Memphis design was all about bringing out the fun and crazy side of humans and evoking positive emotion, even though it was a rebellion against something that the group considered stark, cold, and boring. The LACMA in Los Angeles exhibited a survey of Sottsass’ designs a year before he passed away. Many years later in 2014, Nathalie Du Pasquier—a founding member of the group—designed a collection of patterns for American Apparel. “When I was young, all we ever heard about was functionalism, functionalism, functionalism,” Sottsass once said.
Its visual impact is perfect for making modern-day statements whether it be with fashion, graphic design, architecture, interior design, or visual arts. As with all Memphis style designs, graphic black and white stripes and bold Memphis patterns with vibrant and contrasting colors were displayed on the models with the iconic shapes and squiggles also included. Chunky, cubist-like shapes adorned the models’ heads and made the fashion statement of the century.
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- The use of cheap plastic laminates and bright, clashing colors was far from what was considered conventional and good taste at the time.
- In 2016 Memphis style caught the attention of skate brand Supreme, which released a series of skate decks and garments designed by Memphis veteran Alessandro Mendini who appeared in the first Memphis show.
- Luca Van Assche is using a very popular racquet among pros, the Wilson Blade Pro or H22 pro stock.
- We also see the HEAD Radical, the Wilson Blade/Blade Pro, the Babolat Pure Strike, the Pure Aero and the Pure Aero 98 and the Yonex Ezone 98—all so-called modern racquets for a wide audience.
- Diagonal shapes are stacked on top of each other and are finished with clashing colors including bright orange, red, green, and soft pastel blue and yellow.
Well, it’s just one of the thousands of design movements that we’ve drawn upon to build our collection of unique, high-quality artworks and canvases. Browse our selection today and see how you could bring color and life into your home, transforming your world. There is a whole raft of up-and-coming designers reinterpreting the old styles and adding their own twist, evolving the design language and customizing it for the modern-day.
- Original Memphis Group pieces are collectible and are out of reach for many people.
- Original Memphis characteristics are much more eye-catching and recognizable than modern Memphis, where more subtle characteristics are made use of, and no strict rules apply.
- After this fateful meeting, the Memphis Group began to create furniture, fabrics, patterns, ceramics, and other items all in the same distinctly Postmodern style, combining elements of 1950s kitsch, Pop Art, and Art Deco.
- One of his most iconic pieces is the “Tahiti Lamp”, which he described as a symbol of Memphis’s revival.
- Among the list of products that they designed and manufactured were Memphis-style furniture, ceramics, Memphis patterns, lights, and fabrics.
Alex Michelsen’s Racquet
Memphis design style is one of the easiest styles to identify, because of its overwhelmingly bold use of graphics and colors. Bright primary and secondary pastel colors such as blue, yellow, red, orange, purple, and green are used in different geometric shapes, squiggles, dots, and lines. When not knowing anything about Memphis design, and taking a first look at some examples, it is hard to believe that the Memphis design style began as early as 1981. Its vibrant colors and dynamic forms make it look like a concept that can’t be older than a few months.
Original Memphis Group pieces are collectible and are out of reach for many people. But, the squiggles, bright colors, and wacky shapes still live on, thanks to contemporary designers. For proof, look no further than the Instagram account of Raquel Cayre; she shares archival images of Memphis pieces as well as objects, interior, and architecture that carries on the spirit of the group. The Carlton is arguably one of the most iconic Memphis-style furniture pieces of Memphis design, and it is only fitting that the founder and leader of the Memphis group, Ettore Sottsass, was the one in charge of its design.
What is Memphis Design and Why Is It Coming Back?
The Memphis movement aimed to make a political statement, of which many were not in favor and caused the movement to quickly die down and people to lose interest in their designs. Because of the name, most people are led LuckyMax casino to believe that the Memphis design movement originated in Tennessee, however, this is not the case. Memphis design was born in Milan, Italy through the designer Ettore Sottsass, who was the founder of the Memphis group. The group took inspiration from the song Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again (1966) by Bob Dylan, which repeatedly played on the radio during their first meeting session.
My Modern Met
The use of cheap plastic laminates and bright, clashing colors was far from what was considered conventional and good taste at the time. During its prime, the Memphis design style was active from 1980 to 1987. In 2014, Nathalie Du Pasquier – one of the Memphis Movement’s founding fathers – had her designs used for a collection of patterns for American Apparel. In 2016 Memphis style caught the attention of skate brand Supreme, which released a series of skate decks and garments designed by Memphis veteran Alessandro Mendini who appeared in the first Memphis show. Even big-box retailers are getting in on the action, with West Elm debuting a series from Dusen Dusen in 2017, a brand inspired by Du Pasquier.
The death of Sottsass in 2006 had a defining impact on the re-emergence of Memphis design. After his death, interest began to grow in the previously negatively critiqued design style. The quartz-faced watch has a royal blue rim and interesting geometric shapes as analogs, with the iconic original rainbow-colored apple logo on the top part of the face.
Where to Find Memphis Design
Strangely, the 18×20 Speed Pro does not seem too popular among younger players. When you see a white string in a HEAD player’s racquet, a good prediction is that it is HEAD Hawk White or HEAD Sonic Pro White. Luca Van Assche is using a very popular racquet among pros, the Wilson Blade Pro or H22 pro stock. It is similar in many ways to the regular Blade, but with a different beam design. Christian Dior’s 2011 Fall collection was one of the most mainstream events that made people aware of the style again.