Droog design biography

Twenty-five years ago, a group of young, unknown Dutch designers took Milan by storm with a stance that was ‘anti-luxury, anti-formal and anti-product’.

Their influence is still shaping European design practice two decades later, writes Peter Smisek.

A quarter of a century ago, a group of young product designers were hand- picked by art historian Renny Ramakers and designer Gijs Bakker to present their work alongside Dutch furniture manufacturer Pastoe in Milan.

Pastoe had been a mainstay on the Dutch design scene since earning its reputation for no- nonsense, made-to-order cabinets in the 1950s. But it was this select group of young designers – some students, some recent graduates – who captured the moment.

Under the single moniker ‘Droog’ (it means ‘dry’ in Dutch and is pronounced droagh by clearing your throat at the end), these individuals – Hella Jongerius, Marcel Wanders, Piet Hein