There are some design blogs who simply retype press releases, resize press photos and abracadabra – a blog post.
Our standards are a little higher.
Which is why we visit design fairs, design weeks, design competitions and design exhibitions.
Because only by talking to designers, talking to producers and by actually testing the products can you decide if the PR hype is justified.
The minus is of course that design fairs being the new film festivals – our schedule is an absolute nightmare.
Next week’s schedule, however, pushes even us to our limits.
The (smow) design marathon begins on Saturday at the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven, before moving on to Orgatec in Cologne and then rolling further to end at Grassimesse and Designerss’ Open in Leipzig.
One week, two countries, three cities, four events.
If you want to follow the (smow) design marathon, or just see if we survive, we will be publishing an, almost, real-time travel diary at smow.tumblr.com/
And of course all the highlights and best interviews from Eindhoven, Cologne and Leipzig can be found @ (smow)blog.
It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are travelling but for quality design – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.
(with apologies to the Arbroath 51, and indeed all who campaign for equality, freedom and justice)