Six locations in Shanghai: Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Onetimeshow, Design Thinking, Hurun Group, Pop Fashion and Donghua University. An elite of experts who are shaping a new creative community and who, within this article, are going to explain how they interpret the concept and opportunities of Lineapelle High Design
by Luca Fumagalli
Exclusive, refined and exciting locations, very different from each other in terms of mission and reference target. “Experts that are shaping a brand new creative community: a network that understands the value of Lineapelle as a hub and an international club. A place which encourages the exchange of ideas and the creation of new collaborations. So, in which culture becomes the driving force of innovation. These are the cornerstones of the Lineapelle High Design project, which took place in Shanghai during the last 10th and 11th of October.
“We are not merely talking about a concept – as stated by Fulvia Bacchi, CEO of Lineapelle -, but about a true movement. High Design represents a shared space in which brands and designers team up in order to imagine, plan and redefine the future”. So, this is actually where the private conversations of Lineapelle High Design Shanghai took place. And, finally, how some of the participants talked about them.
Lineapelle High Design, the places
Two days, six locations, six different ways of organizing and orchestrating a creative discussion about the future of high-end lifestyle. Lineapelle High Design held its sharing sessions in different locations, but all absolutely complementary in their avant-garde approach to triggering cultural change in terms of production and consumption. At the Mandarin Oriental Pudong was debated the future of “experiences”.
At Onetimeshow the themes were art, fashion and sustainability, while at the hub Design Thinking the object was the design of wellness. A new networking dynamic was activated at Hurun Group, while the meeting held at Pop Fashion faced the horizons of the relationship between fashion and Artificial Intelligence trends. At last, at Donghua University the theme was the formative and educational contamination.
Destination Shanghai, the people
It is really interesting debating about High Design in this particular moment – explains Sinclair Lyu, CEO and co-founder of Hurun Group, among the most renowned research and media business companies -. High Design doesn’t refer only to high-end, but also to High Tech Involved Design. A concept that involves AI, VR and IoT (Internet of Things), elements that are currently essential for design. High Design is also green, as it needs truly sustainable materials.
Then, it is also an example of crossover between art and fashion, and of interchange between traditional culture and contemporary aesthetics”. The words of Eden Wang, China Sales Manager of Poltrona Frau, precisely link to this specific interconnection: “Other than materials, High Design especially holds a humanistic and daily meaning. All of the products and each functionality actually help people. High Design should solve issues: elevating the quality of life of consumers”.
High Design means progress
“Talking about High Design, High means higher than something. In fact, design can always be improved and taken to a next step – declares Davide Castoro, Design Director of NeoDeco -. So, for me High Design is a progress. When we do something better than before, better than yesterday, it means that we are making the quality of life of people better. In this way, we are essentially improving the quality and the overall atmosphere of every place we will live in.
A pioneering case
The entry of Italian High Design products in the Chinese market could facilitate the urban development of China and the transition of its creative industry towards a high quality – states Yibo Xu, China Partner of Stefano Boeri Architetti -. The planning resources and the high-quality materials on the Lineapelle platform will provide new enthusiasm for the architecture and spatial development. At the same time, this platform will work as a crucial channel for the internationalization of Chinese companies.
Materials suppliers, architects and Chinese designers can, through this key platform, integrate the Italian creative design with the local supply chains, in order to build complete solutions able to cover design, product and quality in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. This model has the potential to become a pioneering case of Sino-Italian collaboration, by promoting the global expansion of high-quality Chinese products and by introducing the Italian design resources of excellence in the Chinese market”.
Understanding the meaning of High Design
Jesse Jia, founder of Design Thinking, highlights a different understanding of the meaning of High Design. “A good design must possess cultural features. Whether it is Chinese design, or design from other regions of the world, it needs to be based on culture. Design should reflect the local cultural aspects, it should not acritically point towards internationalization or standardization. True design should make people feel more comfortable, by embracing them and by showing attention to their needs. This comfort doesn’t come from luxury materials or sumptuous spaces, but it revolves around the understanding and the respect for the human essence”.
Not only. “Design shouldn’t only deal with individuals and their space, but it must consider the impact on society and on the planet. It must take into account environmental protection, reflecting a concept of sustainable design. High Design is the organic union of culture, comfort, functionality and human attention. An excellent design carries also a therapeutic function, capable of providing psychological comfort to the consumer”. All of this is Lineapelle High Design.
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