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Philippe Starck Reportedly Collaborating with Apple

By Rain Noe - April 13, 2012

in Object Culture | Design Business

When we first saw the rumor, reported by AFP news this morning, that Philippe Starck was collaborating with Apple on a project, we dismissed it as there was no attribution of where such a statement came from. But within hours Forbes picked up on the story and lent it some credence, citing it had come from a French radio interview. The Google-translated remarks are as follows:

French designer Philippe Starck announced today on France Info that it is working with the U.S. computer group Apple in a project "revolutionary" that would emerge in eight months. "Indeed, there is a big project together which will be out in eight months," said the designer in the show "Everything and its opposite."

Invoking the "religious cult of secrecy" of the California firm, he declined further detail, except to talk about a project "quite revolutionary (...) if not very".

Let the speculation begin!

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Johann du Plessis

13 years ago

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I have liked STARCK for many years, but a collaboration with Apple? I wonder what JOBS would have said?
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Tanuki

13 years ago

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obviously the next gen imac is going to be a big casting of a horse with a montior stuck on it's head.
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jp

13 years ago

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This is awesome! Starck might learn to design objects that work. Someday he will turn into a product designer for real people.
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alex

13 years ago

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Guys, sorry to discourage you, but if you read his biography he comments that he is working on a yacht, so, that really works well with Starck's profile and the fact that he would continue with his wife.

I guess speculation ends here
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Berkana

13 years ago

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Honestly, I'm not that impressed with Starck's designs. Apple's in-house design team is far more impressive to me than anything Starck has ever done. Apple's designs are far more focused on function and serving the user. Starck seems to be more into producing conversation pieces. I really have a hard time imagining Starck adding anything to Apple.

If anything, I suspect Starck may have bee hired by Apple to produce a mash-up between the iPod Nano and a watch. Apple should have just designed its own watch, but instead, you see iPod accessory makers with those watch conversion units for the Nano. They simply don't look that good.
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Eric

13 years ago

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Seems highly unlikely to me that Jonny would do it, what does he or apple have to gain out of the deal?.....nothing if you ask me, plus I don't see how the reserved Sir Mr. Ives could even stand to be in the same room with the guy.....

Seems like nonsense to me.

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powers

13 years ago

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Thanks, Tip.
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Aaron

13 years ago

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Its the iGlasses.
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Tip

13 years ago

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In fact, it seems several french websites have found that Starck was collaborating with Steve Jobs (and not Apple), who just wanted a yacht. So Starck is presumably designing a yacht (archives were indeed found on Starck's website) and that is the reason why he is collaborating with Jobs' wife today.

American websites are going nuts over that story but french words he used and how he used them made his announcement completely nonsense. And now everyone is linking french sources which confirm nothing at all, turning hypotheses as confirmed information. This is going ballistic.
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JamesS

13 years ago

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iSalif!

I still have and enjoy the crt tv he did with the analog clock and the horn feet that light up.
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Ben

13 years ago

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good gracious... Starck should be collaborating with a Skincare line!

Preferably twice a day.
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christopher andrew culley

13 years ago

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iMOON BASE
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DavidH

13 years ago

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Holy crap that's HUGE! Could this be the long awaited Apple branded TV?
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