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91Èȱ¬ Two and design guru Philippe Starck search for new generation of British design talent
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91Èȱ¬ Two has teamed up with celebrated French design guru Philippe Starck to help find a new generation of British design talent.
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Philippe Starck is one of the best known designers in the world.
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His work spans everything from windmills to cult chairs, hotels, toothbrushes and a megayacht.
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Starck said of the 91Èȱ¬ Two series, Philippe Starck's School of Design (working title): "What excites me about this project is that it's about the future.
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"We are trying to find the talent of young people. We don't want the fashion victim or the design victim; we're seeking the people who do, the people who actually make something.
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"That's why this show can be a wake-up machine. It will also show that no one needs to be a genius to be creative. Creativity is accessible.
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"I hope these people will be good because if they are good, definitively, that will change their lives and hopefully improve other people's lives." Ìý
Starck will invite would-be designers to bid for one of 10 places on a design course to be held in Paris.
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At the end of the course at least one student will be rewarded with a six month placement at Starck's design agency in the French capital.
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The series will air in 2009, and is produced by Twofour.
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Twofour's Director of Programmes, Joe Houlihan, said: "Starck is a world-straddling figure in contemporary design, so there is no-one better to inspire an interest in product design here in the UK.
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"With School Of Design we want to find a whole new generation of British design talent. Brilliant design can be a significant boost to industry; look at the vacuum cleaner or the MP3 player."
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The 91Èȱ¬'s Commissioning Executive, Lisa Edwards, said: "This series will focus its eye on the rich and relatively untapped territory of product design.
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"We are very excited to have a designer as prolific as Philippe Starck at its heart." Ìý
Over six one-hour episodes, Starck will bring the 25 most promising applicants to meet him in Paris and, after setting them a challenge, will select 10 to join his school of design.
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Entry is open to anyone who feels they have a talent for design, regardless of whether or not they have formal training.
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Once at the school, the successful applicants will be given the chance to demonstrate their abilities by working on real design projects.
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Starck will gradually whittle down the class – based on their performance – until one or more students are rewarded with the opportunity of a work placement with him.
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Are you Britain's next great designer? If you think you have what it takes to change the face of design in the UK, apply now at bbc.co.uk/schoolofdesign.
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Notes to editors
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For more than 30 years, Philippe Starck has been creating objects that have had an impact on the world.
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His recent projects have included the artistic direction of a spaceport in the USA, a 120 metre yacht and a personal windmill.
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Designs such as the revolutionary lemon juicer or the transparent Louis Ghost chair have become cult items.
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He is also credited with setting the standard for creating classic hotels all over the world.
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RF
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