Red cross medicine cabinet designed by Thomas Ericksson and made by Cappellini in 1992.

A small metal cabinet in the shape of a cross, lacquered red. The door is hinged and opens to the left. Small magnetic pads on the pr left side of the unit keep the door closed. The inside of the cabinet is also lacquered red and there are two perforated metal shelves. Two holes at the back of the unit enable the cabinet to be screwed to the wall.

Given by Cappellini

The cabinet formed part of the 'Progetto Ogetto' [literally 'Project Object'] collection commissioned by Cappellini in 1992. The brief was to design 'small, necessary (and not so necessary) objects' for domestic use. Ericksson entitled his design 'Help' although this was not used by the manufacturer, who assigned numbers to each design in the series. The cabinet is produced with or without an internal mirror, and is available in red, white, orange, green and blue. The red cabinet has proved controversial with The Red Cross organisation and although it is still produced some countries have placed restrictions on its use in advertising and marketing material.

The Red Cross Cabinet was lent to the V&A by Cappellini for inclusion in the exhibition 'The Shape of Colour: Red' at The Lighthouse, Glasgow, October 1999 - January 2000. 'The Shape of Colour: Red' was a collaboration between Glasgow 1999: UK City of Architecture and Design and the V&A. The Museum staged a complementary event called 50 Reds, which explored the meaning of red in the V&A's permanent collections.

Historical significance: During the 1980s Alessi harnessed the design talent of Philippe Starck to breath new life into functional domestic objects. The success of these products demonstrated the commercial value of 'designer' products. In order to attract and satisfy an increasingly design conscious, but not necessarily affluent, market many manufacturers fostered similar relations with designers during the 1990s. Companies like Cappellini and at the cheaper end of the scale, IKEA, have commissioned both established international designers and up and coming talent to reinterpret small domestic utensils. In many cases, this has led to witty, stylish designs that marry utility with form. The Red Cross cabinet is typical of such products in that it has transformed an everyday object into something which has value beyond its basic function - as an attractive object in itself with the quality of a designer piece.
The work of Thomas Ericksson is also typical of Swedish Modernism. This style, characterised by the use of traditional materials, bright colours and simplicity had a huge impact during the 1990s. The appeal of Swedish design has been its expression of an ideal of minimalist, flexible living. The emphasis on quality and environmental awareness has also commended it to the international design scene.

Reason For Production: Retail

In 1992 the Italian manufacturers Cappellini requested designs for ‘small necessary and not-so-necessary’ objects for the home. In response, the Swedish designer Thomas Ericksson produced a lacquered steel medicine cabinet that he called ‘Help’. This was a witty comment on its intended purpose as a repository for home healthcare supplies. Ericksson chose to base its form upon that of the internationally recognised symbol of the Red Cross healthcare organisation. While the cabinet also came in white, orange, green and blue, its symbolism is most potent in red.

In the 1980s, the success of Philippe Starck’s designs for Alessi inspired other companies, such as Cappellini and IKEA. They invited both established, and up-and-coming designers to reinterpret traditional furnishings and domestic utensils. In many cases, this led to witty, stylish ‘designer products’ which married utility with form, and were aimed towards an increasingly design-conscious but not necessarily affluent consumer.

W.4-2000