TEXT Daniel Butenschøn PHOTOGRAPHY Andrew Zuckerman		STARCKRAVING
Dumbbells by Philippe Starck for XO		Exercise used to be a simple concept, an activity that required a certain physical or mental exertion and that was performed to develop or maintain fitness; you used what apparatus was lying around and wore old sweatshirts. Now, looking good after exercising is not enough; you have to look good during the workout too – and the equipment has to help you to achieve that. Philippe Starck’s steel-filled aluminum dumbbells for XO are handmade for the perfectly designed exercise experience. That means that Starck has conquered yet a new arena of design – the gym. Previously he had conceived and produced furniture for former French president François Mitterrand, as well as boats, mopeds, the 1992 Olympic Flame torch, and even a new pasta shape. He works with his tribe in the studio and remains an enigmatic, reclusive figure. His bad boy image and traditional “Je ne sais quoi” demeanor come from years of exercise.
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