Reimagined valet stand convinces the Red Dot Jury

Designer Marvin Kasper was able to convince the Red Dot Jury with his entry in the Red Dot Award: Product Design. He was one of the 50 young talents who were drawn by lot during the Young Professionals Application Day and thus received the chance to participate in the competition free of charge.

Interview with Young Professionals Application Day winner Marvin Kasper

In the interview, designer Marvin Kasper explains what inspired him to create the valet stand, why it is important to him to look at everyday objects from a different perspective and how the Red Dot Design Award appeals to the younger generation, particularly with the new metacategory Sustainable Design.

“Stummer Diener – R50” is a reinterpretation of the well-known valet stand, a coat rack on which men's clothes were traditionally placed or hung.

Red Dot: What inspired you to reinvent the traditional valet stand with the Stummer Diener - R50?

Marvin Kasper: The idea arose during a week-long design sprint that my former university – Hochschule Hannover – organised together with the manufacturer Connox. Originally, the focus was on designing a laundry basket. However, during the process, I thought about other applications and came up with the concept of the valet stand. My goal was to create a modern version of the classic valet stand. Everyday objects should not only fit seamlessly into modern living spaces in terms of their appearance, but also in terms of their intuitive use, while at the same time responding to the current challenges of our time.

How has participating in the Red Dot Award: Product Design influenced your career as a young professional?

For me as a young designer, participating in the Red Dot Award was a great opportunity to present my work to a broad audience. The exchange with other award winners was particularly inspiring and gave me many new impulses for future projects. The award also greatly encourages me to continue on my path as a designer.

What advice would you give to aspiring designers who want to participate in the Red Dot Design Award or are at the beginning of their design career?

My advice: Show your ideas and take every opportunity to gain experience! With the new Sustainable Design metacategory, the Red Dot Award is particularly appealing to the young generation who want to design sustainable products. Sustainability is a key focus at (art) colleges, and many young designers are considering how they can develop products that are both future-proof and resource-efficient. The focus on sustainability is growing – this category offers the ideal platform to showcase such approaches.

The full interview can be downloaded in the attachment.

Save the Date: Young Professionals Application Day on 27 November 2024

The 2024 Young Professionals Application Day is just around the corner. On 27 November, young designers will have 24 hours to enter a draw for one of 50 free registration spots for the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2025.

Eligible participants are designers who graduated no more than five years ago, with products that have been or will be manufactured in an industrial production process. The product must have been launched between 1 January 2023 and 1 July 2025. To enter the draw, a brief product description, up to five images of the product, and a scan of the degree certificate are required.

The selected talents will have their products evaluated by the Red Dot Jury. If awarded, they will receive the extensive benefits of the Winner Package “Regular”, which will communicate their success in the award on an international scale – free of charge.

The application portal will open at midnight on 27 November for 24 hours. Interested individuals should mark the date and seize this unique opportunity to advance their careers as Young Professionals.

Further information: www.red-dot.org/ypad