Furniture by designer Philippe Starck: Innovation, a mixture of styles and pure passion
A huge variety of designs – from hotel furnishings to motorcycles to glasses, toothbrushes, sofas and chairs. Probably the most famous lemon squeezer there is. A mix of Postmodernism and Art Deco. This and more characterises Philippe Starck. The designer works together with many renowned manufacturers. You can buy his famous furniture creations, such as the Costes café chair or the Bubble Club sofa at AmbienteDirect. You can also learn more here about the life, collaborations and ideas of Philippe Starck.
What makes this designer so special?
Anyone who doesn’t deal with contemporary interior design much will still know Philippe Starck. He is a free spirit, so his works seem unconventional. Starck likes to use organic, aerodynamic forms and respects the scarcity of resources. Some of his designs are provocative, sometimes he is critical of society, sometimes of himself. His works are partially inspired by sex, sensuality and emotions. In addition, he combines unusual materials, such as plush and chrome. He has visions and always lives them out. In doing so, he assumes responsibility, not only for society, but also for the environment. Price and production conditions also play a big role for him. Once an enfant terrible, he quickly developed into one of the most sought-after designers of our time. Philippe Starck creates tirelessly. Creative creation is his elixir of life. He once said:
“I will no longer exist on the day when I stop producing”.
But he is still far from that. Instead the famous designer creates a wide range of products, and designs rooms and buildings. His ideas seem to be almost inexhaustible. We think that’s a good thing. Because we’re excited about his designs too and proudly offer them in our online shop. Lamps, vases, armchairs, sofas, outdoor furniture, tables or chairs from Philippe Starck? You can order these and more from us. Take a look at our diverse product range and we’ll deliver your favourites to your home!
About his life and his development
Philippe Starck was born in Paris on 18 January 1949. Already in his younger years, the future designer was showing the inventive spirit of his father, the aircraft designer André. As a child, he sawed, glued and tinkered tirelessly. Starck's raw creativity was already evident at a young age. His mother Jacqueline taught him a poetic view of the world and to live elegantly. Perhaps it is this combination of inventiveness and elegance that makes Philippe Starck's works so unique. The young, committed Frenchman studied design at the École Nissim de Camondo in Paris from 1965 to 1967. He soon took his first steps in design, but from today's point of view these were more like a smile: At the end of the 1960s, he developed inflatable seating objects together with Quasar. The next stage of his career took him to the Pierre Cardin studio in Paris, where he worked as the art director. After that, Starck increasingly focused on his own projects. The focus was on product design and interior design for bars, cafés and nightclubs. In 1980, he founded the company Starck Products. In 1985, he founded the furniture company XO together with Gerard Mialet. In the early 1980s, he was asked to furnish the private apartment in the Élysée Palace. At the time, the French president Francois Mitterand and his wife Danielle were living there. This project at the latest marked Philippe Starck’s breakthrough in the world of interior design. This was followed by the design of the Parisian café Costes. He created an elegant café chair for this purpose together with the manufacturer Driade. In addition, the following interior design projects are also important:
Hotel Royalton (New York, 1988)
Hotel Paramount (New York, 1990)
Asahi Brewery (Tokyo, 1990)
Private homes (Madrid, Los Angeles, Paris, 1991)
Groninger Museum (participation in the architectural concept, 1991)
And what about the designer's private life? Philippe Starck has five children from four wives. His oldest daughter Ara is a successful painter.
The designer designs for these manufacturers
Postmodernism and Art Deco, an inventive spirit and elegant lifestyle – different worlds collide in Philippe Starck's designs. His ideas area always in tune with the times so that the top labels in the design sector soon became aware of him. The first collaborations were with the Italian brands Driade and Baleri. He later received orders from various manufacturers:
Alessi
Alias
Cassina
Driade
Duravit
Flos
Fossil
Hansgrohe
Kartell
Microsoft
Puma
Vitra
The sought-after designer Philippe Starck is also famous for his long-term cooperation with the brand Kartell, whose creations you can purchase in our online shop. These pieces are characterised by the authentic use of plastic for furniture production. The Dr. Glob chair design from 1989 represented an important milestone in the acceptance of plastic furniture.
Famous creations of the famous designer
As a product designer, Philippe Starck designed many pieces of furniture and everyday objects. These include the following, for example:
Juicy Salif lemon squeezer: A true icon that was designed in 1990 for the manufacturer Alessi. The squeezer has a striking form and makes a highlight in the kitchen.
Costes café chair: This three-legged chair is one of Philippe Starck's most famous pieces. He developed the chair for the brand Driade when he was designing the Parisian café Costes.
Ará table lamp: Starck designed it in 1988 for Flos. It is made of metal and is one of his most successful lamp designs.
La Marie: This is the first chair ever to be completely transparent. It is cast from one piece of polycarbonate. The manufacturing method is as innovative as the design is timeless and reduced.
Louis Ghost: This armchairs is inspired by Louis XV and the baroque style. It combines nostalgic elements with modern elements, is innovatively produced and is suitable for indoors and outdoors alike.
Bubble Club sofa: It is characterised by clean lines and is made of polyethylene so that it is weatherproof. An exclusive two-seater from Kartell for outdoor use.
All of these famous products and more can be ordered at AmbienteDirect. Please get in touch with us if you are looking for a certain object from Philippe Starck. We'll be happy to help!
Countless awards
Philippe Starck received many awards for his products. For example, the magazine A&W Architektur & Wohnen named him Designer of the Year in 1999. He has also received a number of design awards, including the following:
