The Germans build great cars and brew delicious beer. They’re good designers too? Knut Maierhofer isn’t at all surprised.

It wasn’t so long ago that «Wallpaper» magazine dedicated 84 pages to an article on the German design scene, calling it «risk-seeking, experimental, unique and forward-looking». Design and lifestyle magazine «Monocle» also took a closer look at the new, cool Germany in a special report entitled «Why the world needs the new Germans».

As welcoming and flattering as these publications might be, much of this is not new. Design has played a major role in Germany for many years now. Much of what shapes the world of design today originated in Germany — including Bauhaus, considered the most important design institution of all time, and the design principle “less is more”. KMS TEAM has always felt a strong commitment to continuing these important traditions.

We are also greatly influenced by pioneering designers Otl Aicher and Dieter Rams. Aicher created the pictogram and is one of the most visionary German designers of the 20^th century. Rams was head designer at Braun, and his «Ten principles of good design» are as valid today as they were 25 years ago. His simple, streamlined and beautiful industrial designs still provide inspiration to Jonathan Ive, senior vice president of design at Apple.

What does German design stand for?

It stands for clarity and logic. It reveals the structure of the product in a clear way, making it self-explanatory. German design stands for honesty. It doesn’t try to make a product look more powerful or valuable than it is. In other words, it doesn’t make promises it can’t keep. German design also impresses through its longevity. It never seems antiquated because it never tries to be trendy.

Design is a decisive part of value creation in today’s world. As product features and functions become increasingly similar, good design is what makes the difference. The design strategy, communication, branding and user-friendly features need to be consistent and interconnected to ensure that people perceive these brands and their products as both unique and valuable.

What does German design do?

Design creates intelligent systems and explores complex tasks in a logical way, reducing them to their simplest form. Once upon a time, the main purpose of design was to ensure the functionality and usability of a product. Today, it is easy to integrate emotions and aesthetics. After years of being dominated by objectivity and reduced complexity, the German design of the 21^st century is becoming increasingly experimental — achieving a balance between function, emotion and experiment.

German design gets to the bottom of things. It always looks for the DNA of the brand or product, asks why something is considered good, and – most importantly – how it can be done better.

In the end, the main consideration is whether and how people «think» design. This is the only way that design and the brand can be effective tools for management and communication. German design is authentic and doesn’t imitate. Instead of simply asking what the customer wants, it conveys a strong sense of the company’s and product’s self-confidence. German design means having character and showing it. Only products and brands that are truly unmistakable will enjoy lasting success among consumers.