Hasta La Ideas

Dezeen Wire: fashion brand Issey Miyake have appointed Yoshiyuki Miyamae as designer of their womenswear collection, following the departure of creative director Dai Fujiwara in February (see our earlier Dezeen Wire).

See all our stories about Issey Miyake »

Here are some more details from Masakatsu Nagatani, president of Issey Miyake Inc:

I am very pleased to inform you that we have appointed Yoshiyuki Miyamae as our new designer for the ISSEY MIYAKE women’s collection commencing with immediate effect for the SPRING SUMMER 2012 Collection.

Miyamae joined Miyake Design Studio in 2001, as part of the team working on the A-POC Project that Issey Miyake had been developing with Dai Fujiwara. This background gave Miyamae a thorough grounding in the concepts at the roots of clothing design and manufacturing. Since 2006, he has been a member of ISSEY MIYAKE design team under Dai Fujiwara. As he now takes up the baton from Fujiwara, Miyamae will pursue the creation of clothing that meets the needs of the new era and the new generation, while all the time focusing on the further development of the brand. In collaboration with the design, technical and production teams at ISSEY MIYAKE, Miyamae will unveil his first collection in Paris in October 2011.

With regard to our men’s brand, I am pleased to announce that we are changing the brand name to ISSEY MIYAKE MEN from the SPRING SUMMER 2012 season. A team combining both young talents and experienced designers and technicians will work together in each section from design and manufacturing to sales. In this endeavor, the entire staff is currently proceeding with final preparations for the presentation at the Paris Men’s Collections to be held in June 2011.

We would greatly appreciate your continued support of ISSEY MIYAKE and ISSEY MIYAKE MEN under our new system and we look forward to working with you in future.

Back to Dezeen Wire »
Back to Dezeen »

Dezeenwire: designer Ron Arad is to create an installation at London’s Roundhouse in August this year to host performances by designers and musicians including Hussein Chalayan and Javier Mariscal.

Called Curtain Call, the installation with comprise 5,600 silicon rods suspended from an 18-metre ring inside the venue, which was built in 1846 as a steam-engine repair shed.

This shifting cylinder will form a backdrop to videos, live performances and interactive installations from 9-29 August 2011.

See our series of movie interviews with Ron Arad on Dezeen Screen »
More about Ron Arad on Dezeen »

Here are some more details from the venue:

Major installation by Ron Arad at the Roundhouse

As part of Bloomberg Summer at the Roundhouse, internationally renowned artist, architect and designer Ron Arad will create a unique installation for the iconic London building – Curtain Call.

Arad has responded to the Roundhouse’s spectacular Main Space by creating a curtain made of 5,600 silicon rods, suspended from an 18 metre diameter ring – a canvas for films, live performance and audience interaction.

He has invited his favourite artists, musicians and friends to create unique work for the 360° interactive installation. Each day visitors will be able to see work by Babis Alexiadis, Hussein Chalayan, Matt Collishaw, Ori Gersht, Greenaway & Greenaway, Christian Marclay, Javier Mariscal, SDNA, David Shrigley, and students from the Royal College of Art as part of the piece.

Ron Arad says of Curtain Call: “Walk in, penetrate, cross the moving images to get inside the cylinder. You’ll be engulfed by images – a captive, but also a creator. It’s amazing what exciting things happen on both sides of the curtain. I can’t wait.”

Marcus Davey, Roundhouse Artistic Director and Chief Executive: “The Roundhouse Main Space has been the setting for all sorts of brave, influential work over the years. But this is the first time that an installation of such physical scale and creative scope has been staged. Ron’s remarkable project marries experimental design with live performance. It looks set to be an unforgettable experience.”

Bloomberg: “We’re delighted that our collaboration with the Roundhouse and Ron Arad will inspire artists and audiences to engage in new ways through exciting new technology. We’re proud to be part of such a unique and extraordinary event.”

A number of special events will be staged throughout the run, for which tickets range from £12-25, including: acclaimed cellist Stephen Isserlis with a performance of solo suites by Bach and Britten (17 Aug); Berlin-based electronic music label Innervisions with an evening featuring a screening of 1920s classic, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, accompanied by a live score (19 Aug); and London Contemporary Orchestra performing Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and other modern pieces on ancient themes (23 Aug).

There will also be free events, including a rude oracle delivered by award-winning American author Jonathan Safran Foer, singer/ songwriter Lail Arad, and Call to Create – a chance for emerging artists to collaborate with AV collective, Eyes on the Wall.

Ron Arad’s constant experimentation with materials and his radical approach to form and structure have put him at the forefront of contemporary design. In 1994 he unveiled the Bookworm bookshelf, and in 2005 he designed a chandelier for the Swarovski crystal company, which uses LEDs to display scrolling text messages sent from mobile phones. He was Head of the Design Products Department at the Royal College of Art from 1997 to 2009. Ron Arad Architects designed the Design Museum Holon, which opened in 2010. Recent major shows include the Centre Pomidou, Paris, MoMA in New York and the Barbican in London.

Back to Dezeenwire »
Back to Dezeen »

Dezeenwire: Dutch architect Winy Maas of MVRDV has been awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, the highest decoration in France.

Maas is involved with the future planning of greater Paris, large scale urban plans for Bordeaux and Caen, and various architecture projects in Paris and Dijon. See the recently completed project Le Monolithe in Lyon in our earlier Dezeen story.

The award was presented by the French Ambassador to the Netherlands at the French residence in The Hague.

Watch our interview with Winy Maas on Dezeen Screen »
More about MVRDV on Dezeen »

Here’s some more information from MVRDV:

Winy Maas receives French Legion of Honor

Winy Maas has received the highest French decoration Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur by the French Ambassador to the Netherlands Mr. Jean-François Blarel at the French residence in The Hague. MVRDV is strongly engaged in France and is part of Atelier du Grand Paris, the think tank concerned with the future planning of Greater Paris.

“Winy Maas and MVRDV are representatives of the high quality of contemporary Dutch architecture.” states the French Embassy, “the work is characterized by experiment, innovation and sustainability. The style is surprising and the materialization is unusual.”

According to the embassy MVRDV knows how to evoke “enthusiasm for architecture with stakeholders and large audiences. Their daring projects distinguished by understanding of contemporary needs respect the demands of the present-day developments with flexibility and innovation in regards to the issues the modern metropolis faces.

MVRDV is strongly engaged in France in a range of projects: The participation in Atelier du Grand Paris, with large scale urban plans for Bordeaux and Caen and a number of architecture projects in Paris and Dijon, among which is a zero energy office building in Paris, ZAC Gare de Rungis. Le Monolithe, a mixed-use building in Lyon was recently completed.

The Legion of Honor, is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, on 19 May 1802. The Order is the highest decoration in France and was in the past awarded to among others Karl Lagerfeld, Anna Wintour, Ingrid Betancourt and Robert Redford.

Back to Dezeenwire »
Back to Dezeen »

Dezeenwire: 321,320 people visited the 50th Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan last week, an 8% increase on last year, according to organisers Cosmit. See the full figures below.

See all our stories about Milan 2011 »

321,320 visitors celebrate 50 years of the Saloni

The 50th edition of the Saloni came to a close today, featuring the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, The International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition, SaloneSatellite and the biennials Euroluce/ International Lighting Exhibition andSaloneUfficio / International Biennial Workspace Exhibition.

321,320 visitors attended the event altogether, including 282,483 sector operators, up 2% on 2009, the last time Euroluce was held. 177,964 operators came from abroad, making up 63% of all presences. This was not just a success in quantitative terms, as demonstrated by the great appreciation of the exhibitors for the high qualitative level of the operators, and especially for the increase in the number of foreign visitors who flocked to the Fair’s pavilions. This, in turn, meant that the participating companies were provided with a very real opportunity to meet trade partners and develop business relations, while bearing witness to the global leadership of the Milanese Saloni.

A “birthday” celebrated with a hugely successful edition and impressive figures. Aside from the sector operators, 32,870 members of the publictook advantage of the special Sunday opening to attend Saloni 2011, as did 5,967 communications operators, including 5,313 journalists from around the world.

Carlo Guglielmi, Cosmit’s President, said “We are delighted with the way things have gone for this 50th edition of the Saloni. These results are a just reward for the commitment and dedication following 50 years of hard work. We haven’t the slightest intention of simply resting on our laurels now, however these figures are a spur for looking to the future and to future editions of the Saloni. We are well aware that substantial challenges lie ahead, and the need to keep striving for “quality” first and foremost. This is a major challenge, one that not just the exhibiting companies, but we ourselves as organisers, have to face head on. We need to be ready to tackle it in the same spirit and with the same determination to succeed as we have shown over the last 50 years.”

“The City of the Saloni” events have also been a tremendous success. Roughly 52,500 people visited the “Principia – Rooms and Substances of the Next Arts” exhibition in Piazza Duomo in just 6 days.

The “The Arbour (cuorebosco). Lights sounds and misty trees where the ancient city rose” installation also proved hugely popular, attracting 3,500 spectators.

Carlo Guglielmi went on to say “The ties between the trade fair itself, which is largely business-oriented, and the cultural events organised in the city for the city have become even stronger over the years. Our immediate aim is to move further forward in this direction, consolidating our presence in the city of Milan and our role as a promoter of top level cultural events open to all.”

Back to Dezeenwire »
Back to Dezeen »

Design Miami/Basel has announced that Asif Khan, Mischer’Traxler and Studio Juju are the winners of the 2011 W Hotels Designers of the Future Award:

DESIGN MIAMI/ BASEL AND W HOTELS PRESENT THE WINNERS OF THE 2011 W HOTELS DESIGNERS OF THE FUTURE AWARD

Since its introduction in 2006, the Designers of the Future Award has honored up and coming designers and studios that are expanding the field of design. Each year, multiple designers are ecognized as a way to honor a variety of approaches in the constantly evolving landscape of contemporary design. The W Hotels Designers of the Future Award moves beyond pure product and furniture design to acknowledge technologically and conceptually vanguard pieces that work across multiple disciplines. The goal of the Award is to offer the next generation of design creatives the opportunity to present newly commissioned works to a powerful audience of collectors, dealers and journalists at Design Miami/Basel, while drawing attention to design practices that exemplify new directions for the future of design.

This year, Design Miami/ Basel is pleased to continue its partnership with W Hotels in presenting the 2011 W Hotels Designers of the Future Award. This ongoing partnership allows Design Miami/ Basel to expand the benefits of the Award by giving the winning designers the opportunity to exhibit their commissioned projects at W Hotels around the globe following the first presentation at the Design Miami/  Basel fair in June. The 2011 W Hotels Designers of the Future Award winners are:

ASIF KHAN (UK)
MISCHER’TRAXLER (AUSTRIA)
STUDIO JUJU (SINGAPORE)

Qualifying candidates for the W Hotels Designers of the Future Award must have created original works in the fields of furniture, lighting, craft, architecture and/or digital/electronic media. Candidates must have been practicing for less than 15 years and have produced a body of work that demonstrates originality in the creative process, while also exhibiting an interest in working in experimental, nonindustrial, or limited-edition design.

This year’s winners were selected by an international jury that included Wava Carpenter of Design Miami/; Aric Chen of Beijing Design Week; Li Edelkoort of Edelkoort Inc.; Marcus Fairs of Dezeen.com; Alexis Georgacopoulos of ECAL; Konstantin Grcic of KGID; Kenya Hara of Muji; Constance Rubini of the School of Decorative Arts Paris; Zoe Ryan of the Art Institute Chicago; and Mike Tiedy of Starwood Hotels.

“Innovation, creativity and a cutting-edge approach to the philosophy of design are at the heart of what we do at W Hotels,” says Mike Tiedy, SVP, Global Brand Design & Innovation, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “The work of this year’s winners represents exactly the type of forward-thinking design that we strive to incorporate into our hotels around the world.”

“W Hotels Worldwide has been an industry innovator since its launch in 1998 in New York City,” says Eva Ziegler, SVP, Global Brand Leader W Hotels and Le Meridien. “Cutting-edge design and innovative design solutions are essential to our brand and working with Design Miami/ and the W Hotels Designers of the Future gives us a direct link to what’s new and next.”

Last year, W Hotels Designer of the Future Awards were presented to Beta Tank, Graham Hudson, rAndom International and Zigelbaum + Coelho. The winners traveled to W locations across the globe during key design weeks and set up on-site installations at W Barcelona and W New York Downtown. The winners also showcased their work at Istanbul Design week.

Two of the award recipients, Zigelbaum + Coelho and rAndom International, were also integrated into the W Taipei Premiere Event in March 2011, where W Hotels also commissioned rAndom International to create permanent installations. Following the success of this event, Zigelbaum + Coelho was also commissioned to create designs for a St. Petersburg premiere event in June 2011.

While the Designers of the Future Award has always featured unique and groundbreaking work exemplifying a progressive understanding of the design field, this year’s award will take a new approach with the theme, “Conversation Pieces.” Starting with this theme, this year’s winning designers have been commissioned by Design Miami/ Basel and W Hotels to create new works that encourage people to overcome social barriers while also sparking conversations between strangers.

“With this year’s Award, we wanted to highlight the young design vanguard while exploring works that are intentionally interactive,” says Design Miami/ Director Marianne Goebl. “While our three winners represent three very diverse and unique viewpoints, they all share an experimental and multi-disciplinary approach that we believe will encourage visitors to rethink the future of the design field.”

ABOUT THE DESIGNERS:

ASIF KHAN
Asif Khan Ltd. is a design office based in London working across architecture, products, interiors, and furniture, with a focus on projects that combine these disciplines in new and unexpected ways. Asif Khan has a diverse range of clients ranging from manufacturers to private individuals including Magis, Idee, Danese, Sawaya & Moroni, the Design Museum, and the Clinton-Hunter Foundation. Current projects include a restaurant in London’s Borough Market and furniture for schools in Malawi.

MISCHER’TRAXLER
Katharina Mischer and Thomas Traxler develop and design products, furniture and exhibitions, while focusing on experimental and conceptual design. Through examination, experimentation and analysis, the duo tries to draw their own conclusions, which often results in overall concepts, systems, and visions rather than single products. After graduating from the IM-Masters Department at the Design Academy Eindhoven in June 2008, Mischer and Traxler found studio mischer’traxler in Vienna, Austria in 2009. Their projects have been shown at international design festivals and in various museums around the world. mischer’traxler also collaborate with other designers and artists on a variety of projects.

STUDIO JUJU
Established in 2009 by Timo Wong and Priscilla Lui, studio juju is a design partnership based in Singapore. The studio’s process is characterized by a hands on approach to prototype making, focusing on a detailed understanding of design principles related to functionality, form and material. Studio Juju works with industry clients and creates partnerships with businesses, start-ups and other designers, while also undertaking projects in the field of education.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Design Miami/ Basel 14-18 June 2011
Public Hours of Admission 11am-7pm daily
VIP Opening (By invitation only): Monday, 13 June 2011
Press Preview (New Hours): Monday, 13 June 2011, 3-6pm
Press can pre-register online at http://services.designmiami.com/press
Vernissage: Monday, 13 June 2011, 6-10pm
Nocturne (By invitation only): Thursday, 16 June 2011, 7-9pm

ABOUT DESIGN MIAMI/
Design Miami/ is the most prominent and substantive forum for collectible design, representing a convergence of commerce and culture. Its annual shows in Basel, Switzerland (June) and Miami, USA (December) bring together the most influential galleries, collectors, designers, critics and curators from around the world. For more information please visit www.designmiami.com.
Design Miami/ Basel is presented in partnership with HSBC Private Bank, whose dedication to innovative international design is an example of its emphasis on the value of connections. HSBC Private Bank is committed to supporting the forum in Basel and to continuing to explore new opportunities together with Design Miami/Basel into the future.