Milan: In the now

Every year Milan offers its visitors a seductive slice through ‘now’. The relatively quick turnaround of products on show, along with a product designer’s innate desire to engage with culture, means that Milan captures the spirit of the time like no other design show on earth.

Despite this, Milan 2012 felt a little different from other years. While the main show still hustled and bustled as usual, the events around the rest of the city felt a little quieter than usual. There was a reflective and almost contemplative mood in the air, which seemed to suggest that designers are taking their time to carefully consider their next move amid a global state of instability. This was echoed by many of the big manufacturers, such as Vitra, Established & Sons and Magis, choosing not to release many new products.

By far the most exciting developments this year were those being made in the less-established areas of the fair, with traditional shows being much more low-key. New thinking such as open-source design, hacking and crowd funding is empowering young designers, and in doing so is lighting the touch paper that could ignite a new era of collaborative design. Tantalisingly, this will question the very nature of future Milan furniture fairs.

Humble Beauty
In this rather subdued atmosphere, what felt particularly positive was the move away from the perpetual cycle of loud design pieces shouting for attention only to be replaced the following year by an even louder piece. Instead there was a tendency for more humble and considered design, something that was gathering pace at last year’s show; the special quality of a product doesn’t always shout from a distance, rather it only reveals its beauty at close quarters.

Traditional Japanese design values of simplicity and understated beauty feel particularly appropriate in this time of austerity, so it is perhaps not entirely coincidental that Japanese designers and manufacturers had such a big presence at Milan. Their approach of eschewing fast-moving trends and creating long-lasting products of real use in people’s everyday lives resonates far beyond their own disaster-stricken nation.

People are again keen to buy products that resonate with them on an emotional level, meaning they are taking the time to consider their purchases. Alongside this there is an overwhelming sense that we produce and own too much stuff: Dieter Rams’ ethos of ‘less, but better’ feels very relevant again in these times.

One show that stood out was Karimoku New Standard, a collaboration of emerging international designers and one of Japan’s leading manufacturers of wooden furniture. The pieces, beautifully arranged in a 100-year-old apartment building in Via Palermo, really captured the silent beauty of everyday life. They were able to convey a feeling of harmony and balance that people seem so eager
to achieve these days. But while they were humble and quiet, the furniture on show was by no means minimalist; a clever use of colour and detail brought a lighthearted bliss and almost childlike naivety to the collection.

For products to have longevity they need to be made extremely well, but they also need to engage us on a deeper emotional level beyond their surface finish. Producing less and of a higher quality to extend the life of a product feels like a very sensible approach for the future. This notion brought a few things into perspective in these unsteady times. Design commentator Ann Maes made the point that ‘Recycling and upcycling have become buzz words, but what some people tend to forget is that recycling costs money too. You can better focus on producing less and of higher quality to extend the lifetime of a product.’

Designer as Manufacturer
The process behind products was the hero across the fair this year, as many brands proudly displayed sketches and prototype models alongside their finished pieces. This trend was most noticeable at Kartell, where its ‘Work in Project’ stand stood in sharp contrast to its glitzy, neon-filled offering of last year.

Milan often felt more akin to a factory than to a polished design fair. At numerous shows new products, ranging from chairs to candelabras, were being created on-site and on-demand in front of fascinated crowds, though this factory atmosphere was about much more than entertainment. It reflected what the Economist magazine is calling the ‘third industrial revolution’ by promising a radical re-evaluation of the traditional role of the designer. Historically, the process of manufacturing a product was arduous
and could only be done by finding a manufacturer and having them produce it. But, excitingly, there is now a greater opportunity emerging for the creative – they can be both the designer and the manufacturer.

Technology is inciting this step-change as the cost of digital manufacturing continues to fall and digital connectivity continues to spread. Designer Tom Dixon positioned himself firmly at the forefront of this new revolution by teaming up with international machine giant Trumpf to produce his new Stamp chair. They created a powerful display of intent for the show; two sheet-metal machines cut out the Stamp chairs against the backdrop of a reconstructed 19th-century railway station. Dixon commented: ‘It’s the idea that we can take the factory plant to the consumer and…make these things in front of people, so people really understand how possible it is now to design and develop and distribute things in a modern way… What we’re trying to prove here is that the power is back with the designer. You don’t have to have a big-name manufacturer to get goods to market.’

Dixon’s thought reveals that it’s not just technological advancements that are driving this trend; the anarchic mood of our times is playing a vital role. The climate of economic instability is forcing people to question the norm, which is causing the designer’s ambition to evolve. Not all designers (particularly young designers) necessarily want the big manufacturers to take on their products. Instead they strive to bring their products to people in their own unique way, while maintaining the purity of their creative vision.

With an equally dramatic backdrop as the Stamp installation, albeit rather more refined, was The Future of Making exhibition curated by Domus and Audi in the Palazzo Clerici. Juxtaposed against a sumptuous baroque backdrop, machines hooked up to laptops produced everything from chairs made of recycled fridge parts to edible canapés. What stood out for us in particular among this pleasingly geek-made aesthetic was the Kickstarter exhibit.

What appeared on the surface to be a straightforward collection of pleasant, everyday-design objects has undoubtedly given traditional manufacturers many sleepless nights: all the items owed their existence to crowd-funded finance, proving that if an idea can capture a crowd’s imagination then independent production can be found with relative ease.

Hacking the mainsteam
‘Hacking’ has become one of the key buzz words of our times. Only a few weeks ago did we see pictures of intrepid youths ‘place hacking’ London’s (yet to be completed) new architectural landmark, The Shard.

Hacking has traditionally been the domain of the outsider, done undercover, at the dead of night. Aliases were created to protect identities and perhaps add a little glamour to the lonely nights in front of a glowing screen. It was strange then that, for the duration of the fair, hackers were lauded and welcomed into one of the city’s most prestigious department stores. Stranger still, they were welcomed in broad daylight with a crowd of stylish design types following in their shadows. There can only be one conclusion: hacking has officially entered the mainstream.

The event that tipped this balance was Hacked, comprising a series of interactive performances held in the basement of lifestyle store La Rinascente. Dubbed as ‘100 Hours of Rebellious Imagination’, it celebrated hacking as a contemporary concept of appropriation, alteration and transformation, while exploring the implications hacking may cause for art, design and technology. The events ranged from downloadable buildings to educational workshops on building your own particle accelerator.

What struck us as particularly pertinent and timely was Hacked’s intent to ‘provide a platform for young designers whose work exists outside of conventional exhibition object parameters’.

The allure of imperfection
Milan saw another big change this year. As the slick, shiny new products that Milan is so famous for showcasing seemed to have less of an appeal for visitors, products with a sense of individual character caught our eye instead.

Dutch designer Lex Pott’s work (which featured in numerous shows throughout the fair) is a beautiful example of how products with unique patina can charm. His philosophy of using the origin of the material was reflected in his project Transience, created in collaboration with David Derksen. This uses the beauty of the natural oxidising process to transform mirrored surfaces over time, which was celebrated, accelerated and manipulated. This was shown in a gradation across three geometric patterns. By ageing some elements of the mirrored surface in this way Transience feels timeless, not conspicuously new.

Tom Dixon’s new Lustre lighting collection shared this imperfect allure. The ceramic pendant lights were finished with an iridescent glaze, which is fired twice to give each piece a unique finish. Dixon describes the effect as ‘reminiscent of hidden colours in nature, seen in peacock feathers or oil slicks on water’. It was an exciting new direction from a designer who has previously made his name with highly polished metal lighting features.

Both Dixon’s and Pott’s pieces had a somewhat weathered and timeless quality to them. They both demonstrated the desire for products with aesthetic longevity, as well as the growing importance and value of products with individuality and a sense of personal character.

Wonder and surprise
One of the most magical projects on display in Milan this year was an experimental LED lamp by Swedish design practice Front for new Dutch company, Booo. The all-female design studio Front came up with a wonderfully simple, yet mind-blowing concept. Its Surface Tension Lamp is a bubble-blowing light fixture that uses the bubble to create the most ephemeral and delicate lampshade. Each bubble lampshade is unique, reflecting the light in the room with a wonderful rainbow shimmer, lasting for only a few seconds, which stands in stark contrast to the LED light source that lasts for about 50,000 hours.

Impractical maybe, but it certainly pulled the crowds. It goes to show that people long for a bit of magic in their lives. Transformative objects such as this have the power to make us stop and wonder. For many people life has become too controlled and predictable. Our ‘always on’ culture can make us feel like slaves to our smart phones, always knowing and anticipating every little step ahead. Designs such as Transformative demonstrate there is a real need for spontaneity and unpredictability, allowing us to reclaim the sense of surprise.

Daniel Rybakken, one of our favourite designers at last year’s show, was again showing more beautiful pieces that captured a similar spirit of wonder. His light, called Coherence, consists of a compact light source that illuminates a massive dome suspended above.

On reflection, spaces that invite us to daydream and wonder provide an almost spiritual dimension. Objects and rituals that allow quiet contemplation help us to be ‘in the moment’, a much-needed antidote for our hectic and hyperconnected lives.

We feel there is a strong desire for people to escape and retreat in an attempt to regain emotional stability and composure, hence our excitement when we see designers responding to this growing need with such inspiring creations at this year’s show.

Mariel Brown
Head of trends, Seymourpowell Mariel Brown is part of the research, trends and strategy team at Seymourpowell. She gained a firstclass honours degree in design futures at Napier University and a MA in design products from the RCA. While studying she won a D&AD Award for product design and another for environmental design. Since she joined Seymourpowell more than six years ago she has worked on a range of projects including user research and product strategy.

Karen Rosenkranz
Head of social & lifestyle foresight,Seymourpowell Karen Rosenkranz is part of the practice’s research, trends and strategy team. She joined the company in 2007 after having worked in design consultancies in Amsterdam and New York. Her experience covers many facets of the design process, from uncovering user insights to translating them into brand-relevant propositions, from spotting emerging trends to defining a brand’s visual language. She is responsible for global user insight and trend studies for clients such as Unilever, LG and Nokia.

About Seymourpowell
The shape of things to comeSeymourpowell is one of the world’s leading design and innovation companies. Founded in 1984 by Richard Seymour and Dick Powell, the London-based group of awardwinning designers has produced some of the ‘milestone’ products of the past two decades. It is now part of Writtle Holdings. Currently with 95 staff, Seymourpowell combines a design studio, research centre, materials library and prototyping workshop. It has a unique holistic approach to design and innovation, which combines in-depth experience and up-to-date intelligence about people, markets and businesses. It has the ability to forecast and interpret the vital implications of behaviours and work out future scenarios to give its clients the confidence and reassurance that they are making the right decision.