Starck: Design Is Dead, Sorry

In an article in Die Zeit Philippe Starck apologizes for the waste his design career has caused. Reportedly he says:

“I was a producer of materiality and I am ashamed of this fact.Everything I designed was unnecessary. I will definitely give up in two years’ time. I want to do something else, but I don’t know what yet. I want to find a new way of expressing myself …design is a dreadful form of expression…. In future there will be no more designers. The designers of the future will be the personal coach, the gym trainer, the diet consultant.”

Read more: Starck: Design Is Dead, Sorry

Comments

[Antonio Carusone]

Is he serious cause he a big goof. It would suck if he did feel that way cause I think he's the most important industrial designer of our time. His work inspires me all the time.

[john]

Oh NOES

Did he tell AIGA? They might want to know, so they can refund those dues in time.

[Jeff]

Since when did Philippe Starck turn into Andy Warhol?

[helen dardik]

He has got to be kidding around! Since when is feeding the souls with beauty considered unnecessary! He is not Andy Warhol, or Jesus! Sure, self expression is narcissism, but with great results.

[Stephen]

It's refreshing to see a designer such as Starck to be taking responsibility for his actions. Our environment is far more important than producing wasteful products. As he stated, he only needs the "ability to love." Design is one thing, mass-production is another.

[ame]

This irks not only because Stark is a rather self-important designer who, while talented, arguably made his success due to personal wealth... but also because he is in a unique position to curate change but is instead making this some one else's responsibility and taking the easy road out.

[Chris Halsted]

I guess he is just trying to become even more interesting by saying this. I mean, he is a pop star in the design field already, just now he wants to me a rock star...

[anonyous]

There is an overkill in design in the present day and I do think the majority of the present designers are already functioning as "the personal coach, the gym trainer, the diet consultant.” But design is an social instrument that shapes our time being. There are allot of designers that only follow but the designers that stand out and let us see different and better paths will create the future. I think stark was a designer from the past that shaped our present but can't seem to fit his old thoughts into the new wave.

[Janie]

These are some thought provoking ideas.

[anonymous]

Thank goodness.

[Lehze]

While I certainly respect, appreciate, and agree with his sentiments (to a degree), I find it a bit smelly that Starck comes to this revelation only *after* he has made his fame and millions. I'd like to see more focus on the designers who have always had these concerns about waste and the disconnect between luxury design and the lifestyle of the world's masses.

[anonymoustache]

I've been told that in these final two years he will be concentrating on making a more refreshing, less-filling light beer.

[Susan McMurrain Erturan]

Sound like a mid-life crisis to me.

[Susan McMurrain Erturan]

Sounds like a mid-life crisis to me

[zuy]

starck is not a designer, in his head is an artist...and design is not a good medium for him ...

[minxlj]

"In future there will be no more designers."

What complete and utter rubbish. Materiality does not equal design! Materiality is not a consequence of design! Design can and should be about excellence in function AND aesthetics of products.

[Anne Robert My Urban farm]

I would love to meet him and tell him to stop but to rapidly help design fabulous products to help the clue less urbanite who wants to GYO ( grow your own) food...
Electrolux is to my knowledge one of the only brands to be seriously looking at how any of us can grow food indoor or out as easily as we use a DVD ...
See the VEGE and The Hydroponic veg sphere
That will save food miles and it is only that way the mainstream will get growing ...
This is an SOS to PS!

[zuy]

Gyo is a great concept ... but Starck is not looking green in product even he has an organic food brand and logic eat organic food

[zuy]

"If you can ignore his haughty language, he might have something here. It is easy to misunderstand him, as most blogs (yes even the top tier ones) have, quoted him out of context and it is obvious his English is not the best.Design is not dead, per say, but design as we know it is evolving.” Design Sojourn, stategic industrial blog

[zuy]

“If you can ignore his haughty language, he might have something here. It is easy to misunderstand him, as most blogs (yes even the top tier ones) have, quoted him out of context and it is obvious his English is not the best.Design is not dead, per say, but design as we know it is evolving.” Design Sojourn, stategic industrial blog