smow in Milan: “off-Salone” Part 2

We must say it is good to get back to the comfort of the Zona Tortona press room and an ice cold cola – although we must report that the focaccia’s sadly seem to be finished :(

Beer glass with joystick handle by Koncern

The first port of call for our second “off Salone” sojourn today was “Fake it Easy”  Czech design studio Koncern who have produced a range of products with the – alleged – aim that they should be copied.

In the smow(blog) we have often discussed the subject of original and copies and we would loved to have discussed the topic with the designers – sadly they are all in Prague. But watch this space. The idea for the range, however, arose after at least one of the teams designs was stolen and faked. An event which caused the designers to consider what it meant when a design is “stolen” and came to the conclusion that the meaning of the work changes – a bit like when Czechoslovakia “copied” post Warsaw Pact German unification by splitting into two countries.  Same idea, just different.

The products themselves are an outrageous and original selection of glass products – we especially liked the water carafe, but als the beer glass with the joystick handle greatly appealed to our sense of design with a purpose.

Snake by Unusual Design

On a similar subject, what do you get if you take a Wiggle Stool from Frank Gehry and stretch it a little?  A Snake by Unusual Designs from Ragusa, Italy. When we first saw Snake we thought “copy”; however, having considered it for a moment or two and having looked at it a  couple of times – at the end of the day the designers have taken the concept, but improved it so that one can actually use the space between the folds. Whereas you’d have to try really hard to get a book in the folds of a Wiggle Stool, with a “Snake” you have seat and book holder in one – perfect for the garden or balcony.

We’re now going to leave Tortona and head of  little to the North to check out a few more shows…final destination is a cocktail party with some Belgians.

Honest.

But before we go join us on a walk down Via Tortona … we tried to recreate that grainy, amateur, Super 8 feel, because what with all the retro sunglasses in Milan its as if “House” never happened. Hopefully the film will give an impression of what and where and how.