There's nothing quite like the excitement of receiving a surprise gift in the post, and its even better if the gift in question turns out to be a beautifully made, limited edition design object. It was this experience that Bénédicte Colpin and Tomas Erel, founders of Iconic Product Collection (IPC), had in mind when they conceived Designerbox.com: a design-minded subscription box service.
Following in the footsteps of globally successful start-ups such as Graze and Birchbox, who send their subscribers tailored organic snacks and exclusive beauty products respectively, Designerbox brings the format to a design savvy audience.
'We wanted to bring the magic back to gift-giving, in treating yourself or your loved ones to a surprise,' explain Colpin and Erel. And the subscription-based service provides them with a sustainable and practical way of doing it, 'We wanted to show that it's possible to make good design at a very affordable price.'
Launched in April last year, the Paris-based website draws upon a pool of talented designers to create one limited edition offering each month. Appealing to the collector within us, the design is sent out to the customer in a numbered, stackable plywood box along with a certificate of authenticity. Although boxes can be bought individually, prices are based upon length of membership, starting at €29 per month, so one-time buyers can expect to pay a little extra.
The site is now in its tenth month, having already released nine pieces by an impressive roster of design stars including a printed mirror by Sam Baron, a glass candlestick by Arik Levy and a set of aluminium desk accessories by Pauline Deltour. Today sees the launch of box number 9, an aluminium torch by Paris-based Studio 7.5. The 'Black-Out' light features a bulb protected by a cork head, with a wooden red on/off button located on the base and it can be hung up by its leather cord.
Look out for future boxes from the likes of Ron Gilad, Piero Lissoni, Harri Koskinen, India Mahdavi and Jose Levy.
The studio's 'Black-Out' light features a bulb protected by a cork head, with a wooden red on/off button located on the base. It can also be hung up by its leather cord
Pauline Deltour's 'Duo process' aluminium desk accessories, which include a card and pen holder, made up N°8 in the Designerbox series. Each edition is sent out to the customer in a numbered plywood box, along with a certificate of authenticity
Designerbox N°7, entitled 'Body print', is a paper weight-cum-wall adornment created by Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance that pays homage to the sensuality of skin
The sculptural ornament is crafted from Limoges porcelain
French designer Marianne Guedin used her upbringing in the country's wine region of Burgundy as a springboard for her offering. The result is 'Tree for 2', a delicate decanter containing a miniature glass tree sprouting from its base
A close-up look at 'Tree for 2', by Marianne Guedin
London-based Japanese designer Kazuhiro Yamanaka's 'Candle in the wind' - inspired by a leaf of paper blown by the wind - doubles up as both a candle holder and a tray
'By the edge', by Singapore- and Barcelona-based design collective Outofstock, is a collection of playful workplace accessories, featuring an elephant, a buffalo and a rhino. Quite fittingly, in the same spirit as the studio's name, these pieces are now sold out
Amsterdam-based designer Aldo Bakker offered up 'Emotion', a pristine white porcelain vase that can hold a single bud
The 'Lux' light box by A+A Cooren playfully transforms the plywood box into the collectible object itself
For Designerbox N°1, Arik Levy's glass candlestick was inspired by his 'Solid Liquid' sculptures
The Designerbox series began with Sam Baron's printed table mirror, edged with a classic diamond cut. The bevelled shape stretches away from its centre of gravity, playing on the perception of balance
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