2019-10-01 Robb Report

THE ONE THEY WANT TO TAKE BACK

US PATENTS

48 OCTOBER 2019

You’d be hard-pressed to find a stronger sense of admiration than

Sir Jony Ive’s for Dieter Rams. The two industrial designers may have

created different products for different eras, but a sleek, “less is

more” style—one that Rams himself championed 50 years ago—ties

them together. Now that Ive has announced he is leaving Apple to

start his own agency, LoveFrom, with Marc Newson, will Rams’s

influence on him continue?

The Duel

Dieter Rams VS. Jony Ive

When people call him a designer.

He prefers the term “architect.”

BANE OF HIS EXISTENCE

Skeuomorphism. He hated that Apple’s user interfaces leaned heavily on

making digital designs look like their analog counterparts.

The 21st-century version of Rams.

DESIGN STYLE

HE DESIGNED WHAT?

He advised director J. J. Abrams on the design of the

lightsabers in Star Wars: Episode VII.

A colorful cigarette lighter designed to look

“like a flower on a table.”

(1955-97) (1992-2019)

COMPANY

AGE

87 52

London, England

HOMETOWN

20 1,672

DREAM DIGS

A three-story home in Germany’s Taunus mountain range,

where he grows Japanese bonsai trees.

A $17 million house along San Francisco’s “Billionaire’s Row”

with six bedrooms, eight baths and views of the bay.

The Apple USB Mouse, better known as the “hockey

puck” due to its small, awkward size.

Everything. He later regretted his career path,

as he felt it fed waste and consumerism.

The Braun T3 pocket radio iPod

PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYER

DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT HIM

(But we’re sure

1 0 that will change)

IGNOMINIOUS BEGINNINGS

iPod (first generation)

Braun SK5

Phonosuper radiogram

Apple USB Mouse

Braun TG1000 tape recorder

iMaciMac

p g

CO

A mix of Bauhaus and the Ulm School of Design, summed up best as “less is better.”

Wiesbaden, Germany

He began his career at a start-up agency called

Tangerine. The first thing he designed was a toilet.

(The director of Helvetica made

a film in 2018 titled Rams)

Braun T3 pocket radio

Braun KF 21

Aromaster

He applied to Braun on a bet. When the company contacted

him for an interview, he had forgotten all about it.

designoff the

illionaire’s Row”

off the bay.

ppleUSB Mousee

JONNY IVE, IPOD, APPLE MOUSE, BRAUN TG1000 TAPE RECORDER: SHUTTERSTOCK; DIETER RAMS: ALAMY

THEONETHEYWANTTOTAKEBACK

USPATENTS

48 OCTOBER 2019

You’d be hard-pressed to find a stronger sense of admiration than

Sir Jony Ive’s for Dieter Rams. The two industrial designers may have

created different products for different eras, but a sleek, “less is

more” style—one that Rams himself championed 50 years ago—ties

them together. Now that Ive has announced he is leaving Apple to

start his own agency, LoveFrom, with Marc Newson, will Rams’s

influenceonhimcontinue?

Dieter Rams VS. Jony Ive

Whenpeoplecallhima designer.

Hepreferstheterm“architect.”

BANEOFHISEXISTENCE

Skeuomorphism.HehatedthatApple’suserinterfacesleanedheavily on

makingdigitaldesignslookliketheiranalogcounterparts.

The21st-centuryversionofRams.

DESIGNSTYLE

HEDESIGNEDWHAT?

HeadviseddirectorJ. J. Abramsonth

lightsabersinStarWars:EpisodeVII.

A colorfulcigarettelighterdesignedtolook

“likea flowerona table.”

(1955-97) (1992-2019)

COMPANY

AGE

87 52

London,England

HOMETOWN

20 1,672

DREAMDIGS

A three-storyhomeinGermany’sTaunusmountainrange,

wherehegrowsJapanesebonsaitrees.

A $17millionhousealongSanFrancisco’s“B

withsixbedrooms,eightbathsandviews

TheAppleUSBMouse,betterknownasthe“hockey

puck”duetoitssmall,awkwardsize.

Everything.Helaterregrettedhiscareerpath,

ashefeltit fedwasteandconsumerism.

TheBraunT3pocketradio iPod

PORTABLEMUSICPLAYER

DOCUMENTARIESABOUTHIM

(Butwe’resure

1 0 thatwillchange)

IGNOMINIOUSBEGINNINGS

iPod(firstgeneration)

BraunSK5

Phonosuperradiogram

A

Braun TG1000 tape recorder

iMaciMac

p g

CO

A mix of Bauhaus and the Ulm School of Design, summed up best as “less is better.”

Wiesbaden, Germany

He began his career at a start-up agency called

Tangerine. The first thing he designed was a toilet.

(The director of Helvetica made

a film in 2018 titled Rams)

Braun T3 pocket radio

Braun KF 21

Aromaster

He applied to Braun on a bet. When the company contacted

him for an interview, he had forgotten all about it.

sig th

ionair Ro

th ba

Mou

JONNY IVE, IPOD, APPLE MOUSE, BRAUN TG1000 TAPE RECORDER: SHUTTERSTOCK; DIETER RAMS: ALAMY