertaining, with its unique form of underground street life. Riding on the tube in London has left ample time for catching up on reading. In Milan and in Japan I spent most of the time getting from one place or another by pushing the pedals on my bike.

I decided however, that after about 10 years of trains and cycles, it was time to graduate to motorized transport. I craved the convenience that owning a vehicle would bring, but was concerned that my carbon footprint would grow exponentially with the purchase. It is for this reason that I opted for an electric scooter.

After looking around quite a bit, I decided on a Zepii for its stylish look. My Zepii is a zero emissions vehicle, and would be completely green if I could plug it in at home (my energy is supplied by npower Juice). Unfortunately the battery is not removable so I have to charge up at work (special thanks Dave Bennett for hooking me up) and I have no idea what energy programme UKTV is on.

I should mention that this bike is no roadster. It makes very little noise even on revving the engine, earning it the nickname of the 'Hairdryer'. Top speed is 40mph but I've only been able to hit that when going downhill. Also, the tight range on one charge, 40 miles, has limited my jaunts around sprawling London town. Now that I live closer to the center this is less of an issue. The real problem would be if I ran out of power, as you need to connect to a main in order to re-charge. So far I've avoided that plight by careful planning.

All in all, my electric scooter gives me the convenience of personal transport while addressing my concerns over the environment. A full charge is priced at 8p a day and therefore is saving me lots of cash as well. Its been really fun to ride and so I'd recommend it to the image conscious for quick commutes in the city.

Living green is beautiful

2010-03-15T04:35:00.000-07:00

I admit it, I am a sucker for beautiful things.

I'll admit another thing, I am a sucker for saving the world as well.

As with many in the design world, I've grown more and more committed to finding a synergy between beauty and green living. The upcoming posts will feature a few of the ways in which I have succeeded in doing so.

Comments on Decode: Digital Design Sensations

2009-12-31T03:55:00.000-08:00

What do digital technologies allow you to do or investigate that other design tools do not?

I can create behaviour.

Golan Levin in an interview with the V&A

I was reminded me of how and why I got pulled into the field of interaction design after skipping and hopping through Decode, an exhibition on the current state of affairs in the field of digital design at the V&A Museum in London. My own reasons could be summed up in the words of Turkish artist Mehmet Akten: My work is motivated by an ongoing curiosity and research in creating emotional interactive experiences…of creating an interactive experience so simple, yet joyful, with depth coming from a sense of discovery and playfulness.

In this post I have chosen to highlight the pieces from the exhibit where I did experience this a sense of discovery and engagement (those that did have me literally skipping and hopping). I also attempt to answer why each of the works I selected appealed to me so much.

Interactivity

I’ll begin with selected work from the second area, Interactivity. Most of my favourite pieces were pulled from this section.

Opto-Isolator II , 2007 by Golan Levin (b. 1972, USA)

This piece was really quite simple: an electronic eyeball on the wall that would follow my movements from side to side or up and down if I waved my exhibition catalogue around.

I was taken aback at first by this solitary optical organ looking out at me from the wall. Soon I realized that it was not so disconcerting an experience. It seemed strange in fact, that I was beginning to feel a sudden connection with the thing. Golan Levin, the Opto-Isolator II’s creator explains the reason for this in a short video interview with the BBC. He mentions a neuron in the brain that encourages you to ‘act in synchrony’ with the person you are speaking with. By doing so each person is made to feel more comfortable with the exchange. Indeed the eyeball in the wall blinked when I blinked and moved when I moved reducing to nothing my initial apprehension about the work. *

Simon ‘posing for his portrait’ in the work Venetian Mirror

2009 by Fabrica (est. 1994, Italy)

Venetian Mirror, Weave Mirror and Video Grid were really interesting from an aesthetic standpoint and also a lot of fun to interact with. The catalogue describes the pieces as ‘immersive, inviting participants to interact within a virtual space, deliberately blurring the lines between design, interaction, play and performance.’ My colleague Simon and I became quite involved in seeing each other become part of the pieces, exploring how different movements or sound could command a resulting visual form. It was great fun and kept us entertained for quite some time.

Here is Simon again in Video Grid by Ross Phillips (b. 1977, UK), 2009

Artist Daniel Rosin, the creator of the Weave Mirror states in an interview with the V&A, ‘I think the human face and the human likeness are the most compelling subject for visual art.’ He also mentions, ‘the main issues of my work – interactivity, point of view, human perception, image creation, participation, etc – are by no means new subjects of thought for art. Artists have been thinking about these issues for centuries.’ This is quite true. And I think that these issues will be central subjects for artists for centuries to come. Humans are quite complex creatures and we are only at the very beginning of understanding what makes us think and behave the way that we do.

I didn’t get a shot of Si in Weave Mirror, but here’s an image from the artist's site.

Daniel Rozin (b. 1961, Israel), 2007

Visually representing these intricacies can and will take on countless forms, especially as the tools of creation keep on changing. Once again I found myself agreeing with Daniel Rozin in his statement, ‘The tools that I currently use are tools of technology (and artists have always used new technologies for their art)….my tools are different, and with new tools come new opportunities....’ Image making is a journey of constant discovery and learning and mastering techniques can take a lifetime.

Tree by Simon Heijdens (b. 1978, Netherlands), 2005

While the human form is to me one of the most interesting subjects to explore, I was taken by the natural beauty of Tree by Simon Heijdens. The photo I took of this piece won the honorary position of background image on my iPhone. Tree, and other work created by Simon Heijdens “attempts to bring the passage of time experienced in the natural world into our constructed spaces so that we may benefit from it.” As I spend more and more of my time in large, buzzing metropoleis, I now desire to feel the changing of the seasons and the rhythm of time passing. Heijdens work brought me there.

Network

I was excited to see that Aaron Koblin’s work was featured in the Network section of the exhibition.

Flight Patterns by Aaron Koblin (b. 1982, USA), 2008

I had seen Aaron speak at a conference this past year, but at Decode I didn’t really get a sense of the power and beauty that I knew his work to be. I’d recommend visiting Aaron’s site to watch few videos of his projects in motion. You can really grasp the revelatory impact that Aaron creates though data visualization. Aaron looks at ‘social and infrastructural data and uses it to depict cultural trends and emergent patterns.’ Dry statistics become hugely exciting when interpreted by Aaron.

Code

I’ll comment only briefly on the first part of the exhibition entitled Code. I definitely felt less immersed in the work in this section than in any of the others. Some of the pieces were visually attractive, but much of the substance for intellectual stimulus lied in the creation and coding of the works themselves and was unfortunately lost on me.

As a digital designer, I collaborate very closely with coders most of my working hours. Those programmers that I work the best with are the ones that understand and anticipate the behaviour and needs of the person at the other end of the tangle of wires, the person who will be interacting with their creation. They may write ‘beautiful code’, but I myself could never be a judge of this part of their craft though I do appreciate the level craftsmanship that is required in order for thing to work.

I left the exhibition feeling quite satisfied; I had seen work that made me think a bit more about the way the [digital] world is shaped and how it fits around our [human] one. As the exhibition proved, each world serves the other. The best designers and coders are those who understand this and create accordingly.

*N.B. I had attended management course about a month earlier ‘conducting difficult discussions.’ Funnily enough, we were told that if we mimicked the person who was speaking, the way they were seated or how they placed their hands, that this would help us reduce the stress level of each person making them feel more comfortable, and as a result we would be able to hold a more effective conversation.

Decode is on at the V&A from 8 December 2009 – 11 April 2010
in partnership with SAP
in collaboration with onedotzero

Fashioning Diasporas at the V&A : Liaqat Rasul and Ghulam Sakina

2009-06-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

As promised, I'm back with the second part of my post on the "Fashioning Diasporas"conference at the V&A.

Liaqat Rasul was perhaps my favorite speaker of the day. He was at his most passionate and eloquent when speaking about the clothing lines he developed for his label Ghulam Sakina.

Liaqat was born and raised in Wales to Pakistani parents and draws on both sides of his mixed heritage when creating new pieces: he is inspired as much by the beauty and subtle nuances of fine Indian textiles as by the elegant precision of British tailoring. I fell in love with a deep raspberry coloured winter coat fashioned in Harris Tweed from Scotland.

Liaqat expressed some frustration at being referred to in the industry mainly as a designer who does “ethnic, bohemian” stuff. While I could not help but be reminded of the Italian fashion house Etro and Indian designer Manish Arora, both of whom draw on traditional Asian techniques, patterning and imagery when creating their clothing lines, Liaqat's lines do indeed contain a depth and beauty that them far beyond such narrow interpretations.

I am looking forward to stopping by Liaqat’s boutique here in London for a closer look at his beautiful creations.

Fashioning Diasporas at the V&A

2009-06-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

A month has passed since I attended Fashioning Diasporas at the V&A here in London. Hectic city living has kept my typing fingers at bay, but now that I have found a moment I’d like to mention some thoughts from the day that remain fresh in my mind.

The aim of the conference as described in the V&A’s brochure, was to “consider the ways in which fashion has been used as a basis for establishing new identities and connecting with old ones by diaspora communities….” I had been in London for a few years now, and the question of integration and multi-ethnicity here as opposed to other places I had lived in the world (New York, Bologna, Tokyo) was one that interested me greatly.

Images from the site Silk Route Clothing.

Emma Tarlo of Goldsmiths, of University of London presented a paper entitled “Refashioning the Islamic: British Islamic Fashion designers and the Search for Culturally Relevant Dress for Muslims in the West”. The subject proved to be complex, as Britain’s Muslim communities are culturally diverse in and amongst themselves. How would the question “is the concept of glamour counter to the idea of ‘modesty’ that is fundamental to the Islam” be answered by these different communities? The answers would be many.

I'll be adding to this post in a few days time with some comments on another fantastic V&A conference speaker, Liaqat Rasul and his clothing label Ghulam Sakina.

Stars shine in east london

2008-10-05T03:06:00.000-07:00

Bethan Laura Wood is certainly one of the brightest stars in the galaxy of talent that is east London.

Wood has been on this earth for a mere 23 years yet she has already had two of her ultra cool ideas produced which she sells in boutiques in San Francisco (Rose and Radish, Lola), New York (Eye Candy, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly), London (Beyond the Valley, Kodon Tozai, etc), Australia (Test Tube) and off of her website http://www.woodlondon.co.uk/.

Her work spans the fashion, design, and artistic realms and includes collaborations with fashion and costume designers (Cassette Playa, KTZ label), set designers, glassmakers, ceramic artists and even Albion Advertising, arguably the hottest agency in the overheated London scene.

Wood was invited by influential Milan based online magazine Design Boom and the C.P. clothing company to show her pieces in London (100% East) and New York (ICFF) amongst others. She has already received noteriety by publications such as Core 77, Coolhunting, The London Paper, The Evening Standard, The Sunday Times (Australia), Honda Dream Magazine and Design Week.

The essence of good design: A discussion with Claudio Luti of Kartell

2008-10-01T12:59:00.000-07:00

The line to enter the Covent Garden Super Design exhibition on opening night snaked out into the historic square of London from which it borrowed its name. Covent Garden Super Design was the design event not to miss this autumn even after the slew of industry related events held just one month earlier during London Design Week. The introduction to the Covent Garden show’s catalogue explained the show’s purpose: “to emphasis the current synergy between design and the visual arts”, and in a certain sense the show did just this.

The pieces on display in the expansive 20,000 square foot space hailed from The Greenwich Village Gallery, Kenny Schachter ROVE Projects and The Apartment, three galleries dedicated to dealing in contemporary furniture of the kind that often dances on the border between art and design. There were limited edition works such as the Petit Jardin Bench by Tord Boontje and Sushi Sofa by the Campana brothers (only 10 Petit Jardin and 7 of the Sushi Sofa were commissioned by the Greenwich Village Gallery) illustrating the recent art world exclusivity of design as commodity. Ambiguous sculptural forms such as the Line Series by Philip Michael Wolfson were beautiful, though one is not sure whether they should actually use the tables and benches as furniture or treat them as objet d’art and not to be touched.

While wandering amongst organic mutating forms and design world glitterati on opening night (I was thrilled to spot Pritzker Prize winning architect Zaha Hadid amongst the crowd), I noted the presence of Louis Ghost, a chair that was definitely a chair and used for its conventional purpose: that of being sat upon. Ghost was set not up on a pedestal under a spotlight, but simply behind a table that was being used to welcome guests. Elegant and understated, sleek and classic and at the same time, this ebony version of Ghost neither stole the stage nor had it lost any of its distinction amidst the more showy furniture pieces on display.

I smiled as I thought how Ghost fit so comfortably in yet another setting (I had already spotted her countless times in the nicest restaurants, bars, reception areas and offices of many a city) and was reminded of a conversation that I had not long back with Claudio Luti, President of Kartell, the Italian furniture company that produces Ghost. During our conversation, Luti explained that what is created at Kartell can only be classified as “Industrial Design” and did not enter into the “is it art” discourse such as that posed that night in Covent Garden. According to Mr. Luti, production in high numbers (annual sales of the Louis Ghost chair, for example, number around 140,000) poses different challenges to the creator and serves a different purpose than that of the making of a limited edition piece.

Kartell decidedly produces utilitarian furniture, but innovation, careful study, and passion result in the creation of beautiful pieces that are highly expressive and full of spirit, qualities often used to describe paintings or sculpture. Kartell collaborates with the best that the international design community has to offer. Patricia Urquiola, Ron Arad, Antonio Citterio Michele De Lucchi, Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, and Philippe Stark, the creator of Ghost, are just a few of the designers on the roster. Mr. Luti explained that the art in industrial design is in producing pieces that retain the creative expression of these great designers, a sensibility that can easily be easily lost in a process that relies upon machines and moulds to produce pieces in high number.

Chris Sanderson, co-founder of the consumer insight agency The Future Laboratory recently stated, ”In the way that we used to hum and haw over whether a frock could be art, or whether a hat could make profound statements about society, we are beginning to realize that artists no longer hold the monopoly on emotional, spiritual or cultural communication. Design informs our thinking rather than just servicing our need to fulfill a task.” If the rest of the world is finally fully acknowledging the powerful influence of design, Italians have understood it for decades. Over the past half-century Italian design that has changed the way that people live the world over; Kartell is one of a handful of companies that continues to direct this change.

Founded by Giulio Castelli, a chemical engineer, and his wife, Anna Castelli Ferrieri, an architect and designer in 1947, the company began experimenting with a new and highly innovative material at that time, plastic. Insight and ingenuity led the couple to begin producing objects to fill the homes of post-War Europe. Indispensable items such as the plastic buckets, dust bins, dish racks, containers for holding sugar and flour, most of them items that populate most kitchens still today were introduced by Kartell during the first decade of its existence.

One must be reminded of the fact that plastic was a foreign, artificial material in its newness in order to fully comprehend how great of an impact the Castelli’s work at Kartell has made upon society. The couple, working together with some of the greatest designers of the time such as Gino Colombini, Achille and Piergiacomo Castiglioni, Marco Zanuso, and Joe Colombo amongst others, succeeded in introducing and fully integrating plastic with its bright colors and strange texture into the most intimate place in our lives, the home. They changed the way that this environment looked and the way that people lived in it, proving that design always has communicated on an emotional and cultural level in our society in a very direct and immediate way.

I visited Kartell’s offices located just outside of Milan in September and saw a few of the company’s early products on display in the expansive design museum housed there. Much has changed over Kartell’s 60 years of existence, but I noticed that a surprising number of the objects dating back to the mid-late 1950s, have retained a strikingly fresh, contemporary feel. This timelessness is a quality that Mr. Luti acknowledges as one of the most important aspects of what he terms “quality design”. He points out that Kartell products do not exude a singular “style” that falls in and out of fashion. Rather, as innovative as their form or materials may be, it is important that their beauty will endure even as time passes. This imperative is foremost in his mind as he reviews new design proposals and pushes for greater innovation in the current Kartell collection.

Another important characteristic of “quality design” and the success of a new piece according to Luti, is durability. It is to him a gift of the industrial process, a process that normally poses so many constraints. And a gift of plastic itself as it is intrinsically a long lasting material resistant to weathering, scraping, and wear and tear.

Since Claudio Luti took control of the company in 1988 it has expanded rapidly with 100 Flagship Stores opening in 85 countries. The first Kartell store opened in the U.S. in 1999 on Greene Street in New York City followed by store openings in L.A., San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta and Boston and products sold in more than 150 independent retailers throughout the country. (When I was visiting this September, Mr. Luti had just signed a contract for four new stores to open in India before the end of the year.) Luti attributes this success to the company’s commitment quality by producing pieces that are beautiful and expressive, that innovate, and that endure.

This combination of qualities makes for the versatility and strength of Kartell’s collection. Kartell furniture harmonizes in a variety of environments, from art galleries and museums, to airports or restaurants, to homes and offices, to indoor and outdoor spaces and with a variety of styles from classic to modern. Though forever faithful to plastic and its great potential for expression, the company has recently introduced other materials such as wood and metal to the collection bringing a new sensibility to the work. The Mademoiselle chair for example, was designed by Philippe Stark but interpreted by fashion designers Dolce & Gabbana. The duo proposed a gorgeous Leopard print for the chair.

Kartell products may not be objet d’art, nor are they exclusive, exorbitantly priced, limited edition furniture pieces such as those on display at the Covent Garden Super Design exhibition, but the company has found it’s own “synergy between design and the visual arts”: on the one hand it remains faithful to the design canon by responding to the practical needs of society through the production of utilitarian furniture, on the other hand each piece in Kartell’s collection exudes the magic of expression normally attributed to art objects.

Photos:

Louis Ghost chair designed by Philippe Starck, 2002
Claudio Luti, president of Kartell
Round stackable units designed by Anna Castelli Ferrieri in 1969
The Kartell museum
Mademoiselle chair designed by Philippe Starck with Dolce & Gabbana

Written 2007-2008

India Designing : Young blood on fire in the subcontinent

2008-09-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

I just finished having afternoon tea with Varsha Jain, a rather strange ritual for us residents of Milan where espressos or macchiatos are regularly consumed in abundance by the natives. Habits good and bad alike are hard to break however and for Varsha, who has come here from her native Delhi, chai is indeed preferred to coffee.

I remember first meeting Varsha at Vikram Kant’s apartment a month or so ago. Vikram, who moved to Milan from New Delhi three years go, had been teasingly nicknamed “the Godfather” by the many Indian students studying there. Vikram had been in Milan the longest having been accepted as the sole design assistant to fashion stylist Monica Tempesta (clients include Marni, Prada, and Max Mara) shortly after graduating from a year long master’s program in fashion design at the Domus Academy. Vikram’s door was open to his compatriots who would often drop by for advice and counseling on survival in Italy, hence the nickname.

Varsha was worried about what she would do after graduating from Domus’s masters program in accessory design and had come to Vikram for some “counseling”. The highly coveted internships offered through the school are awarded to the top three or four students of each class. And with Italy’s stagnant economy and obtaining a work visa a near impossibility, finding an internship or job on your own especially in the highly competitive, notoriously closed-door fashion world, a pipe dream. This time Vikram had little advice to give: “Do well on your final project,” was all he could say.

It turns out that “well” for Varsha was pretty outstanding. Before even completing her thesis project with shoe designer Diego Dolcini (www.diegodolcini.it; clients have included Dolce e Gabbana, Gucci with Tom Ford, and Bruno Magli) the well established designer offered to produce all nine of her design proposals and a place in his Bologna-based studio. Varsha may refuse this offer if it means spending too much time in Italy, opting instead to return to her native New Delhi. She does not want to be part of the “brain drain” that she sees still happening back home. Indian students here in Italy complain that there are still not enough opportunities in India in design, nor do they feel that the field has attained the stature and respect that it is awarded abroad. But this seems to be rapidly changing.

Puneet Nanda has been working in fashion and graphic design in New Delhi since 1985, broken by a few stints in the United States. He is currently back in his native country designing for the exclusive label Satya Paul (www.satyapaul.com). In an email interview he observes that “As the economy [in India] matures and people becoming more educated, the need for finer products and naturally, better design is required.” More and more opportunities for young designers are opening up, though the change may seem to be happening too slowly for Milan’s young fiercely talented recent graduates.

India’s surging economic growth has opened up new markets for both foreign as well as homegrown companies. Sujata Keshavan Guha of graphic design agency Ray+Keshavan Design (www.rayandkeshavan.com), one of the most important in the subcontinent noted, “Indian companies now compete with multinationals both at home and outside….So establishing clear identities is very important to the success of their brands”.1 This new market is not so easily reached however, as it is as vastly diverse and varied as the country’s demographic makeup. Establishing a strong identity alone will not necessarily win one a lifelong client.

Vikram, who worked for LVMH in India as a retail and merchandising manager before coming to Milan, speaks from experience when he states that the Indian consumer considers functionality, value, service and trust (in that order) before investing in your wares. Celebrity endorsement (Bollywood stars being more effective than the likes of a Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt) also help to win the hearts of the consumer.

Fortunately foreign entrepreneurs and business gurus hoping to develop products to sell to the Indian market will find this generation of Indian designers not only receptive and open to collaborations, but also highly educated, skilled, trained and ready to go the extra mile to produce not just good but excellent products that will reach an increasingly moneyed market.
Nandan Nilekani, CEO and managing director of Infosys Technologies India, one of the country’s largest and most successful “knowledge economy” companies, states in an interview with Business Week online, that “The hardest part of the innovation process – and the most important – is anticipating client needs. Customer intimacy is very important. You have to be close to your customers.”2

Such collaborations will prove vital to success in India, for as the country pushes ahead into the future, it remains in many ways fixed on its past and its deeply embedded traditions. India’s diaspora is multifarious. Old and new world standardized formulas will not always work in such an environment, especially in the world of fashion where bright colors such as those used by internationally acclaimed designer Manish Arora (www.fuk.co.uk/lfwss06/
mu) and traditional clothing such as saris are still at the height of fashion.

Not all young Indian designers will be content with building bridges however, and many have been paving their own roads for awhile now to become part of India’s already vibrant fashion community. Vikram has recently moved back to Delhi to re-establish his studio and has plans to distribute his new clothing lines to both European and American markets. He will be at an advantage for a number of reasons: his exposure to “western” aesthetic sensibilities, color and style, and retail environments will allow him to design and market more successfully both at home and abroad. The combination of refined technical skills he developed while studying at NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology; www.niftindia.com), and conceptual thinking he learned at Domus Academy give him a very solid base. But Vikram has a third thing going
for him: a deep knowledge and understanding of the local craftsmen and manufacturers that high end US and European apparel companies such as Bill Blass couture and Versace are already taking advantage of to produce textiles, beading and embroideries for their lines.

Young fashion designers’ involvement with local artisans in India begins at university. Varsha, who also attended NIFT, spent two months in the remote state of Madhya Pradesh working together with her classmates and local craftspeople in an attempt to bring these artisan into the mainstream economy and to better utilize the country’s natural resources such as wrought
iron. Educators, students and government officials hope that such collaborations will help raise the living standards of these craftsman who live in isolated, rural, and poor communities.

Varsha and her fellow graduate Mona Mohanty R Biswarupa acknowledge that as Indian designers they are at an advantage, for the dearth of cultural stimuli upon which they draw seems varied without limit. Mona, who finished at the top of her class this year at IED, expressed to me her surprise at how much Indian culture, arts and tradition were valued by her professors and foreign friends in Milan. She has come to reconsider the true worth of the cultural richness of India.

Indeed the work of these young designers is distinctly Indian in its form, choice of materials, color sensibility, patterning, and techniques employed. Any fears that it might amalgamate into some dreaded generic “global, international style” can quickly be forgotten, for as their work remains new, fresh and contemporary; tradition continues to coarse through their veins. It will be interesting to watch as India enters the international arena not only as a country that produces high quality goods designed abroad, but as a nation that is churning out top level, innovative designers as well. Prepare yourselves, a storm is brewing.

Notes:

Spotlight of the Month, 3M Graphictalk, Friday, February 17, 2006
" ‘Borderless Thinking’ Equals Innovation", Business Week online, February 2, 2006

Images:

Necklace, Vikram Kant
Shoe designs, Varsha Jain
Textile design, Vikram Kant
Necklace, Vikram Kant
Textile design. Mona Mohanty R Biswarupa

Written February 2007

The Waves

2008-09-26T03:35:00.000-07:00

Director Katie Mitchell is my new hero in theater. She gives sound and visual images to Virgina Woolf's words in her production of The Waves at the National in London.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2008/aug/16/theatre.londonlistings