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Soft Electronics - Iconic Retro Designs from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s is a book by gestalten and Jaro Gielens
Soft Electronics is a book about iconic retro designs from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s is a book by gestalten and Jaro Gielens
This compact grinder was introduced in 1974. Its edges are soft, and it has a clear plastic compartment for freshly ground co!ee. The K4’s controls are also emphasized with color. The oversized on-o! button and a simple switch that toggles between grind settings stand out from the device’s plastic body. Find out more about it in Soft Electronics by gestalten.
SEB’s Cafetière Filtre was futuristic, with round corners and pleasant curves. By this point, SEB had considerably improved their manufacturing techniques and were able to work with sturdy plastics that had glossy finishes. This is also one of the earliest examples of a feature that comes as standard today: the drip stop. SEB was among the first manufacturers to introduce it, allowing the coffee pot to be removed mid-brew. It is also featured in Soft Electronics by gestalten.
This chunky electric pocket shaver came with its own handsome carrying cassette, opening up to reveal the razor and a small mirror as well. It’s an earlier example of a pocket shaver—modern in its design but still humble. The Krups 80 is the German manufacturer’s answer to Braun’s Sixtant 6006, which was similar in form and also came with a storage cassette featuring an enclosed mirror. Read more about the Krups 80 in Soft Electronics by gestalten.
The yogurt maker, like the egg boiler and the fondue set, was a common must-have for most middle-class kitchens in the 1970s. It was made with a starter culture and milk, and was mixed, as is the case with this model by AEG, in six portions in individual glass jars. Discover more about this device in Soft Electronics by gestalten.
Although they’re still used today, bonnet hair dryers speak to a bygone era of beauty regimens. And this product—with its packaging and a name that translates as “air pillow”—is no exception. The Luftkissen, released by the now defunct women’s sub-brand Lady Braun and designed by Jürgen Greubel, is among the most iconic at-home bonnet designs, and would go on to be imitated closely by several other brands. Read more about this product in Soft Electronics by gestalten.
At first glance, it isn’t immediately clear if this object belongs in the laboratory of a mad scientist or in the kitchen of a German family. Its shape suggests a very scientific approach to making the perfect home brew, evidenced also by the “unique thermo-tech design” advertised on the packaging. Aroma Art by Melita is an incredible example of German industrial design by the studio OCO Design.
The mid-1970s fruit juicer by Moulinex is a practical, simple design. The sunny yellow press is a!xed to a white base, with a clear plastic container below to catch the juice and pour it via a small nozzle. Instead of using an on-o" switch, the electric motor is activated when the fruit is pushed down onto the press. Read more about this citrus fruit press in Soft Electronics by gestalten.
Tefal’s mid-1970s egg boiler followed a typical design: a charming little circle where eggs fit together snugly as though back in the nest. This product is featured in Soft Electronics by gestalten.
The iconic French brand Moulinex is one of the brands featured in Soft Electronics by gestalten
Rowenta’s early-1980s solution to heating up milk, formula, and baby food, took the form of a plastic elephant. Glass bottles and jars are simply placed into its cylindrical compartment, where the temperature is controlled by a circular dial on the elephant’s trunk. This charming product is often credited to Luigi Colani, the German industrial designer who created everything from trucks to coffee cups. Read more about it in Soft Electronics by gestalten
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Soft Electronics

Iconic Retro Designs from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s

The golden era of industrial design that revolutionized home appliances.

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Description

The fascinating world of product design that emerged between the 1960s and 1980s symbolized the birth of a new age in human behavior. From coffee grinders to electric knives to blow-dryers, each home appliance was intended to help in the daily household routines—but they were also masterpieces of style.

Based on Jaro Gielens’s collection, Soft Electronics explores a nostalgic and unique set of products from a very distinct period in design. Each object possesses a sense of longevity, quality, and innovation that has been hard to match since planned obsolescence redefined our relationship with consumer goods. Soft Electronics pays homage to an iconic era of product design.

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