The Bouroullec brothers, Ronan and Erwan, recently designed the Eléméntaire chair for Danish furniture brand Hay. This piece of furniture is featured in a range of different colors, with each piece designed with a minimalist aesthetic and meant to be as inexpensive as a "white t-shirt or blue jeans." The design duo was driven to create the Eléméntaire chair after examining the inadequacies of current plastic chairs and wanting to create a chair that was simple for everyday use, affordable and still as beautiful as possible.
The chairs were launched at the 2018 Milan Design Week and were featured in an exhibit by Hay, Sonos and WeWork. The exhibition of the Eléméntaire chair saw the contemporary seat juxtaposed against the ornate architecture of the historic Palazzo Clerici building.
Minimalist Plastic Chairs
The Eléméntaire Chair is Affordable but Doesn't Sacrifice Beauty
Trend Themes
1. Minimalist Aesthetic - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop products in various industries that embrace a minimalist aesthetic to appeal to cost-conscious consumers.
2. Affordable Design - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create affordable but visually appealing products that can compete in the market against more expensive alternatives.
3. Inadequacies of Current Products - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Identify and improve upon the weaknesses of existing products across different industries to offer more functional and desirable alternatives.
Industry Implications
1. Furniture - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop affordable and aesthetically pleasing furniture pieces using innovative materials and manufacturing processes.
2. Fashion - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create inexpensive yet stylish clothing items that cater to the minimalist trend, providing value to cost-conscious consumers.
3. Interior Design - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design affordable and visually appealing interior spaces that incorporate minimalist elements, targeting budget-conscious customers.