Toys and design

I was walking around the DUMBO area of Brooklyn (Dumbo stands for “Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass”) on Saturday. It’s a pretty interesting area and while strolling I spotted an exhibition of contemporary furniture design.

What struck me as I walked through the exhibition space was how often young designers bring toy design elements into their work. I was familiar with the work of artists like Murakami whose artwork and pieces sell for up to six figures. I had not fully grasped, however, how much the toy aesthetic had expressed itself in so many areas of everyday design.

One of the designers had created furniture that consisted of toy components. It was wonderful to look at and surprisingly comfortable*. It occurred to me as I talked to the young designer that specialty toy stores should take a look at carrying limited edition products like this. With prices in the four figure range, they would not only add to the store’s revenue, but more importantly, would clearly differentiate the store from the mass merchandisers. In fact, it would probably draw new shoppers who would rethink the way they see toys and toy design.

In these times that call for radical rethinking of who we are, what we sell and how we go to market, we all may want to take some mind jarring trips to museums, fashion shows and design studios. Who knows what may fall out of your head and into your bank account. 

*I have purposely chosen not to show his work as he has not yet acquired patent protection.