Julia Black: It's pronounced Hi-Me

One of the designers at the IDS that totally blew me away was Spanish artist-designer Jaime Hayon. He's a fave of Arren's (who got a chance to meet him) but it was Hayon's collection of playful and imaginative lighting for Metalarte that totally struck a chord with me. His design sensibility, stemming from his early experiences in the skateboard and graffiti culture, is remarkably bold, whimsical and thrilling. Hayon's creative passion drove his studies in industrial art both in Madrid and in Paris, which led to a quick climb to the head of the Design Department of Fabrica. He first broke out with a collection of designer toys, ceramics and furniture, and then expanded into interior design and installation, a collection for Lladro, and even designed this collection of sneakers for Camper. Hayon's ability to blur the lines between art, decoration and design, makes him - for me at least - a master of contemporary design.

Below you'll see Jaime Hayon himself (Jaime is pronounced Hi-Me, btw) riding a giant chicken rocking horse. Next, a couple of snaps of Hayon's work with Metalarte, and finally, that sexy black number is from a collaboration with Swarovski. Metalarte is available through Lightform in Canada. [Images: Courtesy Hayon Studio. Portrait Nienke Klunder]

IDS finds

Well, it's one week later and I'm finally editing down my faves from the IDS. There was so much to see except, errr, I was kind of busy, so I literally begged off an hour on the last day of the show to run around and catch what I could. So, here's a few designs that really caught my eye, and yes, before anyone says anything, I totally realize I have a bit of a thing for lamps...

From the top: Mahabali welcome mats in natural coir by Cristina Covello. Intensely coloured turned wood lamps and mortar and pestles by Tahir Mahmood. Handmade silver on brass Egyptian pendant lights available at Snob. The Clown light, part of Jaime Hayon's hook up with Lladro (lawdy it's a stunner).

Art or glass or art glass?

Jaime Hayon is one of the most interesting and inspiring designers working today. He definitely marches to his own drum, taking on projects and ideas that have a bizarre, dreamy and surreal quality and working his influence on historic old firms like Lladro and Baccarat. He shakes things up, that's for sure, whether he's designing sneakers for Camper (yes, I still love them) or coming up with a new collection of glass vases that are about to launch at Design Miami/Basel in June. Alongside these borosilicate glass lovelies (the same glass used for science beakers) is a snap of Hayon's sketchbook, and an interesting peek inside the creative process (click here to read a Designboom interview with Hayon). The vases, as well as work by Studio Job and Atelier van Lieshout, will be presented by VIVID Rotterdam.