Wonder Boy

It was like a Marc Newson eclipse on the weekend: first, a way too short interview on the Australia show “Arts Sunday”, then, on the pages of Wallpaper, in all their glory, his designs for industrial denim brand G-Star, called strangely enough …. “G Star by Marc Newson”.

He’s back … but then he never left really did he?

I’ve had a love affair with Newson since I first locked eyes with his infamous “Lockheed” lounge in 1984, plus it helped that he was incredibly beautiful with his long hair and incredible fashion sense. It’s incredible to think that all these years later, his work ‘holds’ its design … a fact he concurred with in his interview, but then as he also added “My job as a designer is to constantly be ahead of everyone else”. While we play catch up to his aesthetic, he has moved on to bigger and better visuals.

Newson’s relationship with G Star commenced in 2003 and to this new collection he brings his expected “retro futuristic” eye to basic garments applying what he calls an “architectonic” approach where design is “translated into physicality with near invisible seams, basic monotones of black, white and grey with a mix of materials ranging from the classic leather and wool to the more futuristic laminated Gore-tex”. My god, the man has even turned his eye to the buttons.

His design interests are varied (planes, sneakers, watches, cutlery, interiors, dishracks) and in February this year he exhibited at the gargantuan Gargosian Gallery in New York (his dealer) in the show “Marble” alongside such greats as Brancusi, Moore, Giacometti, Noguchi, Bourgeois and Koons. Here, Newson both exposed and toyed with the fact his designs sit comfortably within both the art and design arenas. The viewer is forced to mentally volley: are these functional objects, or are these artworks?

Is there anything this design genius cannot do?

How about turning your attention to our cities Marc? I’m thinking perhaps the love child of Logan’s Run and Saarinen.