Amazing and Inspiring Product Designer, Karim Rashid,

A look at Product and Industrial Designer  Karim RashidKarim Rashid, who Time magazine describes as the “most famous industrial designer in all the Americas” was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1960 and was raised in Canada.  In his Bio on Design Within Reach (DWR) he states “What I am trying to do is use furniture as a medium to talk a little more evanescently about the qualities of the digital age”.  Karim’s holistic approach to product design is evident with one look at each final product.  They are soft, fluid biomorphic forms that convey his desire to actualize the contemporary zeitgeist of virtual reality and underground music culture.  He utilizes modern materials such as plastics, foams and synthetic fabrics to form his design vision for a vast amount of companies.  You’ve probably come across one of his designs without even realizing it was his! Karim will appear on behalf of Purho,  Maison & Objet this month in Paris if any of you are in the area!OH Chair for UmbraThis was Umbra’s first piece of furniture in 1999.  Karim designed this product for Umbra and their need for an inexpensive, well-designed chair in the marketplace.  Like many of Rashid’s designs, the OH chair is a true beauty of form and function and was honored with the silver award in the furniture category for the 1999 Industrial Design Excellence Awards. TLENTE Collection by Karim RashidKarim designed this outdoor furniture collection for Henry Hall Designs.  It’s made of aluminum and steel mesh with an ergonomic shape reminiscent of a wave. The design is so simple yet genius. The clean undulating lines provide comfort and visual beauty at the same time, as seen throughout Rashid’s designs. Well done Mr. Rashid! Here are some products you have seen on the shelf at the store but might have never known were by Karim Rashid!

The Dirt Devil Redesign 

Method Soap at Target