Italy
...and its designers
The Milan Expo 2015 in full bloom and its motto Feeding the Planet. Energy for Life in the back of many people's mind more that ever before got one particular person thinking: George M. Beylerian. Beylerian is known all over the world for his insights on design trends and product development strategy. For over 40 years he has been working tirelessly to nurture and incubate design in the United States and abroad. Inducted in the Hall of Fame of Interior Design and in 2010 he received the “Visionaries” Lifetime Achievement Award from the Museum of Art & Design (NYC)...and his latest project just reeled in the Best Accessorie Collection Award at ICFF 2015!
De Gustibus Collection, his latest work, is a collection of tableware by 32 Italian masters of design. Normally Italian and design used in one sentence simply do not match reason in one hand and budget in the other. In this case however, Beylerian did not price one design over $100. Matching the names with the numbers you might believe you just died and went to (design) heaven.
Meda, Castiglioni, Boeri, Magistretti, Branzi, Cibic, Mendini, Sapper and the list continues with names that will put a smile on ones face. Even from sketches and notes of the late Aulenti and Colombo the collection will revive concepts designed during their lifetimes. With these prices and all in the name of design, Beylerian lifts these masters to an even higher level by presenting them to a younger generation. Appreciation is key!
Generally speaking Italian design first touched base during the International Turin Exposition in 1902. Yes, even from the mid 19th century there was some industrial development, and with this design, but after 1902 it was Art Nouveau's triumph. It was the first chance for a world-wide comparison between Italian industrial tradition and the other important countries, especially the European powers. It was an extremely successful exposition with great influence on Italian industrial design and it was then that Italian furniture design came to life. It was the time of luxury industry, that's to say fancy objects industry, including Florentine Richard Ginori porcelaine (with Gio Ponti as art-director from 1929) and companies who set the great Murano tradition.
However, it was only after the Second World war when Italy was more or less compelled to build up their country the household names came to be. From architecture to steel fittings and from door handles to the creation of electric power control devices. From 1950 onwards, the new modern furniture companies obtained extraordinary findings, particularly stackable kitchens industry and home appliances industries. And it was this industry that brought Italy their greatest export products and the vanguard of Italian design.
The industrial objects of that era became a symbol of this new renaissance period; Italy suddenly found out that modernity means welfare, comfort and a best type quality of life. So next to home appliances we could find furniture, lamps, a vaste range of objects for home and free time, radio sets and television sets that gave life to that typical 50's and 60's image.
For the De Gustibus Collection objects from the high-priests of design from the last 50 years were selected for a price not higher than € 90. Great tableware object from the créme de la créme of Italian design.
Hope you enjoy it. Check them all out!