Yves Behar

Yves Behar is a renowned industrial designer, born in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1967, and is known for his work with companies such as Herman Miller, General Electric, and Prada. He has also collaborated with Jawbone, Samsung, and Target Corporation to create innovative and functional designs. Behar's work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. He has also been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, and Wired (magazine).

● Early Life and Education

Yves Behar was born in Lausanne, Switzerland and grew up in a family of artists and designers, including his father, who was an artist and a CERN physicist. Behar's early life was influenced by his parents' creative endeavors, and he was encouraged to explore his own artistic talents from a young age. He attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, where he studied industrial design and was exposed to the works of designers such as Dieter Rams and Jonathan Ive. After graduating, Behar worked with designers such as Michael Graves and Alessi before establishing his own design firm, Fusion Design.

● Career

Behar's career as a designer has spanned over three decades, during which he has worked with a wide range of clients, including Apple Inc., Microsoft, and Nike, Inc.. He has also collaborated with architects such as Frank Gehry and Norman Foster on various projects. In 1999, Behar founded Fusion Design, which later became Fusion Design and Architecture and then Fusion, and has since worked on numerous high-profile projects, including the design of the Jawbone UP fitness tracker and the August Smart Lock. Behar has also worked with companies such as Puma (company), Birkenstock, and Swarovski to create innovative and functional designs.

● Design Philosophy

Behar's design philosophy is centered around the idea of creating products that are both functional and beautiful. He believes that design should be a combination of art, technology, and social responsibility, and has stated that his goal is to create products that are "desirable, usable, and sustainable". Behar's designs often incorporate elements of sustainable design and social design, and he has worked with companies such as Patagonia (clothing), The Nature Conservancy, and the World Wildlife Fund to create products that promote environmental sustainability. Behar has also been influenced by the design principles of Bauhaus and De Stijl, and has cited designers such as Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe as inspirations.

● Notable Works

Some of Behar's most notable works include the design of the Jawbone UP fitness tracker, the August Smart Lock, and the Sayl chair for Herman Miller. He has also designed products for companies such as General Electric, Prada, and Samsung, and has collaborated with architects such as Frank Gehry and Norman Foster on various projects. Behar's work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and he has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, and Wired (magazine).

● Awards and Recognition

Behar has received numerous awards and recognition for his work, including the National Design Award from the Smithsonian Institution and the Red Dot Design Award from the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen. He has also been named one of the most influential designers of the 21st century by Time (magazine) and has been featured in the Forbes (magazine) list of the world's most influential designers. Behar has also received awards from organizations such as the Industrial Designers Society of America and the AIGA, and has been recognized for his contributions to the field of design by institutions such as the Rhode Island School of Design and the California College of the Arts.