Philippe Starck

When did you realise you wanted to be a designer?

Never. I never wanted to be a designer. I just had the deep desire to help my community to have a better life. That is why I feel more like an explorer?

What is artificial lighting for you?

Artificial lighting doesn’t exist. Even electric light is natural because ions and photons are the same. It’s just a different conductor of the same energy. Quantum physics tells us: everything exists at the same time and everywhere, but only what’s in the light comes to life. Flos gives us a poetic life every day because they’ve understood this.

Why do you like working with Flos?

There is no beautiful children if parents are not in love. I am in love with Gandini family since ever and especially now with Piero Gandini who gives us, designers, the opportunity to be free in our creativity, with updated technology and highest quality. But the first reason is we laugh a lot together.

What is the next object you’d like to design?

I am obsessed with having the result without the tool. That is why my dream is to give the light without the lamp. We are close to it with OLED, but for me a micron still exists and it is too much.

Is there a great designer, artist or musician you regard as a point of reference for your work?

The greatest artists of human history are Ptolemy, Plato, Galileo, Einstein.

What is your favourite restaurant in Italy / And in France?

In Italy, for the creativity and the personality of their author: the best is QUADRI in Venice, by the incredible Alajmo brothers. In Paris, for the quality and the humanity of its author: MORI VENICE by the amazing Massimo Mori.

Have you ever worn a tie?

Yes but in North Pole, I got almost killed by a hunter who thought I was a penguin.