Blickfang Design Fair Hamburg: Review
Want to see some fresh design that hasn't been all over the web (yet)? Well, I had the pleasure of attending the Blickfang International Design Fair in Hamburg last Friday on opening day and found it to be so well done - beautifully curated and organized. Of course, the most important thing to me was whether or not the booths were interesting, would I like any of the designs, was anything looking new or fresh?
I'm happy to report - yes and what a great show! Of course, you always see things that look like a designer was heavily influenced by something already on the market, but this fair was actually very original and interesting to attend because I found a lot of the designers had their own sense of style and certainly were well trained and as a result, pride in developing a product from the heart was apparent at every turn. I imagine after spending years at design school, the last thing you'd feel good about doing is to copy what someone else's studio is producing already. I didn't spot a single copycat at this fair and that alone was both rare and refreshing.
I don't know if you follow me on Instagram, but I posted photos as I was touring the show with Johanna, the Blickfang press manager. She gave me some excellent insight into many of the designers as we perused the halls and I IG'd as we walked (and later from the train ride home!). A glimpse below of my Instagram stream from Friday... I was a busy bee and a quite inspired one, too.
Above: Row 1, Images 1-3 by Schneid. They are a German product design studio that creates contemporary nordic lighting and furniture (and now ceramics). Images 5 + 6: Ontwerpduo. Dutch design team, who are also husband and wife Tineke Beunders and Nathan Wierink, who create glassware, vases, candles and other lovely things for the home.
Row 2, Image 1 Victor Foxtrot. Florian Vogel, the founder, once designed for the famous Ingo Maurer and since 2012, started his own lighting brand based in Hamburg, Germany. Images 2-3 Master & Master. Table bases, vases and other furniture designed and crafted in the Czech Republic. Image 5 Dechem Studio. This design firm, who specializes is also from the Czech Republic. I went a little crazy for the Bandasky Vases and their lamps. Image 6 - Edgar. This Australian lighting firm had these table lamps in black, copper and gold that made my heart pitter pat.
Row 3, Image 1. Cluse. Watches designed in The Netherlands that were affordable and had great colors. Image 2. Karin Lindeskov. A Danish illustrator living in Hamburg with the cutest prints and cards. Image 3. Ontwerpduo (again). Image 5 Moebe from Denmark. The best frames ever. You can see them in this post in a few places. I wish I had taken a few home. Image 6 Navuko. Hamburg-based paper design firm and though I loved the products and grabbed some to take home, I really loved the founder and designer. She was so friendly and just lovely.
I'll definitely hit up Blickfang again next year in Hamburg - no doubt! The location was perfect (next door to the main train station) and beautiful, they had several places to eat there, you could buy what you saw, they incorporate interiors with fashion, there was even activities for kids and a special area for men to shop. I heard they had some lectures too but I missed those.
If you missed the show, you can see and even shop it online right here.