Apple's Jony Ive and industrial designer Marc Newson go in-depth on (RED) auction pieces
In an in-depth interview with Charlie Rose, Apple's Ive and design superstar Newson riff on what makes good design so challenging, and why they chose the items up for bid in the pair's (RED) charity auction.
Apple's Mac Pro in red as seen at Sotheby's upcoming (RED) auction.
The Charlie Rose Show interview, which airs tonight, digs deep into Apple SVP of Design Jony Ive and designer Marc Newson's thoughts about the upcoming charity auction. The full interview is now online.
As with a teaser made for the Sotheby's auction, Ive and Newson explained the beauty of simplicity. They both agree that great design melts away, making the designers of the best pieces difficult to distinguish.
The collection Ive and Newson curated are all things they would want to bid on, Ive said. Each item is a tool of some kind, not an end in itself, which to Ive is the highest form of design.
Earlier this week, AppleInsider was able to take a "hands-off" look at the collection.
While most of the 44 pieces are donated, Ive and Newson collaborated on a few of their own designs, including an aluminum desk, a Leica digital camera and Apple's new Mac Pro. Other items have been customized with flourishes of red, such as a Range Rover, a window from the Space Shuttle sitting in a bespoke stand, and an Hermes saddle, among others.
Bidding for "Jony and Marc's (RED) Auction" begins on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Sotheby's New York. Proceeds will go to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Apple's Mac Pro in red as seen at Sotheby's upcoming (RED) auction.
The Charlie Rose Show interview, which airs tonight, digs deep into Apple SVP of Design Jony Ive and designer Marc Newson's thoughts about the upcoming charity auction. The full interview is now online.
As with a teaser made for the Sotheby's auction, Ive and Newson explained the beauty of simplicity. They both agree that great design melts away, making the designers of the best pieces difficult to distinguish.
The collection Ive and Newson curated are all things they would want to bid on, Ive said. Each item is a tool of some kind, not an end in itself, which to Ive is the highest form of design.
Earlier this week, AppleInsider was able to take a "hands-off" look at the collection.
While most of the 44 pieces are donated, Ive and Newson collaborated on a few of their own designs, including an aluminum desk, a Leica digital camera and Apple's new Mac Pro. Other items have been customized with flourishes of red, such as a Range Rover, a window from the Space Shuttle sitting in a bespoke stand, and an Hermes saddle, among others.
Bidding for "Jony and Marc's (RED) Auction" begins on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Sotheby's New York. Proceeds will go to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Comments
That was a great interview, watched it twice. The interviewer started off trying to put trite words in to their mouths, to create a story he knew the audience would love, but when they started really talking, offering their real opinions, he had the experience/expertise to back off and just let them talk.
I really like the culture of quality they were talking about, about taking care in your work. It's something you notice when you go to poor foreign countries, namely, everything is junk. The objects are junk. And it's easy to just dismiss it, and say things are junk because the people are poor, and that's all they can afford. But maybe it's not poverty causing junk, maybe it's poverty and junk both being caused by something earlier, a culture of lack of care and attention to detail.
a window from the Space Shuttle sitting in a bespoke stand
I know Macrumors is a UK site, but I didn't realize that about AI.
I would bet that 99.9% of Americans have no idea what bespoke means in this situation. I've been living in Europe (but not the UK) for 10 years and never heard the term until a few months ago (from a Brit). "Custom made" can be understood by anyone who speaks English...why not use that?
"Bespoke" can be understood by anyone, too, by simply using a dictionary. Expanding one's vocabulary is a worthwhile practice. Condescending one's fellows is not.
I also feel like I'm watching the same interview with Ive over and over in different settings. There are usually at least some small unique elements though. The part that stood out for me was his explanation of obsessing over the objects, which some people don't like and might suggest is materialistic. It starts around 16:50 (the timer might default to show time left so click to see time watched):
'You can argue that someone will never see how something is finished on the inside but I think that part of the human condition is that we sense care. Sometimes it's easier to realise you sense carelessness and so much of our manufactured environment testifies to a complete lack of care. That's not about your attitude towards an object, it's about your attitude to each other.'
I found that with mobile phones years ago. There were so many manufacturers fighting for their place in the market but the products were all horrible to use. Not one phone design gave the instant satisfaction you got from using an iPhone and it was clear they didn't feel it was important enough to obsess over the user experience to provide a great service to people. Phone companies are some of the worst for this. While the obsession is over objects, they are tools in the service of people.
Poor foreign countries like China where Apple products are made? There are poor quality manufacturing outfits in every country, not just 'foreign' ones. Taking care takes time and when the priority is survival, there will be compromises.
Look at HTC for example. They have clearly put in a lot more effort to design nice products than Samsung and yet Samsung makes 35x their revenue. So it doesn't always pay to put in the effort unfortunately. Lower earning companies can go bankrupt if their efforts aren't rewarded.
Please use said dictionary to look up condescending. Nothing in my post matches that definition. I'm merely asking why a US based site would choose to use a word that is unique to a different country when it isn't needed. A British English dictionary shouldn't be required to read the post.
I know Macrumors is a UK site, but I didn't realize that about AI.
I would bet that 99.9% of Americans have no idea what bespoke means in this situation. I've been living in Europe (but not the UK) for 10 years and never heard the term until a few months ago (from a Brit). "Custom made" can be understood by anyone who speaks English...why not use that?
That's a good question. They are equally suited to the meaning and one is in ordinary use while the other is rare even outside the USA (I just spotlighted my (literature and technical) book collection and bespoke isn't used once in the sense of custom-made).
I stumbled across a designer who works for Ive on Instagram and boy do they have the life. Last year Apple was given an award in London and the whole design team came to collect it. Well from the pics this guy posted it seems they were there for a whole week - eating at expensive restaurants, attending Burberry fashion show, getting a private tour of Buckingham Palace along with a "royal dinner". No idea how much, if any, of this was on Apple's dime but it did make me think that Ive's allows to do pretty much whatever he wants at Apple.
Please use said dictionary to look up condescending. Nothing in my post matches that definition. I'm merely asking why a US based site would choose to use a word that is unique to a different country when it isn't needed. A British English dictionary shouldn't be required to read the post.
Oooo, such a high crime has been committed so as to require one to look up an unfamiliar word!
There are beaucoup Americans whose interest in life and work, creativity extends beyond national boundaries. There's a skill called "reading" that aids the endeavor.
Yeah, see, Boot, lift, flat, jammy dodger, nappy, butty, ladybird, rocket, rooty-tooty point-and-shooty…
It’s not a difference, it’s just wrong.
“This from the guy who says ‘come off it’ and ‘haven’t the foggiest’?”
Yes, well.
I know Macrumors is a UK site, but I didn't realize that about AI.
I would bet that 99.9% of Americans have no idea what bespoke means in this situation. I've been living in Europe (but not the UK) for 10 years and never heard the term until a few months ago (from a Brit). "Custom made" can be understood by anyone who speaks English...why not use that?
Moreover, the word means "made to order" which this item specifically is not. It can't be since the purchaser isn't even known yet. I would have used "one of a kind" instead. Also, when someone uses a an interesting or unusual word, it should be used sparingly. Every article here about this space shuttle piece uses "bespoke" to describe it. Mix it up a little.
Exactly. Bespoke is the past participle of bespeak, which comes from the Old English besprecan. That itself is from be- and sprecan in Old High German, meaning “to speak about”. In the modern context, you’d add a “beforehand” to that phrase, in the sense that you’re discussing something to be made.
Moreover, the word means "made to order" which this item specifically is not. It can't be since the purchaser isn't even known yet. I would have used "one of a kind" instead. Also, when someone uses a an interesting or unusual word, it should be used sparingly. Every article here about this space shuttle piece uses "bespoke" to describe it. Mix it up a little.
Made to order for Product Red specifically for this auction.
I would have gone with sui generis in this particular case. Surely it's less well know than 'unique' but being Latin helps evoke an understanding of being rare, unique, and extraordinary if used in the right context.
I agree that it's not incorrect but I also don't think it's the most correct word choice.