A conversation with the mercurial designer and architect Karim Rashid may look fairly content in the above picture: shades lowered, wearing one of his signature all-white outfits. But in previous shots, he was holding forth a ceramic white coffee mug. And there was a problem. The mug was not his, and it was not well designed.
"Oh, don?t get me started on the mug," he says, rolling his eyes (one assumes) behind his sunglasses. "Why do these things have handles like this" Do people really want to?" He exaggeratedly grasps the thin handle between two fingers.
Everyone laughs, Karim included. He knows he was asked about the coffee mug to provoke this exact reaction and he is more than happy to oblige. There are, perhaps, few people with more opinions about designed objects than the famously controversial Rashid, who has designed everything from manhole covers to baby bottles to buildings to sex toys. He?s also the guest on the first episode of the second season of Curbed?s podcast, The Appeal, and we talk to him all about his work, his likes and dislikes, and where design is headed in the future. Give it a listen or read a transcribed version of the interview below.

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Zoe Rosenberg:
Here in the studio to kick off The Curbed Appeal Season Two is Karim Rashid.
Karim, thank you for coming in.

Asad Syrkett:
Yeah, thank you.

Karim R...