Name: smow introducing Born: Leipzig, 2010 Alma mater: University of life Featured designers: Christoffer Martens Erik Wester Christian Lessing Eva Marguerre My Own Super Studio maigrau Stephan Schulz smow blog: smow introducing? (smow) blog: A series we used to publish in which we featured, younger, less well known, but in our opinion extremely talented and interesting designers and "introduced" them to a wider audience smow blog: "Used to publish", and
read moreOur favourite Portuguese designer TM Rui Alves is making his IMM Cologne début this year, with a new prototype under his own name and an old smow blog favourite being launched by Danish manufacturer Menu. Premièred as "Tailor Sofa" at Salone Satellite 2013 and now renamed Lounge Sofa by Menu the work initially caught our attention on account of being a "deliciously effortlessly reduced down piece [which] combines a turned wooden frame with a pressed felt seat to create a sort of simplified
read moreAs a general rule May doesn't exist for us... it is just a fluid continuation of April. And of Milan. May 2013 was no different, did however end with a delightful Oskar Zieta show in Berlin......
read moreWe quote: "It’s probably fair to say the biggest surprise at Salone Satellite 2012 was seeing Rui Alves aka My Own Super Studio. Because we thought 2011 had been the last year he was allowed to exhibit." Fast forward 12 months later. And guess what the the biggest surprise at Salone Satellite 2013 was.... ? He has however promised us that this is his final, final, final year at Salone Satellite. A thought which to be honest doesn't disappoint or otherwise upset us because 2013 was also the
read moreIt's probably fair to say the biggest surprise at Salone Satellite 2012 was seeing Rui Alves aka My Own Super Studio. Because we thought 2011 had been the last year he was allowed to exhibit. Turns out we can't count. And that the rules for Salone Satellite are a lot more complicated than even we were aware. Fortunately. For in addition to the chance to catch up with Rui, he also had new projects with him. While most industry attention of late has been focused on his Lapa chair, for us the
read moreNot a word of a lie, we're sitting here in Eindhoven planning an interview for later on today with some Portuguese designers - and we receive news that our current favourite Portuguese designer Rui Alves a.k.a. My Own Super Studio has been awarded a Red Dot Design Award: Best of the Best 2010 for his "Welcome to the Jungle" shelving/storage series. Which is just wonderful, and deserved, news. Congratulations to Rui, and enjoy Singapore! Our (smow)introducing Interview with Rui Alves can be
read moreOwner/Designer: Rui Alves Established: 2001 Location: Paços de Ferreira, Portugal Products: Hold on Sample MIU Fiss family Welcome to the Jungle Avô (smow)blog: Why did you decide for a career in industrial design? Rui Alves: It was more or less a natural decision; I grew up, and indeed am still, surrounded by family members who work with wood. And so I’ve always been surrounded by materials and tools and thinking about making things with my fathers and grandfathers tools. In addition
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