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International design superstar Karim Rashid tells Rima Alsammarae about his branded sensual-minimalism and his struggle to break into the Middle East’s design landscape
Once labelled the Poet of Plastic, New York-based interior designer Karim Rashid is known for his curvaceous designs and outspoken persona.
Rashid’s oeuvre includes just about everything you can imagine, from small home goods like vegetable peelers and vacuums, to larger one-off pieces like a DJ stand and plant holders, to entire interior spaces in New York, Italy and Dubai. Rashid’s portfolio is massive to point that it’s near impossible to get through.
His ability to create just about anything combined with an innate understanding of design as a philosophy is what sets him apart from everyone else. Rashid is a superstar in the classic sense; he is at once, a persistent genius with great talent and charm.
So, how did it all start? “I was obsessed with drawing eyeglasses, shoes, radios and luggage throughout my childhood,” Rashid says.
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“And I remember reading about Raymond Lowey when I was 11 years of age. I also admired so many artists from all the books scattered in the house. I loved Andy Warhol, Rodchenko, Picasso, Calder, Corbusier, Dec Chirac, YSL, Halston, and so many other artists that were pluralists.
“Design, art, architecture, fashion, film — it was all the same to me. [They symbolised] creation, beauty and communication. I was also very inspired by my father who was a creative renaissance man, and I saw him create every day. He would design furniture, make dresses for my mother, paint canvases, design sets for television and film, and constantly take us to museums.”
Rashid’s career took off in industrial design between 1985 and 1991, when he worked with KAN Industrial Designers in Toronto. He was designing medical equipment, power tools, train seating and 3D glasses for IMAX cinemas. But according to Rashid, this line of work was too industrial and he didn’t want to be tied to it for the rest of his career. The budding designer wanted to branch out.
“On the side I started developing my own prototypes and some of my first objects like the Arp chair in 1988 and the Aura table in 1990 — I think [that’s when] I started to define my sensibility and philosophy. These objects were sensual but minimal, human yet reductive…My career really started in 1993 when I moved to New York City.”
In the early 90s, Rashid approached nearly 100 companies from La-Z Boy to Gillette, and of the 100 companies, only one responded. Rashid designed a collection of tabletop objects for Nambe in Sante Fe, California.
“That became very successful. They sold about $3,000,000 a year and entered permanent museum collections. Also the Aura table was put into a show called Mutant Materials curated by Paola Antonelli in 1995. This relationship gave me the confidence that I could really contribute some meaningful and successful objects to the world.”
With a successful career taking off, it wouldn’t be long until TIME magazine would label Rashid the most famous industrial designer in all of the Americas. “That article was so long ago but an incredible honour regardless.
Once labelled the Poet of Plastic, New York-based interior designer Karim Rashid is known for his curvaceous designs and outspoken persona.
Rashid’s oeuvre includes just about everything you can imagine, from small home goods like vegetable peelers and vacuums, to larger one-off pieces like a DJ stand and plant holders, to entire interior spaces in New York, Italy and Dubai. Rashid’s portfolio is massive to point that it’s near impossible to get through.
His ability to create just about anything combined with an innate understanding of design as a philosophy is what sets him apart from everyone else. Rashid is a superstar in the classic sense; he is at once, a persistent genius with great talent and charm.
So, how did it all start? “I was obsessed with drawing eyeglasses, shoes, radios and luggage throughout my childhood,” Rashid says.
Story continues below
Advertisement
“And I remember reading about Raymond Lowey when I was 11 years of age. I also admired so many artists from all the books scattered in the house. I loved Andy Warhol, Rodchenko, Picasso, Calder, Corbusier, Dec Chirac, YSL, Halston, and so many other artists that were pluralists.
“Design, art, architecture, fashion, film — it was all the same to me. [They symbolised] creation, beauty and communication. I was also very inspired by my father who was a creative renaissance man, and I saw him create every day. He would design furniture, make dresses for my mother, paint canvases, design sets for television and film, and constantly take us to museums.”
Rashid’s career took off in industrial design between 1985 and 1991, when he worked with KAN Industrial Designers in Toronto. He was designing medical equipment, power tools, train seating and 3D glasses for IMAX cinemas. But according to Rashid, this line of work was too industrial and he didn’t want to be tied to it for the rest of his career. The budding designer wanted to branch out.
“On the side I started developing my own prototypes and some of my first objects like the Arp chair in 1988 and the Aura table in 1990 — I think [that’s when] I started to define my sensibility and philosophy. These objects were sensual but minimal, human yet reductive…My career really started in 1993 when I moved to New York City.”
In the early 90s, Rashid approached nearly 100 companies from La-Z Boy to Gillette, and of the 100 companies, only one responded. Rashid designed a collection of tabletop objects for Nambe in Sante Fe, California.
“That became very successful. They sold about $3,000,000 a year and entered permanent museum collections. Also the Aura table was put into a show called Mutant Materials curated by Paola Antonelli in 1995. This relationship gave me the confidence that I could really contribute some meaningful and successful objects to the world.”
With a successful career taking off, it wouldn’t be long until TIME magazine would label Rashid the most famous industrial designer in all of the Americas. “That article was so long ago but an incredible honour regardless.
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