Introduction

Studio David Glättli specialises in art direction, consulting, branding, design management and curation for Japanese manufacturers and international companies and institutions.
We advise manufacturers on how to use their tradition, characteristics and particular skill set to grow and position themselves in new markets, by means of a new generation of innovative products, brand- and designer collaborations and international exhibitions.
We realise concepts and strategies and create brands and product collections, drawing on an extensive network of international designers and creators.
We mediate between designers and manufacturer and manage the design development process.
We help our clients to promote brands and products at online and at international design fairs and events, collaborating with carefully selected PR studios, photographers, graphic designers, film makers and retailers and galleries.

Clients

Karimoku Furniture Inc. (Karimoku New Standard)
Saga Prefectural Government (2016/ Arita)
HAY
Sumida City Administration (Sumida Contemporary)
A-Net Inc. (zucca)
X’S Co.Ltd. (Tajimi Custom Tiles)
Embassy of Switzerland in Japan (Swiss Design Made in Japan)

Collaborating Designers

BIG-GAME
Carlo Clopath
Christian Haas
Christien Meindertsma
Dimitri Bähler
Eun Mo Chung
Geckeler Michels
Hironori Inada / Stich&Sew
Ingegerd Raman
Jasper Morrison
Kueng Caputo
Kwangho Lee
Kirstie Van Noort
Leon Ransmeier
Max Lamb
Nathalie Du Pasquier
Pauline Deltour
Rikako Nagashima
Stefan Diez
Saskia Diez
Lucien Gumy
Scholten & Baijings
Shigeki Fujishiro
Studio Mumbai
Yanagi Design Office
Sylvain Willenz
TAF
Teruhiro Yanagihara
Tomàs Alonso
Wang & Söderström
Wataru Kumano
Studio Wieki Somers

Profile

David Glaettli

After interdisciplinary studies in art, communication and Japanese language in his hometown of Zurich, David Glaettli was trained in industrial design in Milan and Lausanne, where he graduated from ECAL.
He worked as a product and interior designer in Zurich before moving to Japan in 2008, where he joined the design studio of Teruhiro Yanagihara as designer and design director. In 2013, he founded Glaettli Design Direction Ltd. in Kyoto and since 2016. In 2021, he moved to Zurich, Switzerland where he founded ‘Studio David Glaettli’, while keeping a second mainstay in Tokyo. Studio David Glaettli specialises in creative direction, branding, curation, design consulting and design management for Japanese and international manufacturers, brands and institutions. In Tokyo, David Glaettli has been teaching at Tama University as a guest tutor. David Glaettli is the creative director of the brands Karimoku New Standard, Sumida Contemporary, Tajimi Custom Tiles and Mino Soil.

Press Clippings

David Glaettli has been featured in the following international printed magazines and publications:

Dadi Magazine, Switzerland (2012)
Annabelle Magazine, Switzerland (2013)
Loro Magazine, Japan (2013)
Pen Magazine, Japan (2013)
Le Figaro, Japan (2014)
Surface Magazine, Hong Kong (2015)
Elle Decor, China (2015)
Milk Magazine, Japan (2015)
Senken Newspaper, Japan (2015)
Elle Decor, Hong Kong (2015)
Tao Magazine, Hong Kong (2015)
Ming Pao Weekly Newspaper, Hong Kong (2015)
Perspective Magazine, Hong Kong (2016)
Ideales Heim, Switzerland (2016)
Pen Magazine (2016)
2016 / Table Of Contents, Phaidon (2016)
Jo Nagasaka: On My Mind, Lixil edition (2016)
Frankfurter Allgemeine Quarterly, Germany (2017)
Shotenkenchiku, Japan (2017)
Brand Kiosk, Germany (2018)
NZZ Magazin, Switzerland (2018)
AXIS vol.193, Japan (2018)
Raum und Wohnen, Switzerland (2018)
interiorlifestyle living, Japan (2018) 
Nikkei MJ, Japan (2018)
Sumida Brand, Japan (2019)
Wohnrevue, Switzerland (2019)
Wohnrevue, Switzerland (2019)
Monocle Magazine, UK (2019)
JET, Taiwan (2020)
Elle Decor Japan no.169, Japan (2021)
Design Anthology, Australia (2021)
Casa BRUTUS, Japan (2021)
FAZ Magazine, Germany (2021)