One of the reasons we've never got on well with trends is because ultimately he who shouts loudest is perceived as being the best, most innovative or most important.
DMY Berlin 2012 demonstrates that is not the case.
While in Hangar 4 the main sponsor screams his marketing budget at full volume; about 40 metres away two FH Potsdam graduates are quietly presenting much more interesting and socially relevant objects.
And much as we'd like to proclaim that their minimal, non-intrusive stand design is a deliberate comment on the commercialisation of design festivals.
It's not.
We know why it is as it is. But we'll keep that for ourselves.
Jonas Hagenbusch is presenting the first item from his, future, Frame Collection. His "Frame Hanger" is a delightful minimalist, lets say, clothes organising system.
High enough to hang a shirt or a blouse on; or to throw a scarf, pully, shirt or blouse over, "Frame Hanger" additionally has a storage space/ shelf.
An astoundingly compact piece "Frame Hanger" would obviously be perfect in a bedroom, but would not be out of place in an office environment. And no you can't hang a trench coat on it. But your not supposed to be able to. As we say, "Frame Hanger" should eventually be part of a series of objects. Then you'll be able to.
We were certainly impressed by the beginnings.
Franz Dietrich meanwhile is presenting his Tischleuchte and his Buchtisch.
While both items are valid in their own right, the more interesting aspect is Franz's "Neue Fertigung" - lets call it a manifesto - which aims to encourage a closer co-operation between designers and local craftsman as an alternative to both centralised mass market production and the more DIY Open Design approach.
But that's a subject for another post
On a practical level, Tischleuchte is a lamp with an integrated table. Nothing especially revolutionary but as an object in a hall or a living room absolutely genial. And aesthetically pleasing.
Buchtisch does admittedly look like one has taken Nils Holger Moormann's Liesmichl and folded it: has however the advantage that it is not so tall and so less intrusive. Plus as a covered system dust is going to be less of a problem for all of us who don't read books quite as quickly as we intend to.
All in all three wonderful objects from young designers that prove that it can be worthwhile to ignore the uncouth market traders....
