Sismo, Firebrand designers

The two designers swing effortlessly in their work between the spheres of limited edition and mass market, always incorporating humor in their efforts to create form and meaning. Proportion is a key theme, along with innovation and creative risk-taking ; the waggish pair don’t think twice about having fun with brands, codes or logos. Their work is not about perpetuating a certain style, but rather helping a brand move forward or in a new direction. At Peugeot, they redesigned the pepper mill ; at Lancel, they came up with playful desk accessories ; for Legrand, they envisioned cutting-edge light switches ; while at Adidas, Sismo focused their attention on the soccer or football – its technical and aesthetic aspects. This summer, for Scrabble’s 60th year of existence, they’re working on 60 objects related to wordplay. The Sismo duo are also celebrating an anniversary of their own : for their 10th year, they’re launching a retrospective exhibition in June during Designer Days, consisting of 30 of their most iconic, signature objects, shown in triptych form – with the original question or conceptual challenge, the sketch and the final form. They also plan to publish a book this fall with Éditions Épure, featuring illustrations by Ju Hee Park, one of their collaborators.