Now published for the 18th time, The International Design Yearbook has a long established reputation for showcasing the most innovative and exciting domestic design products launched over the past year. The 2003 edition is no exception with a range of innovations from “Body props” from Edra SpA in Italy, to “Magnetic cushions” from Nani Marquina in Spain and a “Bathwrap warmer”, known as Miss Hot, from Paolo Pedrizzetti in Italy. A total of 300 designs are illustrated in full colour selected from an international cast of designers.
In 2002, The International Design Yearbook made a radical departure from a traditional arrangement by product to thematic groupings selected by the guest editor reflecting their personal interpretation of international trends in domestic design. The guest editor for 2003 is US‐based designer Karim Rashid. General editor Jennifer Hudson provides an introductory essay to the work, career and philosophy of Rashid. Describing him as a “sensual minimalist”, this essay provides a useful context for his selection of designs. Rashid also writes a critical essay, providing a summary overview of current trends in design and arguing for the emergence of a global design phenomenon. These global design trends are presented as themes for Rashid’s groupings of products. The themes are futuretro, nukitsch, phenomena, organic, embellishment, multiplicity, minimum and techno. Rashid outlines what each of these terms mean; for example, futuretro refers to the borrowing of inspiration from the past; and multiplicity refers to the trend for making objects with multiple and flexible functions. This arrangement is successful in giving readers of the Yearbook a far more incisive view of emerging trends than grouping by product. Each section of the book includes a brief introduction to the theme. All images include captions with full details of designer and technical data. Many images are accompanied by extended captions explaining their form, function and innovation. A reference section at the end of the book gives details of designers’ biographies and a list of suppliers.
As ever, the International Design Yearbook provides the best overview of the latest products in domestic design. This is an excellent resource on contemporary design and designers and as an archive, documents the changes and trends of interest to design historians of the future.
