How to merge timeless design with technological innovations – Robin Bevers tells us

During a talk with Robin Bevers, the CEO of Moooi, I seized the chance to delve deeper into the company’s ethos and their approach to design. Reason? Some brands promote sustainability, while others let their work speak for itself.

The Dutch brand falls into the latter category, having been one of the first to embrace a remarkable initiative that integrates blockchain technology into their products and processes. It’s their Moooi Generations project, a philosophy that intertwines design, environmental stewardship, and legacy into a fabric of innovation.

Built on five fundamental pillars, Moooi’s approach is aimed at a future where design and the environment exist in harmony. Among other features, each Moooi creation is equipped with a Digital Product Passport (DPP), accessible via a smart tag (NFC) known as The Button. This serves as a guarantee that every product is crafted with the intention of minimizing its environmental impact, ensuring transparency from its inception to its eventual disposal.

At this year’s Milan Design Week, within the setting of ‘A Life Extraordinary’, their immersive exhibit, two brand new products were unveiled: Big George by Cristián Mohaded and Tubelight by BCXSY. These new designs clearly embody the overarching philosophy of the brand. Below are the responses from Robin Bevers to my questions.

Who is Robin Bevers? How did your design journey begin?

Robin Bevers:

“I grew up in the Dutch countryside and later pursued my education in Spain. I earned a degree in economics and completed my MBA at IESE Business School in Barcelona. After returning to The Netherlands, I worked for several multinational companies until Marcel Wanders advised me to leave the corporate sector and join the creative industry.

Since 2005, design has become my daily world and my greatest passion. I have worked very closely with Marcel Wanders in developing his design studio and expanding his business interests. Our mission has been to “create an environment of love, live with passion, and make our most exciting dreams come true.” Starting from 1 September 2015, I took on the role of CEO at Moooi, succeeding Casper Vissers, one of the co-founders of Moooi.”

You transitioned from leading Marcel Wanders Studio to Moooi. What common elements and what substantial differences define the two experiences?

Robin Bevers:

“At MWS I worked for the best brands in the world. At Moooi I got to focus on one brand only, and to deep dive into the world of Moooi. Both are amazing jobs, rationally I could not choose which one is better. Emotionally I must admit that Moooi – and especially the people at Moooi, the designers and the clients – have conquered my heart.”

Before many others, in my opinion, you understood how to use new technologies to support creativity. Moooi Generations stands as a testament to that. How did you achieve this?

Robin Bevers:

“It’s in Moooi’s DNA to embrace technology, to let technology work for you, to infuse it in your business. Interior Design and technology have so much in common, our lives are 200% influenced by technology so interior design and technology need to go hand in hand. We invented Electrosandwhich, a technology that powers the frame of a suspension light, allowing a design to have hardly any wires. The Button is a tool to protect the authenticity of a design, when registering a product through the Button consumers receive extended warranty, it opens the digital world of Moooi.

We were one of the first to have an advanced configurator online, to have an AR function for lighting products, et cetera. This is also reflected by Moooi’s collaboration with e.g. tech conglomerate LG and Every Human (the first AI fueled room fragrance platform).”

Sustainability is a core component of Moooi Generations. How does this commitment and pledge influence your approach to developing new products?

Robin Bevers:

“Sustainability is an integral part of the design process at Moooi. We want to make products that people will never tire off, that they never want to throw away. All designs are very much timeless, this means they can remain relevant for generations to come. Further, we develop our designs with the vision that each and every product must be repairable. Finally, we of course look after the raw materials, try to source as much as possible locally and also have assembly locally organized.”

From a business perspective, how has the concept of The Button influenced customer perceptions and, ultimately, affected sales?

Robin Bevers:

“For consumers, the extended warranty and proof of authenticity are crucial benefits. Our dealers appreciate the enhanced customer confidence because they are selling a promise of quality and authenticity. It streamlines the sales process, so dealers can focus on what they can do best: offer excellent service. Finally it gives dealers increased customer loyalty because it often leads to referrals and repeat business. And dealers are happy, when their consumers are happy too.”

In your company profile, I read ‘Moooi does not tell designers what to do’. What is the profile of the perfect designer according to Moooi?

Robin Bevers:

“We make designers dreams come true – so he or she must have a dream, a vision. One that Moooi can relate to and contribute to. And of course we look for originality and innovative ideas. But the dream is where it really counts.”