The ITS 2014 Samsung GALAXY Project. Creativity for Technology

Supporting young talents and encouraging them to create what enhances people’s lives is the reason why ITS has partnered with Samsung Electronics for ITS 2014, a brand that is leading the mobile device industry with its pursuit of technological innovation and lifestyle enrichment. As an everyday companion, a mobile device can be stylized with fashionable creativity. This was precisely the idea that led to the special project presented to this year’s finalists.

The mobile device in question was the flaming new GALAXY Tab S and Samsung picked 10 candidates out of the finalists for the fashion, accessories and jewelry areas, asking them to present three proposals for a prototype to protect and carry the tablet. Said proposals would have to include the use of Diesel denim (not exclusively) leaving complete freedom in the use of other fabrics and subsidiary materials. No limitation instead in the shape of the output, which could be a cover, a case, a bag, or anything else.

The judging criteria were the ability to convey Samsung GALAXY’s brand core values, the aesthetic quality, the creativeness, the enhancement of tablet user behaviours and the presentation of the prototype by each finalist.

It is truly exciting when ten talented creative minds like those selected by ITS are put to the test on a project as this one. The result translates into points of view which were unthought-of, especially when it comes to tablets: original proposals for cases to protect and carry them are still very limited and most of those available are often very practical though lacking in creativity or top quality design. In other words, boring.

And the prototypes developed by the Samsung GALAXY project finalists were anything but dull, presenting a myriad of new approaches and solutions. Some of these turned the tablets into actual fashionable bags, as in Francine Oeyen’s proposal, for instance: hiding entirely the tablet in what appears to be a clutch (and not just a conventional clutch, since she included materials such as concrete, copper and wood), in reality it is entirely focused on the possibility of using the tablet at any time, in every situation, thus being at the same time extremely practical.

The prototype presented by Mirja Pitkaart was inspired by past ways of carrying books and cameras (functions which are both being replaced by tablets, right?). Books used to be carried around tied with a belt, while cases for cameras were lined with suede, with several snaps to open the case up without taking the camera out. Both these solutions are reflected in Mirja’s prototype.

Award Leonie Bart, the winner of the €10,000 Samsung GALAXY prize – delivered on stage on the final evening of ITS 2014 by the Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, IT, & Mobile Division Samsung Ms Young Hee Lee – went even further, presenting two different solutions in one. Her prototype can be worn as a backpack via an ergonomic, padded part which fits perfectly on the back with the tablet stuck to it in a case buttoned & strapped to it in total safety, or as a “glove”: the tablet case can be detached from the padded part and it features slits for one hand that enables to carry the tablet attached to your palm, making it incredibly practical to use.