Sori Yanagi ³

“True design lies in a realm counter to trends.”
本当のデザインは流行と戦うところにある。Yanagi Sōri

Uniting the worlds of craft and industry, Yanagi Sōri (1915-2011) created simple and beautiful items, rooted in Japanese aesthetics. Yanagi’s iconic design is characterised by timelessness and functionality, and over 60 years of history.

Yanagi was born in Tokyo, he was the son of Yanagi Sōetsu, founder of the Mingei (Folk Craft) Movement. Yanagi studied at Tokyo Arts School and developed an interest in modern design, becoming influenced by the work of Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand, whose office he worked in during the 1940s.

In 1952 he founded the Yanagi Industrial Design Institute which created a prolific number of items for daily use and home furnishing. In 1977, Yanagi Sōri was named Director of the Japanese Folk Art Museum in Tokyo. In addition to household products, his designs also include metro stations, bridges and the torch for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.