Published on : Wednesday, December 14, 2016
imm cologne recently announced that original designs, intelligent solutions and sustainable products from young designers will be the main focus when the jury announces the winners. In the last 13 years, a total of 395 products from 494 designers from all over the world have been presented to the trade audience at imm cologne as part of the contest exhibitions. Many of these products have found their way into the collections of well-known manufacturers following the fair.
The Pure Talents Contest is not a trend-based event but a platform for young talent to present their highly individual solutions. At the same time, several themes stand out as especially engaging the designers’ attention. The attempt to make economical use of resources, like materials and work, as well as formal elements, is especially current at the moment. Mobility and versatility are additional qualities that designers are seeking to realise in their product ideas. But they’re even testing new approaches when working with natural structures, for example, when playing with wood grains or when a piece of cardboard furniture at once reveals its entirely unique material aesthetic and its natural origin, in the way the form of a stool reminds us of a tree stump.
The exhibition also features the fringe areas of design, in which the symbolic dimension of the object seems to supersede all other functions.
“The contest gave me a leg-up into the professional network in the furniture scene”, comments designer Marco Dessí. “I got to know colleagues, people from the press and Richard Lampert – who saw my Prater chair and added it to his range. For me, everything began with this contest.” Dessi added further.
The Pure Talents Contest is unrivalled in the world. Koelnmesse, the imm cologne organizer, offers the shortlisted participants help with the organization of the special event, for which prototypes have to be produced and/or transported. They also take on the costs of staging the talent show at imm cologne.
“Our aim is to support young designers as best as possible. For us, this support starts as soon as the shortlisting and the seven-days-long exhibition of their prototypes in Hall 3.1 at imm cologne”, explains Arne Petersen, Vice President Trade Fair Management at Koelnmesse GmbH. “We invite the talented youngsters to present their designs at the event – and at no cost to them. The history of the Pure Talents Contest has shown that one or another product finds a producer and goes into serial production. Something which, of course, makes us very happy and, overall, underscores the importance of the contest for talented youngsters. Arne concluded.
The jurors’ decision will be announced on January 16 at 2:00 p.m. at the prize-giving ceremony on “The Stage” (Hall 3.1). All of the shortlisted products can be seen at imm cologne from January 16 to 22 in Hall 3.1.
Tags: 395 products, 494 designers, Arne Petersen, cardboard furniture, designer, Fourth Round, imm cologne, intelligent solutions, Marco Dessí, Mobility and versatility, original design, pure talents contest, sustainable products, trend-based event, Vice President Trade Fair Management at Koelnmesse GmbH, winners announced, young designers
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