ddp design fair

People are bringing home a new companion animal more than ever before. The number of companion animals has increased as people are spending longer hours at home due to the COVID-19 outbreak. “Pet-fam”, a combination of the word “pet” and the word “family”, which refers to those who view their pets as family members. As the saying goes, “It takes love to adopt a pet, and it takes money to raise a pet.”, the so-called “Pet-fam” people do not hesitate to spend money on their animal companions, and they really love and care for their pets. Perhaps they love their pets more than they do people. To capture the hearts of “Pet-fam” people, luxury brands are taking the lead to launch a product line for pets. And there is a growing market for pet-related products. The global dog clothing market is expected to increase to 34 trillion won by 2022, according to market research firm Euromonitor International. As “Pet-fam” people are spending generously on their animal companions whom they consider family, they are becoming increasingly powerful players on the world’s luxury brand market. People buy products from luxury brands because they care for their animal companions as they would for their family members, but another significant reason is because of the influence of social media. This is because there are some animals on Instagram that have as much influence as humans. If you search hashtag #doginfluencer, you will see photos of friendly pet dogs, but also dogs wearing luxury brands and showing off their cool style. If you see dogs that are cute but also prove to have better style than humans, you cannot help but think, they are definitely popular for a reason. They are animals, but they are cute, cool, pretty and so charming. Just as the items owned by influencers attract a fair amount of attention and get sold out very fast, dog owners also want to know about the products dog influencers are using and buy them, hoping that their pets whom they consider family will look cool as those influencers. In other words, pet owners select and use the best products, including garments, as a way to express their love for their animal companions. From this, you can see how much influence companion animals have on people. However, of course, there is also an opposing view on the consumption of luxury pet products. Some say that it does not make sense for animals to wear expensive items and eat gourmet meals, especially when it is even difficult for us to make ends meet. Some people feel deprived when they see animals being treated better than humans. At the same time, many people say that we also need to show consideration to former pets, once loved unconditionally, that get abandoned by their owners owing to personal circumstances. As a majority say that pet owners should love their animal companions whom they consider family until the day they die, it is clear that the level of awareness toward companion animals has grown across the nation. Despite such negative opinions, people will continue to love pets, and the market of pet products is expected to grow. Luxury brands sell pet products under the categories of women, men, lifestyle or accessories. However, as the frenzy continues, it is expected to grow to a level comparable to other categories in the future. 

Across all industries and fields, there is a growing interest in sustainable design to promote our coexistence with nature. Nike also introduced sneakers that are not just highly sought after but also boast an eco-friendly design with better functionality. The “ISPA Link”, which embodies the philosophy of Nike, will be released in June. Many people have been eagerly waiting for the release of this season's new product because it is created through innovative experiments, completely different from its existing manufacturing process. With a circular design principle of “disassembly” in mind, the ISPA team focused its efforts on creating a product that could easily be recycled. The product is based on the design philosophy of Nike's ISPA (Improvise, Scavenge, Protect, Adapt). The brand is releasing a product that could be easily taken apart and recycled, thereby achieving its circular vision through a closed-loop system that yields no waste. The reason why the ISPA Link is drawing attention is that it takes only 8 minutes to make a pair. Usually, shoes require a time-intensive gluing process. However, the ISPA Link offers significant savings of time and money. Also, the assembly of the shoe is done without the need for energy-intensive processes like cooling, heating and conveyer belt systems. Glue makes a shoe nearly impossible to disassemble and recycle. However, the ISPA Link could be easily taken apart. This not only reduces its carbon footprint but also extends the product life cycle, allowing customers to wear the shoes for a long time. So, what does it look like? The ISPA link has a unique silhouette that features three interlocking modules. After wearing it, it can be taken apart or returned at Nike stores. It also delivers unprecedented comfort. How carefully the midsole, the bottom surface which touches the floor, has been designed serves as a key point of interest. This makes for an exceptional fit that is comfortable, is stable and breathes well, according to the 40 athletes who logged some 200 hours in the prototype. Nike will keep launching innovative designs like the ISPA Link. The brand aims to promote the importance of a circular system to combat environmental and climate change and take a new approach to aesthetics. We also recommend you to pay attention to the ISPA Link Axis, which is scheduled to be released in 2023 after the release of the ISPA Link, since it is also being prepared with a design that embodies Nike's circular vision.

What would thefurniture collection look like, especially when it is designed by aworld-famous architect who won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, often referredto as the Nobel Prize for architecture? When it comes to the work of PeterZumthor, who is widely loved for his architectural designs that evoke long-forgottensenses of places in the civilized world through light, air and sound, no onewould want to miss an opportunity like this. Last June, the first furniturecollection of the eighty-year-old maestro was unveiled at an exhibition inMilan. The “PeterZumthor collection” seems like a small structure that concentrates PeterZumthor’s architectural philosophy into one object. It breaks away from hispast endeavors since he has never designed furniture individually orcommercially but has produced furniture as part of an “architectural narrative”in his own architecture. Thanks to the collaboration of Tokyo-based furniturebrand Time & Style, furniture pieces of the great architect, which couldnot be purchased individually, are now available to consumers worldwide. The “PeterZumthor collection” consists of furniture pieces, including lounge chairs,benches and side tables. Each product exists as an independent structure in thespace, while furniture made of wood more than 50 years old gives out an intenseaura. Each piece is based on what people have seen from the architect'sprevious works, such as Therme Vals that uses various properties of stone. “Natural materials are all derived from ourplanet Earth. Choosing the right materials to build your home can help youcreate a beautiful harmony with your surroundings. This is also the task ofarchitecture,” said Peter Zumthor, who introduced his first-ever furniturecollection. Lastly, we recommend you to check out the interview video of PeterZumthor prepared by Time & Style during the furniture collection, as it raisesa grave question to us today, especially when furniture design changes momentby moment like fashion.

Microsoft has released a set of tools designed to provide an easier mouse and keyboard experience for people with limited mobility. Customizable to the needs and physical conditions, the advanced barrier-free products remove physical and psychological barriers that impede daily lives of the people with disabilities. People with disabilities need little help to move as the non-disabled. However, a novel design can significantly improve their convenience, which is why designers need to pay attention to barrier-free products to reduce the frustration felt by users with limited mobility. With emerging importance on diversity, many companies offer barrier-free products. Microsoft, a multinational giant that dominates the worldwide OS market with Windows, is one of them to show keen interest in inclusive designs. Following last year’s release of a barrier-free product named Surface Adaptive Kit designed for its tablet, MS Surface, Microsoft announced its plan to launch Adaptive Accessories, which include a PC mouse and buttons for physically challenged people. The Adaptive Accessories are augmentative solutions to help disburden the difficulties experienced by people with disabilities in using a traditional mouse and keyboard to use PC for various purposes. The accessories include a mouse and buttons, and a connection hub for PC. Except for the hub, the shapes of the mouse and buttons can be further customized with 3D-printed attachments to find the best fit for usability requirements. The Adaptive Button replaces or augments traditional keyboard, which is why they are manufactured in a range of different designs. The Buttons come in three different designs: D-pad Button with eight digital inputs, Joystick Button and Dual Button. Users can create custom inputs for each button and task for frequently used commands with a single keystroke. Just like the Adaptive Mouse, Buttons can also be customized with 3D printing to add modular components or supplementary buttons to ensure greater convenience for physically challenged users when using PC and the Button. Microsoft points out that barrier-free products such as Adaptive Accessories enhance creativity and productivity of people with limited mobility and allow them to fully enjoy their favorite apps and programs. Microsoft Adaptive products were designed and engineered in partnership with disability communities to help support users to be accustomed with the gears as quickly as possible. Information provided by Microsoft Corporation

Following air purifier, vacuum cleaner, hair dryer and other high-end appliance lineups, Dyson is up for music headphones. Dyson offers another extraordinary experience as it has always been with its previous products that outperform existing technologies and provide new experiences. Available in the coming autumn, Dyson’s new headphones Dyson Zone™ offers another astonishing feature: air purification. On the way from and to home, school or work, users can listen to music while breathing in clean air. There’s a reason Dyson developed this air-purifying headphones. Today’s people live in urban environments where serious air pollution is accompanied by noise pollution. Needless to mention that air pollution only gets worse and is a global challenge, it is now a daily problem we encounter every second of the day. So, Dyson turned its leading indoor air-purification technology into outdoor air purification mechanism. Dyson engineers integrated their 30 years of air purification research and knowhow into Dyson Zone™ to realize “purification on the move”. Perfect noise-cancelling completely blocks ambient noise of the street to deliver clean audio sound. It took six long years to develop Dyson Zone™, the company’s first wearable device. In addition to technological enhancements, the development team focused on comfortable fit since it’s a wearable device. The effort includes testing of over 500 prototypes over the past six years to offer the very best design. The most significant change throughout the engineering process was to combine the air-purifying motor and compressors, and the audio system in a way that they do not interfere with one another. The initial position of air-purifying motor at the visor part was rearranged to the ear cups, and the snorkel-like mouthpiece was changed into a contact-free visor, adding the final touches to the design to create more comfortable and lightweight air-purifying headphones. Precision-engineered compressors just right for the size of the small headphones are made of electrostatic carbon filters capable of filtering out allergens and fine dust particles and capturing toxic gases like nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. The adjustable visor purifies air through the motor and compressors to directly supply fresh air into the wearer’s nose and mouth. Dyson Zone™ with doubled features of audio and air purification on the move is planned to be released in autumn this year. Unfortunately, Dyson did not announce the release date for Korea. Information provided by Dyson

Sneaker brand Reebok unveiled the Reebok x Eames Club C black and white Monotone Pack to honor the life and creative legacy of lifelong couple and design partners Charles and Ray Eames, masters of 20th century design.Reebok reinterpreted the original Club C, which has become the brand’s classic sneaker since its release in 1985, for the 21st century based on the design philosophy of Charles and Ray Eames, “The role of the designer is that of a very good, thoughtful host anticipating the needs of his guests.”The Reebok x Eames Club C will be released in two editions: “Monotone Pack, Black & White” and “Ray Eames Signature Pack”.

Due to the lockdown and plant shutdowns in response to COVID-19 quarantine measures, founder Safia Qureshi returned to London, her home country of England, and came up with an idea to commercialize a more sustainable multi-use cup and to-go food container for restaurants and cafes suitable for a circular economic system.In the past, consumers used to order takeaway food from restaurants, take and eat it in their office or somewhere else and throw disposable containers and cups in the trash. With a surge of consumers staying at home and ordering food and beverage at home since the COVID-19 lockdown, Qureshi conceptualized a bold vision of collecting, washing and reusing containers used by customers since it became possible to track the location of containers (such as the customer’s home or workplace).After completing the design renewal, she is currently working on the marketing strategy to encourage more restaurants and consumers to participate since the UK government has announced its plan to regulate the use of single-use plastic (including cups, plates, forks and knives made of polyethylene) tableware and straws starting from the second half of this year, following the footsteps of the European Union.

Swiss industrial designer Yves Béhar and his team at Fuseproject partnered with smart electric scooter manufacturer Unagi, based in San Francisco, for a design collaboration and unveiled the design of Unagi’s latest smart e-scooter called the “Model Eleven”.Unagi’s Model Eleven is a startup that provides smart mobility solutions for young consumers living in urban areas. In the past, people used public transport (bus, subway, taxi, etc.) to travel from a location to the destination within the city. It declares now it is time to use this solid, beautiful, lightweight, ergonomic and safe high-performance e-scooter instead of public transport.Béhar made an extra effort to incorporate the use of innovative materials during the design phase of Unagi’s Model Eleven. He used a new material called “long carbon fiber”, which is an advanced material used for aerospace hardware. Due to its high flexibility and durability, the material can easily morph into complex structures and forms. The Model Eleven features a sleek and seamless design from handlebar to footrest and a full-suspension design while still maintaining a lightweight profile.