Milan Furniture Fair – DesignBox

by Patrick Branigan

Designer: Tom Dixon, Front Design, 5.5 Designers
I was recently contacted by Katie Krause at WFG Media about a new project called DesignBox.

This year during Milan Furniture Fair, Veuve Clicquot is revealing DesignBox – its own exclusive eco-friendly gift box - and showcasing three interpretations of DesignBox by Tom Dixon, Front Design and 5.5 Designers. These collaborations are being presented as part of an installation called “Out of The Box” at Superstudio+.

Lights by Tom Dixon

Couch by Front Design

Cellar by 5.5 Designers

procj177_preview

These are the latest in a string of collaborations between Veuve Clicquot and some of the best names in the world of design including Andree Putman, Porsche Design Studio, Pablo Reinoso, Christophe Pillet, Karim Rashid, Fredrikson Stallard and Jason Bruges.

Here are some behind the scenes images at Front Design and 5.5 Designers in the construction process (courtesy of WFG Media):

5.5 Designers sketches

5.5 Designers sketches

Cellar construction

Fitting

Layout

Front Design construction

Front Designers

Product

The design and production of DesignBox includes a number of innovations that also reinforce Veuve Clicquot’s commitment to sustainability:
The box is mono-material – made of just paper – which avoids difficulties associated with recycling and certain fabrication processes that are often polluting. No plastic lamination (protective plastic film) is used in the box – with inks, glues and solvents representing less than 5% of the total weight of the product. The paper used comes from forests under management of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), a non-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of our forests. Micro-grooving reduces the usage of paper in packaging.

The DesignBox will be launched commercially in June 2009.