Every year, we have been lucky to present Launch Pad jury members that every designer dreams about meeting someday.

One of them is design icon Giulio Cappellini, who is known for his passion for scouting new talent all over the world to collaborate with for his eponymous brand Cappellini. We are very thankful to have him since the debut of WantedDesign in 2011 as a mentor, supporter and friend. We are proud to confirm that Giulio Cappellini will return as a jury member for Launch Pad 2021 at WantedDesign Manhattan at the Javits Center, November 14-15.

Based in Milan, Giulio Cappellini personally handles the image and products for Cappellini, the iconic Italian furniture and design brand, not only in his role as Art Director but also as a designer. Many Cappellini products can be found in the permanent collections of the most important contemporary art museums. He is also Art Director for the company Ceramica Flaminia, a market leader for bathroom furnishings. He was recently selected by Time magazine as one of the ten global trendsetters in the field of fashion and design and as ambassador of excellence of Italian design worldwide.

As a much-valued mentor for emerging designers in WantedDesign programs, he has served as a jury member for Launch Pad for multiple years. In addition, he has been involved in every edition of WantedDesign, from speaking in 2011 to being part of the jury for the first Design Schools Workshop in 2012, to exhibiting for the first time in 2013 to doing an installation at WantedDesign Brooklyn at Industry City in 2019.

“I remember giving him a tour of Industry City maybe the second year we were there, in 2014, with Chantal Hamaide, and he fell in love with the site,” reflects Odile Hainaut, co-founder of WantedDesign. “He is a fantastic visionary. He is someone that we are very thankful to have as a mentor, supporter and friend.”

In the lead-up to the WantedDesign 2021 Emerging Designers Showcase this summer, host Amy Devers asked Giulio Cappellini what he looks for in new designers:

Q: What for you constitutes “fresh and exciting”?

Giulio Cappellini: For me, a project is “fresh and exciting” when it entails some type of innovation. Today, a project has to be contemporary, and it can’t be if there has been no research in its development. “Interesting” is something not only for today but also for tomorrow.

Q: What do you look at when you meet young designers and scout for new talents?

GC: For me, passion is the most important thing. Young designers should be professional and humble, and follow their projects from the first idea to the final result. Also, in order to work together and eventually create a good project, it is important for me to establish a good bond with the designer.

Q: Is there a specific quality / style / craft / ethos / x-factor you are in search of? 

GC: I always look for something that surprises me! The design can be minimal or organic, pop or classic, the most important thing is the originality of the idea. Something new, something looking to the future. We don’t need new products, we need new ideas!

Thank you, Giulio, for sharing what you look for in emerging designers, and for being such a great supporter of WantedDesign.

Want to learn more about design legend Giulio Cappellini? Listen to the interview with him in Clever podcast episode 117, part of the 2020 WantedDesign Manhattan Online Conversation Series, presented by Clever and Design Milk.