Philippe Starck made artistic boss of France's EU presidency 02/04/2008 00:00

Designer Philippe Starck on Tuesday said he had been named "artistic director" of France's upcoming EU presidency.

   PARIS, April 2, 2008 - Designer Philippe Starck on Tuesday said he
had been named "artistic director" of France's upcoming EU presidency on the
request of Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
   "Bernard Kouchner wants the French presidency to have a very interesting,
very creative profile," Starck told AFP.
   The idea was to show "a very modern, very creative France of high
technologies, not France wearing a beret, but an avant-garde France," he said
by telephone.
   The foreign ministry confirmed that Starck had been asked to design items
during France's six-month EU presidency beginning in July.
   The renowned designer, whose iconic objects range from chairs to juice
squeezers and who has revamped the interiors of top hotels and the Eurostar
train, said his upcoming brief concerned both the "material and immaterial."
   "There are lots of things that traditionally are given to journalists,
ministers, delegates," he said. "For the first time in the history of the EU,
everything produced will be of high quality."
   Starck refused to give details but said he had designed 10 to 15 objects
that will be unveiled in June.
   He said he had also designed events for the six-month presidency.

AFP