Designblok Prague 2008, originally uploaded by WallisPhotos.
Rolf with 2 fake labs, originally uploaded by Tomáš a Honza.
At DT commenter Scott's suggestion, I started poking around flickr to see more coverage of the Designblok fair in Prague last month--and last year.
There are some more finds after the jump, but this one was news to me: Kartell has introduced a kid-sized version of Louis Ghost, Philippe Starck's French-style stacking armchair made out of clear plastic [polycarbonate! These French and their eternal love affair for BPA-laden plastic!]
Dubbed the Lou Lou Ghost, it was apparently launched at Milan in the Spring; and got a bit of attention in August when it was announced in the market, and now it's for sale [around $140] and turning up in Czech design fairs. Frankly, I don't like the Louis Ghost to begin with, so the best I can say is the Lou Lou Ghost is less chair to dislike. Philippe, that's as much as you're gonna get from me at this point.
Lou Lou Ghost french microsite [louloughost.com]
Buy Lou Lou Ghosts in six clear and three opaque colors, $132+s/h [unicahome]
Some flickr photos from Designblok in Prague, both from 2008 and 2007:
What I liked most about the show last year was the venue: a huge communist era factory (or power station?) that they hadn't done anything really to clean up.
http://flickr.com/photos/superbad/1504448621/in/set-72157602300976614/
There was a lot of clever and resourceful work. When you consider the population of the entire Czech Republic is only about 10 million (half the size of NYC metro), I thought the number of exhibitors and their quality was really impressive, and there was a lot less of the masturbatory design wankery we so love to exhibit in the US (or England). They are definitely playing above their division over there.
What's with the knock off RODY's?? I have seen 3 different versions of this bouncy horse so far this year. http://www.rodytoy.com/