Inside Kartell -Part IV: The Future According to Kartell (and Me)
If Kartell’s legacy has been built on radical materials and visionary forms, its future, I believe, hinges on cultural fluency and emotional relevance. Design innovation is a given — but now, it’s about how design fits into rituals, not just rooms. Here's how I see the next chapter unfolding:
1. Heritage, Remixed
The next phase isn’t about abandoning icons — it’s about recontextualizing them. Products like the Componibili, Ghost Chair, and FL/Y Lamp should be remixed visually and narratively to reflect how Gen Z and Millennials live now: in layered spaces, with mixed aesthetics, and an eye toward both irony and intimacy.
Creative Direction Cue: Mini-editions, re-colorings, or even playful collabs with niche studios and stylists.
Ritual Lens: Think “morning vanity setups” with Componibili, not just “storage unit.”
2. Kartell and the Algorithm
Trend cycles now move at the speed of scroll. Kartell has an opportunity to shape its narrative via TikTok and Pinterest — not with static product posts, but story-driven content: behind-the-scenes design insights, product-as-character storytelling, and user-generated styling moments.
Potential Moves: Interactive Pinterest moodboards. TikTok trends reimagined in Kartell language. Think "If this was a Kartell lamp..." voiceovers.
Language Play: Naming new drops with emotional tags (“Mood: Modular,” “Soft Brutalism Set”) creates instant aesthetic resonance.
3. Collaborate with the Culture, Not Just Designers
Kartell’s next big collaborator could be a stylist, a DJ, or a scent studio. By aligning with unexpected creative communities — beauty, fragrance, even food — the brand builds cultural depth and multisensory relevance.
Ideas: Limited-edition Kartell × Tekla home rituals set. Kartell × Glossier vanity station. Even a Kartell × Spotify collab on “Design for Focus” playlists.
4. Material Future: More Than Just Plastic
While Kartell pioneered plastic as luxury, sustainability will shape its next legacy. Expect bio-based composites, recycled editions of iconic pieces, and storytelling around durability and circular design.
Consumer Hook: Position classic Kartell pieces as heirlooms of the future — stylish now, timeless always, sustainable inherently.
5. My Take: What I’d Love to See
A Kartell Salon Series: IRL gatherings or online mini-docs exploring lifestyle, color, rituals, and interiors.
Product curation by stylists or moodboard creators — less “collection drop,” more “aesthetic edit.”
A deeper Kartell lifestyle ecosystem — ambient playlists, styling tips, scent collabs. Think of it as the “Ananya’s Table” expansion pack.
The future of Kartell isn’t in being the loudest — it’s in being the most tuned in. To moods, rituals, micro-trends, and subcultures. And if history has taught us anything, it’s that Kartell doesn’t just follow design movements — it defines them.
So let’s see what happens when design heritage meets algorithmic intuition. Kartell’s next icon isn’t just a chair. It’s a vibe.
