Just before the interview, we checked the notes one last time – and wondered who would be sitting opposite me: a person or a star. That’s exactly the moment we found ourselves in at the ClassiCon Roadshow in Leipzig’s smow Store, just before his design talk, which was packed to the rafters. There we met Sebastian Herkner, whose designs have long been established on the international stage – respect and a touch of nervousness included. But then he sat there: open, attentive, fully present.
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On February 13, 2026, Verner Panton (1926 - 1998) would have celebrated his 100th birthday. A date that feels less like a closing chapter and more like a light that continues to shine. Panton's work is still alive today – in colours that transform spaces, in forms that evoke emotion, and in a mindset that approached design as a daring play with perception. At smow, we celebrate this unique vision: a view of the world shaped by colour, form, and the freedom to think differently. Flowerpot by
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