Karim Rashid | The white sheep of design

In a pool of black uniforms, the dress code recommended by the organizers of the Completely Design Salon, Karim Rashid shows up dressed in white from head to toe. The Canadian-American industrial designer, who was one of the featured speakers at the event held last March, is not one of those who follow the herd. It is precisely this characteristic that has raised him above the crowd internationally, where he shines with his innovative creations. Quick meeting with a design legend.

“In 2000, I was on a panel with six architects. We were all dressed in black. From that point on, I decided I no longer wanted to be part of that uniformity. » Since then, Karim Rashid has worn white, and sometimes yellow, he tells us in all his flamboyance.

Sobriety is not one of the design criteria of this creator, whose look is a nice cross between Tintin and Elvis (he will forgive us this reference to the past). It’s not the word that comes to mind when thinking of his work either: what emanates from this fertile brain does not go unnoticed and that’s all the better. Karim Rashid designs the design of tomorrow.

Create for the future

“For a long time, I wondered about what differentiated style from design. I ended up drawing this conclusion: design is evolution and progress. He does not seek to borrow from the past or imitate it, unlike the style. » There is no doubt that Karim Rashid’s work falls into one and not the other. Well versed in the history of art and particularly design, he is nevertheless in a perpetual quest to ignore it. The styles end up looking similar. He transcends.

True creation, he says, draws on contemporary references – current needs and knowledge, today’s technology, its latest materials, its uses and interfaces. It moves forward and shapes the future, placing experience and feeling above everything else, and humans at the epicenter.

“The current context pushes the market to be cautious,” he continues. We want sure values ​​and draw on past successes, but it is precisely in these moments that we must take risks and look for other avenues. »

Constantly evolving

Karim Rashid’s clients include Umbra, Veuve Clicquot, Kenzo, Hugo Boss, Samsung and 3M of this world. Added to this are buildings, decorations, furniture and heterogeneous objects scattered around the globe. The designer pulls in all directions and leaves his mark on his time with unique creations. With 4000 designs in 40 countries and 300 awards under its belt, its reputation is well established.

However, when we ask him to name the one he likes among all his creations, he admits to hating the question.

His best play is yet to come, he believes consistently, granting himself the right and duty to evolve without resting on his laurels.

“The right question, to resume [le peintre américain] Frank Stella, would be to ask me what I would like to create,” he suggests.

” All right. We send it back to you: what do you still dream of drawing? », we ask, witnessing a spark in the eyes of which we only capture a tiny part of the essence.

“I would like to design a small, urban electric car, but it’s not easy to get your hands on such a project. At the moment, I’m also trying to complete an eyewear collection. I’ve done this in the past, but I have new ideas. And then, I hope to launch my own range of clothing and create a small art gallery that would address the question of art in architecture…” lists the designer, his brain visibly in turmoil. I have lots of ideas that revolve around the design of tomorrow. »

“And in the past (we dare), is there a creation that you would like to have signed? »

“There are several,” he reflected. If I had to choose one, it would be the chair Blow upby Gaetano Pesce [1967]. » Never reproduced since, the chair in question by the designer, who died on April 3, arrived vacuum-packed and returned to its shape when the bag was opened. Inaugurating yours was an event and an opportunity to get together with friends. “The element of surprise, the event side, the latest technology and the never-before-seen nature of this object… I love it! », laughs Karim Rashid, adding that this creation meets all his criteria.

“There is also something very soft about this design which is thought of as an extension of the body. As humans, we are fragile, asymmetrical, volatile…” Karim Rachid’s work surely will not be.