Yanko Design - Form Beyond Function

This here, is the Professional Hair Dryer, by Andy Kim. It does look professional, doesn’t it? It looks cutting edge, honestly.. It doesn’t look A. Inexpensive, and B. Like it would fail. Why’s that though? Let’s break down what exactly makes products look premium.

For starters, the matte body works well against the hair dryer’s simple shape. Simple shapes and matte go along pretty well, whereas complex contours look good with a gloss finish (take cars for instance). To balance the matte reflections, you’ve got a swirled metal disc on the side. Metal, obviously, is synonymous with a more premium experience. Look at metal versus plastic phones as an example. Plastic is a material of mass production. Metal, not as much… making it feel more exclusive. The radial reflections coming from the spun metal just give your eye some good, controlled reflections to look at. On a matte body, the reflections off the disc are welcome, and stand out like a work of art on a blank canvas. Lastly, and most importantly is the palette. The hair dryer does a wonderful job of selecting colors that just work. The black and white ones are classic, while the navy blue and golden combo give the product a royal feel. The shade of pink works well too, given that hair dryers are usually used by women… but the exact pastel hue seems to be a derivative of the rose-gold trend found in today’s technology.

All these reasons combined are what make the Professional Hair Dryer look truly, well…professional!

Designer: Andy Kim

Below you’ll find the most popular designs we’ve tracked over the last 30 days – an overview of designs you shouldn’t have missed in January 2017.

Unlike Tesla cars, the all-electric Tesla Model Y yacht is a self-sustaining design that charges itself… with a little help from the sun and sea, that is.

The 48Hr Switch allows you to switch between work, play and travel by putting a backpack, messenger-bag, and briefcase all in one.

Calculator 2.0 is just mesmerising to look at, and it comes with an incredibly sleek design that even makes use of a touch bar below the screen.

The Boeing 777 (don’t be deceived by the name, it’s not a plane) is designed to be an extension of a carrier’s flight service once business class passengers hit the runway… and it’s entirely autonomous!

The Titanium Peeler can peel a goddamn tree.

Juno is a smart mirror that mimics outdoor lighting on your dressing table, allowing you to apply make-up under suitable lighting conditions.

This gizmo allows you to plug BOTH headphone cable and lightning connector into your iPhone, while also working as an audio amplifier for your phone.

This little piece of metal fits all the tools you need to survive in the wild. Weighing in at a mere 0.7 ounces (20grams) this bad-boy fits in 10 different pieces of camping equipment into one slick, pocketable mass.

Linnaeus is a drone that’s designed to monitor large open green spaces to make sure that plants are healthy and well irrigated.

The Swash is a device that attaches itself over any bucket, turning it instantly into a makeshift washing machine.

This amazingly thin little beaut is capable of turning your MacBook screen into a touchscreen.

It currently takes 3 nurses to transition the patient from bed to wheelchair. The LOHAS bed, however, only requires one.

This innovative social-sharing peripheral bike attachment is designed for groups who like to capture and share every perspective of their journey together.

The Vultran Tyger 1 is a hybrid powered piloted drone that takes inspiration from advanced fighter jets, rotorcraft and modern drone technologies.

Its simplistic yet versatile stand can be rotated 360° to project in any direction. It can also be used as a convenient handle to carry the device.

The Kyotomoji boxes take Japan’s passion for storage and organization and add an element of ‘kawaii’ to it.

Ever tried to find a nice-looking ceiling fan? It’s a nearly impossible feat! Perhaps fan designers should take a tip from automotive design.

This set of grooming tools is made strictly for the alpha male, with its chiseled, sharp forms and matte black demeanor.

Don’t stare at it for too long, it may hypnotise you!

XBows arrange their keys in a crossbow-style radial (rather than linear) pattern using the wrists as their center. This means your hands can stay put while typing with minimal movement.

Most two-wheel commuters don’t carry helmets because of how bulky they are. Honestly, it’s been a debate with me too. Carrying it is a nuisance, storing it is even worse. The Fuga helmet by Closca really achieves the impossible (or rather the unachieved) in that regard. The helmet has a telescopic design that folds inwards, becoming a rather slim and flat piece of plastic that can easily fit into any bag. The Fuga also is a major win in the aesthetics department. A stylish helmet means commuters will WANT to show off their gear, and as a result will wear helmets more often… and that can only be a good thing, right?

Designer: Closca Design

Buy It Here: $125.00 $160.00

Eastern and Western cultures differ considerably in our resting habits. Traditionally, Eastern culture can be seen as floor-based, sitting and sleeping on the floor. On the other hand, Western culture can be seen as the opposite, sitting on chairs and sleeping on beds. “Wa” is a clever convergence of these two distinct cultural concepts that adapts to the user’s preferential resting position.

The simplistic design can be divided into 3 elements: a pillow for lying down, a floor seat with a back for lounging, or a classic chair for sitting upright. However minimalistic in form, this unique multi-functionality blurs cultural lines and encourages user interaction, strengthening the bond between human and object.

Designer: ATO DESIGN STUDIO

It seems as if we’re trying to put a chip in everything. Now this time, it’s our shoe. The Connected Cleat basically puts a bunch of sensors into your cleats that then constantly read data and give you a complete detailed analysis of your gameplay with numbers. I imagine that would work absolute wonders for the sports industry. After all, it isn’t cheating if you’re monitoring data. The module that fits into your shoe doesn’t enhance your performance… it just analyzes it up close.

What’s so marvelous is the size of this module. It fits cozily into the sole of the cleats in a way that doesn’t make you realize its there, while also being secure enough to never fall out mid-game. The cleats are designed around this module, giving you a complete footwear set that may just render your fitness tracker obsolete. Impeccably accurate gameplay data, right in your sporting equipment. I hope the sports execs are reading this!

Designer: Trevor Timson