STOCKHOLM FURNITURE + NORTHERN LIGHTS FAIR.

Corporate Culture's Jason Hess and Karen Ninness have recently returned from Sweden covering the Stockholm Furniture and Northern Lights Fair, the world's largest trade fairs for Nordic design and lighting.

The hottest product launch by far... Swedish lighting design company Wastberg. Its debut collection included designs by Ilse Crawford, Claesson Koivisto Rune, James Irvine and Jean-Marie Massaud.

Images.

01. Contributors. Jason Hess and Karen Ninness with Hans Mannerhagen from Fritz Hansen.

02. Fountain at the entry to the fair. Submerged coloured lights illuminate the explosive water feature.

03. Nordic Light Hotel. The reception and restaurant is dressed quarterly by different artists. This quarter, guests were welcomed by a Hitchcock installation design by Monica Forster.

04. Wastberg presented their 7 design lamps in fish tank like glass boxes at the Berns Hotel. On display is the dimmable table lamp 'Studioilse w084t' lamp designed by Ilse Crawford of Studioilse. Case iron base, aluminium shade and beech timber arms - beautiful.

05. Helmet. One of the more unusual chairs found at the fair - I believe Dr Who specifies this regularly.

06. Offecct Village Soundwave panels - Manufactured one at a time, the Village Soundwave panel is based on a satellite photo of village houses.

PARIS JE T'AIME

Found recently on Desire to Inspire, these amazing interiors by Paris architectural firm Joseph Dirand.

DESIGN STIMULUS PACKAGE FOR BRISBANE

Corporate Culture launched Project Verpan in Brisbane, with special guest Peter Frandsen MD of Verpan. Designers from practices Donovan Hill, Fairweather and PDT were each issued $64.00 Verpan dollars to spend on recycled materials to create their own Verpan inspired creations.

YOU'RE TERRIBLE MURIEL

How cool would it have been to be in Denmark in the 1950s and 60s (or in 2009 for that matter) and hanging out with Arne Jacobsen, Poul Kjaerholm and Verner Panton?

Whilst they’re all uber cool in their own right, how amazing was Verner Panton (1926–1998).

I love the fact it’s published everywhere that he was known as L'enfant terrible (Terrible child), a French term for a child who is terrifyingly candid, saying embarrassing things to adults.

Known also as the L'enfant terrible of Danish design, Panton was characterised by Poul Henningsen as “stubborn and forever young”.

Never serious, Panton was a true innovator who injected colour and humour into everything to create iconic products like “fun” and “onion”.

Timeliness and inspirational and true to his nature, I would say his creations are still forever young Poul… next subject?

Images. Verpan

REAL MODELS OR ROLE MODELS?

As Barbie turns 50 this year, French fashion retailer Collette commissioned designer and "photographer extraordinaire" Karl Lagerfeld to shoot a special collection of Barbie photos. Lagerfeld captured Italian male model Baptiste Giabiconi as Ken.

Which leads me to my quote of the moment by Karl Lagerfeld for Harper's Bazaar...
"Forget the 'economic times' and think about what is right for this moment in your life."

We hear you Karl!