DESIGNER’s STORY
As a child, Marcel Wanders loved making gifts for people. Nowadays he designs for the world, making unique gifts that are meaningful to the people receiving them as well as to the designer himself. Marcel is on a mission which he had already thought of and planned during his time as a student: Here to create an environment of love, live with passion and make our most exciting dreams come true.
‘Marcel Wanders is, without a doubt, one of the legendary larger-than-life designers of our time. He captivates his audience with magic, revolution, theft, philanthropy and most prominently some good, old fashioned, ribtickling.’ Design Quarterly After graduating with honors from the Arnhem School of the Arts he didn’t have to wait long for fame. He received rave reviews at the first Droog design exhibition in Milan in 1993 and later for his Knotted Chair, created for Droog in 1996, which rocketed him to stardom in the design world and is now an iconic piece of design. Now working from his design studio in the centre of Amsterdam, Marcel Wanders studio ‘one of the most inspiring powerhouses of multi-disciplinary design’ (The Observer), Wanders began to expand his empire and in 2000 began the high end design label Moooi, which he co-founded with Casper Vissers. Not one to sit back, Wanders remains extremely active as art director of Moooi, in addition to designing new and awe-inspiring designs to the collection.
‘Marcel Wanders and the Moooi company he co-owns have made contemporary Dutch design synonymous with exuberant creativity.’ Financial Times, Nicole Swengley
Over a period of two decades, Wanders has, and continues to, design for leading international companies. His innovative use of material and technology, coupled with his graceful combination of the old and the new as well as his trademark ‘tongue in cheek’, make his products instantly recognizable. Avant-gardist, Marcel’s products have been received widely and hailed as challenging and surprising; he is continually creating to make the world a better place.
‘With a rock star like image, Wanders eschews austere minimalist concepts to create more whimsical and decorative products.’
In recent years Marcel Wanders has set new standards in interior design, ranging from the Villa Moda flagship store in Bahrain to the sleeping beauty-magic of the Mondrian South Beach Hotel in Miami. These projects, as well as the Lute suites hospitality concept in Amsterdam, private residences in Jakarta, Amsterdam and Mallorca all reflect his sense for the theatrical and remarkable use of space and textures.
The entire spectrum of Wanders designs is a challenge to his own creativity, exploring the boundaries of his capability. Museums all around the world recognize his genius, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and San Francisco, the V&A Museum in London and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam feature his work in their collections. Being awarded among others Elle decoration designer of the year in 2006, selected one of Europe’s 25 Leaders of Change by Business Week, his star keeps rising.
‘There is a reason BusinessWeek referred to him as “Europe’s hottest designer” and The Washington Post identified him as “the design world’s favorite star.’ DWR, Rob Forbes In the near future, more can be expected of Marcel Wanders and his Amsterdam based design studio. He has recently partnered with Philippe Starck’s and John Hitchcox’s design focused property development brand, yoo. Amsterdam being his beloved home, he will be publishing a book showcasing 700 years of creative history of the city. With numerous other projects in the workings, Wanders will be sure to make headlines which will no doubt get tongues wagging and change the landscape of design in a truly remarkable way.
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