Graduate Ilsa is BBC winner

MMU art graduate Ilsa Parry has been unveiled as the winner of BBC Two’s Design for Life, featuring Phillipe Starck.

Ilsa, 27, won the show with her innovative Flo ‘walking aid’ design.

The show, which began on BBC Two in September, whittled down hundreds of aspiring designers to a shortlist of 12 who were followed on air for 10 weeks, and gradually voted off.

Parry, a graduate of MMU’s acclaimed in three dimensional design degree, developed her winning walking aid design after exploring lifecycles and studying perpetual motion with Starck.

Thrilled

“I like to look at all my products as companions to their owners, to be used in their daily lives,” explains Ilsa.

Made from a carbon fibre composite, the elegantly twisted Flo is designed to support its owner while affording them style and dignity.

“I am so thrilled to have won Design for Life - it has been a great learning experience for me, especially as I was given the chance to work with Phillipe,” said Ilsa.

Ilsa’s win was followed by a six-month placement with Starck in Paris where she was able to further develop her design skills, leading to the establishment of REthinkthings, Ilsa’s creative management company.

Responsible design

“My thinking doesn’t lie directly with Starck’s by any means, but the two of us have similar ideals and values as to what constitutes responsible design, and I think we both want to help people through our skills, she said.

“For me, going on the programme wasn’t about impressing him necessarily. I wanted to learn from people and get as much experience as I could.”

It completes a great year for the designer after scooping the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce Innovation Award 2009, becoming a finalist in the Shell Grand Ideas Award also an Ambassador for Make Your Mark New Entrepreneur.

Dave Grimshaw, Programme Leader on Three Dimensional Design, said it was no surprise to us to see her win the “Design for Life” competition as her work was always challenging and innovative.

Poignant

“Her “No-Zac” light commented on the over use of medication, using pill blister packs filled with flourescent inks that glowed when the light was switched off, thus having a calming effect on the viewer without the use of drugs.

“One particularly poignant design was her ‘Globe Light’ with a map of the world. As the light heated the green ink of the land it slowly turned blue, flooding the continents with water.

“This highly caring and innovative approach still underpins all her work and has clearly impressed Philippe Starck.”

Ilsa’s designs will be on display at the Liverpool Design Festival from October 29 - November 1 at the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

For further information about Ilsa Parry go to the REthinkings website.