Seeing eye to eye: BoConcept and Karim Rashid

Karim Rashid and BoConcept launched their first project ten years ago – a collaboration which has since resulted in several products and a successful, ongoing partnership. ‘While I was attending the Salone del Mobile in Milan, I was approached by the only man tall enough to speak to me eye to eye! Turns out it was Claus Ditlev Jensen. I was very flattered to be invited to work with BoConcept because I've respected their brand for so long and even purchased some of their furniture. It pays to wear my signature pink or white suit so prospective clients can spot me!’, says Rashid.

Their first project, the Red Dot-awarded Ottawa collection, marked just how the approaches of designer and manufacturer result in such a suitable match. Both parties are particularly conscious of how people live in urban environments in this day and age: what are the specific needs and what kind of contemporary and distinctive objects can be intriguing yet comfortable in these settings.

By listening carefully to the manufacturer and understanding their production methods as well as their brand culture, Rashid proposes designs that engage with the company on several levels: ‘With the companies I end up working with, we tend to have a similar sensibility to begin with. And then it’s a question of really trying to have a good collaboration. So, at the end of the day, even though my name is attached to this, it takes a lot of people to make it happen.’ Rashid adds, ‘BoConcept makes really qualitative, progressive design and most importantly, they make it accessible through their global presence and price level, so more people can live with contemporary design which has long been my agenda.’

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