August 2009 / The Art of Anti-Antagonism


Located throughout the world, the Trendease Team continues to deliver our subscribers around the globe must-know market information and inspiration straight to their computer screens.

In many cases the contradictions of design are no longer conflicting, but are working together to create new aesthetics and design movements. Mass production and one-of-a-kind pieces partner up, the Chinese create original products, hotels are free, and materials break boundaries. Also view hot products from Tendence, see the color and textile trends for Autumn/Winter 2010-11 accompanied by Pantone references, explore eco-chic products and new talent.

We attend over 100 design events a year on your behalf to bring you trend insights and design movements to help you maintain cutting-edge knowledge of the lifestyle and design markets. In times of economic uncertainty Trendease can help you stay on top. Currently we keep readers in 6,206 cities within 149 countries in the know! Are you reading Trendease.com? Get inspired with the August edition!

Show us what you’ve got! For editorial consideration please email editorial@trendease.com with your latest original designs.

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REPORTING TO INSPIRE,
Jennifer Castoldi,
Chief Creative Director

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Features and Articles

Jennifer's August Amusings

Worldwide — The Art of Anti-Antagonism. You may find this a funny title for an issue of a design publication. But it is quite suitable for a dominant trend we see emerging in the world of design. Conflicting items now coincide with one another to create a diverse trend that, at times, seems contradictory and oxymoronic. Learn how this applies to many product categories and grasp the essence of the new edition of Trendease!

volcanic nature: Boucle linen jacquard 57% linen- 27% polyacryl- 10%  polyamide- 6% wool CELC-Seidra Textilwerke

Linen Autumn/Winter 2010-11 Trends

Worldwide — The CELC Linen Dream Lab Autumn/Winter 2010-11 influences find their source in the heart of linen country, in the paintings of the Flemish Primitives. Scenes come alive in a Peter Greenaway fashion, with the movement of the camera describing landscapes, atmospheres and ambiences, revealing the true nature of linen, sometimes melancholic, but also organic and above all volcanic. In this feature learn more about the three trends with Pantone color stories.

At the Gothenburg location

A Creator's Home Away from Home

Stockholm — On August 1st, the Gothenburg-based clothing label Elvine, in partnership with design firm Next Century Modern and the Scandic Malmen Hotel in Stockholm, will launch a completely unique hotel concept. With cities vying for a competitive edge in quality-of-life and economic status, an infusion of hospitality and creativity could be just the thing for urban centers. The Creators Inn inspires.

Première Vision Preview New York

New York — Première Vision Preview New York is the place for Americans to view the new pre-collections to be presented in Paris during the fall Première Vision Pluriel events. American designers rely on this event to get their seasonal fix of creativity from the group of 100 weavers from around the world who exhibited, in addition to the inspirational sample bank.

Le Bobo

Frankfurt — Royal College of Art graduates Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien were personal shoppers at this year’s Tendence where they selected products for the Bourgeois Bohème. “Le Bobo” is someone who enjoys and perceives qualities in both extremes, from the low-cost, mass-produced and playful to finely crafted luxury items. See which products they selected in this gallery.

Multiplicity & Transformation

Frankfurt — “Cheap doesn’t mean without value and handmade does not always mean luxurious. Now mass-produced products can exist alongside handcrafted one-off pieces. Antagonism is no longer something to worry about.” This is the underlying tone Marie Rahm and Monica Singer expressed while acting as the Tendence personal shopper. See the results of their ‘shopping’ excursion here.

Chinese Designers Take Frankfurt

Multiple Chinese Cities — Jaws dropped as people acquainted with the Tendence fair entered hall 6.1 during the 2009 edition of the event. This hall is where one goes to find innovation in design and cutting-edge insights. This year’s layout surprised many and rattled quite a few. A large section of the floor was dedicated to Chinese design. While many people are still cautious about the Chinese in relation to original creativity it is clear that some of these Asian creatives have talent and are not afraid to use it.

Designer Spotlight: Michael Rossman

Donauwörth — The Trendease Team has been watching Michael since he founded PAD in 2006. A former designer at Linum, he is always ahead of the curve and is a creator in his own right. With his finger on the pulse he continuously develops trend-right products for the market in a timely and affordable fashion. Michael’s lifestyle brand has taken the market by storm.

New Talent: Designmetropole

Aachen — Designmetropole Aachen makes its purpose very clear: to pump up the Aachen scene and attract more attention to German designers in general. The Designmetropole Aachen network can be leveraged by its members in both their collaborative and personal pursuits. The question, of course, is how did the young designers attach a reputation to their group? By any means necessary. Strapped for cash, they launched a series of guerilla marketing campaigns, the likes of which the industry had never before seen.

Gear shift

EcoChic: Bark Cloth

Ebringen — Bark cloth, which comes from the inner bark of the Mutuba tree, was originally used for clothing, cultural rituals and crafts. Now its breadth of applications stretches over industries such as automotive, lighting, sports equipments, wall treatments, furniture, and the arts. Get a feel for how far one material can stretch across many fields with this month’s EcoChic feature.

NEWSLETTER #279

Frankfurt — In this week’s gallery we look at a group of German designers who pose the question: What would you carry with you if you had to leave this earth on a journey to another universe? Which articles would accompany you on your crossing? The merchandising, seen within, is certainly something from out of this world! Also read up on tidbits on endangered forests, art, and Michael Jackson.

The swinging crib rocks!

NEWSLETTER #280

Worldwide — Today’s photo gallery is dedicated to children’s fantasyland in the form of over 40 images featuring furniture, bedding, complete interior set ups, toys and accessories. Particularly intriguing are the new shapes cribs are taking these days, the international trend, and don’t miss tidbits from a study focusing on the emotional responses of children to color.

NEWSLETTER #281

Multiple European Cities — Perhaps the textiles seen in this week’s gallery will bring you a breath of fresh air! Jacquards, trims, appliqués, cutouts, graphics, and photographic imagery are available to be splashed across the window, wall, sofa, bed, and wherever your imagination guides you. Subscribers can get all wrapped up in these fine fabrics while reading the latest tidbits.

NATURE IS ME

NEWSLETTER #282

Shanghai — While without a doubt the grand shebang is Intertextile, today’s gallery presents a look at the trend forum at China Knitting, an auxiliary event to the big daddy. A slight disconnect from home textiles, it is tantalizing to see the displays epitomizing the Chinese idea of the relationship between human beings and nature. From dark and sexual to light and innocent, subscribers can view the vignettes within.