Designers can be devilish contrarians. In Century Makers—a 1998 book about the 20th century’s most life-changing innovations—David Hillman and David Gibbs praise the paper clip: an object so small and mundane that one would think it unlikely to quicken the pulses of even the most obsessive stationery nerds. But the Davids are not alone in their love of this run-of-the-mill filing aid. In 2004 it sat behind glass in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, as part of their Humble This story is from Kinfolk Issue Twenty-Nine Buy Now Related Stories Design Issue 26 Lick the Knife Memorable moments from the history of flatware. Design Issue 21 Super-Egg Designed as a “useless necessity” in 1965, the brass super-egg is a classic piece of industrial art beloved by design connoisseurs. Design Issue 20 Field Notes: Le Corbusier We examine how Le Corbusier’s early travels had a lasting influence on his iconic 20th-century architecture. Design Issue 51 John Pawson From the king of minimalism: “I find the essential and get the design down to a point where you can’t add or subtract from it.” Design Interiors Issue 51 Axel Vervoordt Inside the world of Axel Vervoordt. Design Issue 51 Inga Sempé “Minimalism is boring as hell, and on top of that, it’s preachy.”
Design Issue 21 Super-Egg Designed as a “useless necessity” in 1965, the brass super-egg is a classic piece of industrial art beloved by design connoisseurs.
Design Issue 20 Field Notes: Le Corbusier We examine how Le Corbusier’s early travels had a lasting influence on his iconic 20th-century architecture.
Design Issue 51 John Pawson From the king of minimalism: “I find the essential and get the design down to a point where you can’t add or subtract from it.”
