d60 INTERVIEW / MIELE


Because these are built-in products it is even more complicated. Freestanding products are a little easier to change in showrooms for example because you can present the new model one day and have it ready to sell the very next day. With built-in, you have to think about the configuration in your store, which kitchen do I change, how does it fit best, what combination should I include? All of this has to be considered before you can start selling, and the wave has reached this stage now, with a lot of work going on within our sales subsidiaries to decide the best approach for their own market. It’s a very exciting time.


DESIGNER: What was the starting point for what is such a major overhaul of Miele’s product offering?


Dr Miele: We first started by asking the question ‘what is the customer of the future going to be like?’. Since 70% of our business is already outside of Germany, we’re not only talking about the Germany customer, but also including views from all of our international subsidiaries, whether it is China, the US, South Africa or Great Britain. Then we think about the trends that we’re seeing in food, design, colours and so on. Our design teams collect all of this data and draw up probability scenarios to consider what is likely to happen in 5, 10 or maybe even 20 years.


One example is the continuing shift towards the kitchen and living room being one space. It has meant that


MAR 2015


JUN 2019


in terms of design, it must be less like the pure function of Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky’s Frankfurt Kitchen, but also needs to meld seamlessly into the living room. I was reading an article the other week that discussed how the typical status symbol for many people is no longer the car, but is increasingly becoming the kitchen. This is great news for us, and it means consumers are thinking even more about features, how the design blends in with their style etc.


So, a lot of information needs to be collected to determine what the consumer wants, and then you need to look at the technical possibilities – examining what might be possible now which was not do-able six or seven years ago. Then you need to try to integrate all of this, and it is quite interesting because you go through many scenarios to consider which routes to take. At the beginning, you are not 100% sure where you are going to end up because there are numerous turns to take while you travel along the path. It’s one of the most fascinating journeys for any business to take.


DESIGNER: How do you go about defining the technology that consumers actually want as opposed to just what is possible?


Dr Miele: Everybody's talking about digitalisation, and millions – if not billions – of things are possible. The question is, what is relevant for the user. We have just over 200 test households in which we trial prototypes and where the householder is


designer kitchen & bathroom designerkbmag.co.uk


EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT DIGITALISATION, AND MILLIONS – IF NOT BILLIONS – OF THINGS ARE POSSIBLE


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Obsidian black glass fronts with metal handles and stainless steel trim are features of the PureLine design. The H7860BP wall oven (centre) includes the TasteControl assistance system to prevent overcooking, and also features a camera inside the oven so food can be checked upon from a mobile phone or tablet via an app. Pictured left is a CVA7845 coffee machine with built-under warming drawer and a DGC7845 steam combination oven with vacuum sealing drawer


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