Rethinking Design

Images: 1. Leather Needlework by Lio de Bruin DAE 2.-3. Ingenious swimsuits at DAE/ Pronkpak by Ioni Chamilaki 4. Leather gloves at Arnhem Coming Soon 5. Rings made of money by Lex Pott
After visiting events such as Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven I always need to have a good think about what I saw and how it fits into today's bigger picture. When it comes to design, most of us think about chairs and tables but it's so much more than that. I've been hearing designers say "We don't need any more solutions to problems" or "We don't need another chair" for years now and although I was at first a little disappointed at what was on offer at DDW, now I'm thinking maybe this is the shift we asked for? This year saw much more conceptual design and creative thinking than previous editions and it's precisely this that makes us question our 'need' for ever-more products. Even-so I managed to pick a few of my favourites just for their look and feel!