The Elemental Miller

The brilliance of Sir Johnny Ive and the design team at Apple is due largely to simplicity. Simple design, uncluttered interfaces, good honest white shiny goodness. The same can't be said for the myriad of Apple accessories from manufacturers keen to dunk said industrial design in rubber cases, covers and protectors.

Not Miller. Based in Singapore, Miller men [Colin Chen] cut leather, hammer in a button or two, engrave a name and that's it. Hand-made, man-made, cable tidies, wallets and card holders that'd make even Monocle blush. The tan leather in particular, is a rich and elemental addition to anything Apple.

Couture Coffee - Agnes B. Gaultier

Porcelain shouldn't be messed with. The iconicity of a plan white plate has a simplicity not to be messed with. White dinnerware puts the food and drink centre stage - the same is as true for a mug of builders tea as it is for fine dining from Heston.

But what if your builders are French? or you live on a submarine and you're having your walk in wardrobe extended to accommodate this season's range of stripey blue t-shirts? In such instances, and in such instances alone, Design Trawler deems it permissible to deviate from the formula of plain porcelain. Serve up couture chamomile in these smart mugs from the Agnes B. cafe found in Taipei's Eslite.

Material Reflections in 2013

This year, Design Trawler is once again putting its chips on metal. In the new year we're going to see a progression of the popularity of copper, gold and brass in to fabrics. Taking inspiration from the rather smart Ambassador Suite in Sheraton's new Macau hotel and casino [pictured], reflective fabrics add a richness long embraced by designers like Andrew Martin and Candy & Candy.

Reflective silks, velvets and satin, previously preserves of feminine boudoirs are set to 'man up' in a big way. Think teal, petrol blue and gunmetal grey. Bright reds and oranges carry over the golden metals theme evoking Ozwald Boaeting suit linings and metallic macs from Burberry.

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The Shape of Things to Come

While my 2,000 year old Han Dynasty warrior head is probably my favourite design item, the most important item in my collection is something entirely different. This festive bauble is a miniature version of the Quin.MGX form, most commonly available as a pendant light, from Belgian firm Materialise.

Designed by Yale mathematician turned artist, Bathsheba Grossman, the Quin is the poster child of the 3D printing design revolution. The intricate shape would otherwise be impossible to realise. It's second only to the wheel in terms of what it represents from a design, engineering & aesthetic perspective.

Design Trawler's Design Directory

The year wouldn't be complete without a trip to 2012's World Design Capital. This year, Helsinki wore the crown and Design Trawler dropped by for 24 hours en route to Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei and Tokyo. More pictures from the Scandinavian scouting trip below.

With so many cities on the agenda, It's time to launch the Design Directory; a summary of Design Trawler's best design stores, caves and cafe's visited over the past few years. Helsinki included, find top recommendations, rated and ranked, city by city from across the globe.

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Copper Hangs On - HAY

Big brother of design classic the paperclip, the wire clothes hanger is an iconic every day item. Danish design house HAY makes things a little less laundrette with these anodised aluminium hangers. Smartly finished in the must have metal; copper; the wire of the body rejoins the neck without the traditional 'twist' - a subtle detail that separates the HAY hanger from the rest. Perfect for Saville Row open rails.

Surrealism and The City

I recently picked up this surrealist sculpture at the Brussels Design Market. Combining elements of Belgian surrealism, Egyptian classicism and City financialism, I find myself strangely drawn to the combination. Anonymous yet identifiable. Incomplete, and yet absorbed in detail. As yet unnamed.

Design Heroes - Prince Carl Phillip

It would seem that it isn't just Barack Obama that browses the pages of Design Trawler. This week I was invited to lunch at the residence of the Swedish Ambassador in London [No, there were no Ferrero Rochers. Yes, the Ambassador did spoil us] The purpose of the lunch was to discuss Swedish design with a selection of Stockholm's finest, presided over by Prince Carl Philip of Sweden.

The 33 year old royal studied graphic design in both Stockholm and at the Rhode Island School of Design. Since then he's designed cutlery, calendars, cd covers and an architectural fireplace guard which resides with the Ambassador in London. Refreshing to see somebody with the wold at their disposal take such an interest in design. Unsurprising perhaps, that it's a Scandinavian somebody.

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Pinstripe Content by Conran

At the recent Joy of Living charity auction for Maggie's, one lot in particular caught my eye. This Alvis Chair by Benchmark designed by Sir Terrance Conran was upholstered in the instantly recognisable Saville Row pinstripe by Moon.

Which celebrity would have the taste and vision to pair dovetailed oak with sartorial lambswool I thought? If it's a footballer I'm giving up on design for ever. Thankfully, upon closer inspection, there could only be one answer. The chair was commissioned and owned by Sir Terrance Conran himself.

Flaming Fit Michelin Cooktops

The Electrolux Grand Cuisine range of appliances are designed for the very best homes in the world. Everyone is talking about the £10,000 blast chillers, vacuum sealers and computerised ovens that are used by Tom Aikens and Nuno Mendes, but the jewel from a design perspective is the bold gas hob.

Architectural cast iron supports and solid brass burners are hot as, well, the unique flower flame that automatically adjusts to the size of the pan it's heating. And boy can it heat! Demonstrated at The Royal Geographic Society, during Design Week, the Grand Cuisine was able to boil a litre of water in 60 seconds.

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3m² Urban Oasis - Sauna & Hammam by Jacuzzi

There's something timelessly traditional about the sauna. All that raw wood and pouring spring water on hot coals with a gigantic ladle. It's all very Scandinavian - and while there is little wrong with the ideals of a Scandinavian Sauna, it's the Jacuzzi Company that has taken things in to 'i Generation'.

Featuring 'emotional lighting', touch screen operation with bluetooth and MP3 connectivity, the Sashi Mi, displayed at Tent London is a 3sq meter urban oasis. Jacuzzi has also incorporated an independent Hammam and rain forest shower for wellness from every latitude.

Desktop Empires by Wilson & Benn

As predicted, 2012 has been a year which has embraced golden metals such as brass, bronze and copper. This delightful playset from the brilliant Wilson & Benn is jewelry for the desk. Achingly smart industrial forms cast in iron, steel and brass have a fantastical functional story.

W&B's set of Tradesman's Wedges are design bullion to Desktop Empire's desk jewelry. Gorgeously engraved like the Bank of England's finest, the three wedges are cast in brass, phosphor bronze and gunmetal. Individually numbered masculine ingots of craft and design, function and form.

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London Ships-In Design Week

London Fashion Week may be over, but the trendy spectacles, air kisses and free flowing champagne aren't going anywhere. Of course, it has to be London Design Week. Some great launches at Designjunction, Designersblock and Tent London this year with the former shipped over to the old sorting office on Oxford Street.

Highlights include suitably smart container storage from Sander Mulder (pictured) perfect for the Isomodal Container Townhouse; while Buro Vormkrijgers's playful 'Woofer' speakers at $1,4000 are a practical addition to man's other best friend; the home entertainment system.

Members clubs Fold, Apartment 58 and the Hospital Club generously kept VIP's comfortable, with Maserati replacing Aston Martin as this year's luxuriously appointed taxi service.

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Belgians Do It Better - Brussels Design Market

With less than a few hours notice and a Sunday to spare, this weekend I hopped over to Brussels to see what the city's Design September had to offer. The month long festival brings together over 100 design launches, exhibitions, pop up shops and the flagship Brussels Design Market.

Expecting something similar to the bi-annual Puces Des Design in Paris, the Brussels Design Market is a veritable candy store for any design enthusiast; and by far trumps the rival fair across the border. Set in a mammoth former customs hall, the market boasts hundreds of dealers, champagne bar, classic cars and thousands of mid to late 20th Century design gems.

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The Continent-Busting Cooktop by Stoves

When it came to selecting a new countertop hob for the Man Cave, I thought the decision would be easy. The best looking, most beautifully designed, flawlessly engineered hob would of course come from the continent. But would it be from Gaggenau or Gorenge whose alluring names boast designer collaborations with Karim Rashid and Pininfarina? or from the likes of Bosch or Miele; confident poster children of the Vorsprung durch Technik generation?

Surprisingly, the most attractive cooktop isn't of German design. It doesn't even carry a designer price tag. Designed and manufactured by hand in Britain by Stoves, the CR600 is the clear winner. Achingly elegant, the ceramic hob features chrome rotary controls [no thank you, flash touchscreen displays, we like our tactile knobs and buttons!] and a flush, frameless surface with clean and iconic indicators.