Christophe de la Fontaine is a Luxembourgish product designer, university professor and co-founder of Dante – Goods and Bads GmbH, German-based furniture and home accessory brand. His work includes furniture and lighting in collaboration with Moroso, Rosenthal, FormAgenda and many others.
Life and work Christophe de la Fontaine was born in 1976 in Luxembourg, where he graduated from the Lycée des Arts et Métiers as a sculptor. He continued his studies at the industrial design department of the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart under the supervision of Richard Sapper. Upon graduation in 2002, he collaborated with Therefore - product design consultant in London, followed by Piero Lissoni Associati in Milan. In this period he also collaborated with Stefan Diez on a project which would win the “Design Report Award” in 2002. In Milan he became the head of Studio Patricia Urquiola design department, remaining on the position until 2010. In 2012 he co-founded Dante - Goods and Bads, a furniture and home accessory brand, together with his partner, contemporary artist Aylin Langreuter. The company is today internationally active and features awarded editions. As an independent product designer, he received numerous international awards, including the Red Dot Design Award, the Good Design Award, and the Gold iF Product Design Award. In 2015 he was featured on The Wallpaper* 100, a list of the 'design world's most powerful players'. Christophe is Rosenthal's most award-winning designer., and his work was endorsed by Luxembourg royalty.
Since 2018 he was appointed professor of industrial design at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart.Official announcement December 2018
Exhibitions 2015 Brand New World, Milan, Italy 2012 DANTE - Goods & Bads, Side Glance, Galerie Schweitzer, Luxembourg 2011 Prix d’Art Robert Schuman, Cercle Municipal Luxembourg 2011 Trophées, Art Paris Grand Palais 2010 Artfreaks, Workshop MUDAM Luxembourg 2010 Moving Worlds, Triennale Jeune création, Carre Rotondes, Luxembourg 2009 Installation permanente Maison Printz e Richard, Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg) 2008 ‘Transfert’ at Kiosk by AICA, Luxembourg 2007 Elo. Inner Exile - Outer Limits, MUDAM Luxembourg 2005 Anders als immer, Zeitgenössisches Design und die Macht des Gewohnten 2004 Promosedia, “Caiazza Memorial Challenge” competition for wooden chairs Udine Italy 2003 Spin-off Lounge IMM Cologne, Germany 2002 Salone Satellite 02 Milan Furniture Fair, Italy 2002 St. Etienne Biennale International 02, France 2002‘Wonderwood’ Interieur 02 Kortrjik, Belgium 2002 Instant Lounge Interieur 02 Kortrijk, Belgium 2002 Instant Lounge for ANNO’02 Kortrijk, Belgium 2002 Terminal-nyc during the ICFF NY, US
Awards and juries 2013 German Design Award for 'Format' Rosenthal studio-line, Frankfurt 2013 Jury IF Award, Hannover 2012 IF Gold Award for 'Format' Rosenthal studio-line, Hannover 2012 Design Plus Award for 'Format' Rosenthal studio-line, Frankfurt 2012 Interior Innovation Award for 'Format' Rosenthal studio-line, Cologne 2012 Jury Design Report Award 2012, Milano 2011 Good Design Award for 'Format' Rosenthal studio-line, Chicago 2004 Promosedia, – winner of the "Caiazza Memorial Challenge" competition for wooden chairs Udine 2003 Interior Innovation Award IMM Cologne, winner "best of the best award" for the product "Instant Lounge" 2002 Salone Satellite, winner of the "Design Report Award" Milano
References
External links Petra Shmidt, The Design Label Dante, Form Design Magazine, August 2014 Chiara dal Canto, Modern fairytale, Belle (magazine), November 2014 Luigina Bolis, Jump, Corriere della Sera Living, October 2014 Oliver Herwig, Du bist der Boss, Manual, February 2014 Lecture on Belgrade Design Week 2013, Aylin Langreuter and Christophe de la Fontaine Der German Design Award IF Gold design award Ciazza Memorial Challenge Award Design Plus Award DANTE - Goods and Bads on Bloomberg Business