Philippe Starck

Philippe Starck 1949

Philippe Starck is a French designer born in Paris in 1949. He studied at the École Camondo in Paris and founded his own design studio in the late 1960s.

During the 1980s, Starck gained international recognition through several notable projects, including the interior design of Café Costes in Paris. Since then, he has collaborated with a large number of international design companies within furniture and product design.

Starck has designed furniture, lighting, and products for several established brands, including Magis, Kartell, Flos , and Cassina. For Kartell, he has designed a number of pieces, including the Masters series, where three classic chair silhouettes are combined into a new design produced in plastic, as well as the Ghost series, where transparent materials are used to interpret historical forms in a contemporary context.

Design philosophy

Philippe Starck’s work is based on the clear idea that design should contribute to improving everyday life. Throughout his career, he has developed a very large number of projects across furniture, product design, architecture, and interiors. A common thread in his work is the ambition to combine function, innovation, and a clear design language.

Starck often emphasises that an object must first and foremost be useful and functional. Aesthetics are seen as part of the whole, but the primary task of design is to create products that work in everyday life and can be used by many people.

In his work, he also explores how design can respond to the needs of contemporary society, for example through material development, technical solutions, and more sustainable production methods. This approach can be seen in projects ranging from furniture and everyday objects to larger architectural and design projects.

For Starck, design is not only about form but also about responsibility. He sees design as a way to develop solutions that are functional, accessible, and adapted to future needs.