If the etymologists are to be believed "April" has its origins in the Latin verb "aperire". To uncover, to open. Our ancient forefathers and mothers were unquestionably referring to nature's habit of "opening" at this time of year; our thoughts however turn more to the derivation "aperol", and that most pleasing of summertime refreshments, and one who's season opens in Milan every April. It is thus no surprise that our five new design exhibition aperitis for April 2016 take us to Milan ..... in
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They say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. They, however, have obviously never spent hours, weeks and years sweating over a project until it is perfect. And so whether it is furniture designs, web site concepts or literature, they simply copy. In January the winners of the 2010 Plagiarius Competition for excellence in copying the work of others were announced. Among the happy winners a Chinese imitation of a German ice tray and Polish rip-off of a German toy combine
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Students. We love em! But slightly better than students are poor graduates. For just as a man alone in a forest at night must rely on all his wit and inventiveness to find warmth and food, so must a designer taking his first tentative freelance steps rely on all his talents and intuition as a designer not to freeze to death. Or starve. So, or at least similar, is how we like to imagine Eero Aarnio developing probably his most defining design: the Ball Chair Helsinki. 1962. The young Eero
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