Iconic Philippe Starck Designs
A gregarious, whimsical and open-minded view on design animates Frenchman Philippe Starck, who has applied his singular style to literally thousands of projects, from hotel interiors and plastic housewares to wind turbines and even food.
Son of an aeronautical engineer, Starck started out creating nightclub interiors in the ‘70s, which caught the attention of President Francois Mitterand, who asked him to design a private residence at the Elysee Palace. Starck’s eye-catching work led to high-profile commissions for interiors and scores of consumer products for companies such as Alessi, Kartell and Vitra. A concern for accessibility and ecology, and the idea of democratizing design, unites his eclectic portfolio of work. “I have to fall in love with the client,” he says. “If you want beautiful children, the parents must be in love.”