vitra design museum curator amelie klein

Fashtag

The venue? Number 20 Cavendish Square, aptly neoclassical in style. Sit tight: this aptness will be revealed shortly. Lights | Cameras | Action | Design. What can and should design be doing in the 21st century? Over to Vitra Design Museum Curator Amelie Klein: “Design recognises new possibilities in materials. Design has courageous visions.” Wherever there’s design (and preferably champagne) there’s Lavender’s Blue. And wherever there’s design and courageous visions there’s Cruz Bueno.

The vintage? Brazilian born previously Lisbon based designer behind the brand Lucas Cruz Bueno says, “My strongest bond of inspiration is with Ancient Greek culture and mythology – the breathtaking journey of art, music, poetry, sports and fashion. The Ancient Greek style has a special place in my heart – I simply can’t stay away from it. I’m not even Greek! This connection is just something divine.” Ah, the neoclassical relevance. In 2015, armed with an expanded team, he opened a London atelier.

The va-va-vroom? Movement! Lucas’s training as a ballet and contemporary dance is ever evident as the models sashay down the runway, unstill silhouettes unfolding. The fashion house’s Labels: Red (womenswear prêt-à-porter), White (menswear prêt-à-porter) and Gold (womenswear demi-couture) all explore new possibilities in materials. Seasonless yet in vogue. Timeless yet happening. A painterly nod to the trend for jovial colour – flashes of fuchsia – is tempered by the ethereal beauty of romantic flowing lines. The Greek key motif binds the collections together. Music is liquid architecture; architecture is frozen music; fashion is liquid music. At least it is when Cruz Bueno is in control.

The verdict? A runway success.

Bistró Bilbao Guggenheim + Vitra Design Museum Curator Amelie Klein

Design Heart

The view is distracting – locals basking in the sun along the River Nervión. Where are we? Bilbao Guggenheim Museum. The food is even more distracting – Michelin star quality Basque gastronomic delights. Round the coast, San Sebastián boasts more Michelin starred restaurants than anywhere outside the 94 departments. But Amelie Klein in full throttle is a major distraction. Design. Boom. Her favourite subject. Well it should be. She’s curator of the Vitra Design Museum. A buslady’s holiday it is, then. On sensory overtime, we’re all ears. But first the lunch at the Guggenheim:

Cocktail aperitif (Coctel aperitivo)
Vegetables, sautéed potatoes and greenbeam cream (Verduras, patatitas salteadas y crema de vainas)
Baby squid on crunchy noodles, red onion and green pepper (Chipirón, sobre fideuá crujiente, cebolla roja y pimiento verde)
Raspberry ice cream, citrus fruit yoghurt and crispy stones (Helado de frambuesa, yogur de cítricos y peidras crocantes)
Homemade bread, coffee and petit fours (Pan artesano café y petit fours)
Red wine (Tres Ducacdos DO Rioja)
White wine (Viña 65 DO Rueda)
Mineral water (Agua mineral)

Talking of distractions, Parisian songstress Taali M bursts into song. “I’m gonna stand on the shoulders of giants.” Where were we? Ah yes, the food. All sublime – except perhaps we’ll skip on the vinegar tinged nougat canapés next time. “We have to rethink what design is,” Amelie informs us. “It’s important for design to take responsibility for society, for people, and not for the market. Is it art? Is it design? I don’t care! Design and art should be making bold statements about the future. Where do I come from? Where am I going? Who am I? If artists don’t make bold statements, if not them, who? Otherwise we will be stuck where we are. Period.” Taali M: “Stand tall and rise above it all.”

Amelie keeps going, “Design is more than chairs! It’s analogue and dialogue. We must speak about communication, systems, complexity – design is more than just objects. Critical design enhances change as it could or should be in the 21st century.” We agree modernism has gone. What awaits? Existential concerns aside, it’s 25 degrees outside. Hot, distractingly so, even in Spain, for late autumn. Where will we go? “Stand tall so tall I’ll be tall,” ends statuesque six foot beauty Taali M to applause.

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