Using design to be influential: the case of Mathieu Lehanneur

According to Mathieu Lehanneur, one should not be appreciated for one’s style! In today’s world where designers are like superstars, Mathieu Lehanneur’s stance may take people by surprise, especially because he admits that he is not interested in the purely formal aspect of objects, and prefers to focus on their invisible dimensions. As far as he is concerned, road signposts, Romanesque churches, a pill or even demographic statistics can all equally be sources of artistic expression. Eclecticism, curiosity, familiarity and intuition are among the characteristics of the talents of the designers who are the most prominent in his generation. His appointment in March 2015 as Chief Designer for the Chinese telecom giant Huawei (which he accepted on the condition that he could also have other clients) did not weaken his desire to explore varied sectors. This talk plunges us into the creative world of a designer who is unique.