Lance McGregor
http://www.mcgregor-mcgregor.com/
After graduating with an Industrial Design degree from Victoria University in Wellington Lance McGregor went to work for New Zealand’s own Fisher & Paykel, honing his skills to translate client’s expectations into a tangible product. After three years he was keen to stretch his wings and push boundaries and made the move to the UK working for Tom Dixon as Senior Designer on a notable range of projects. In 2002 he was recruited by Fabien Baron to join Baron & Baron in New York City, and moved to the US. The following years he worked leading the design function for other illustrious companies including MAC Cosmetics and West Elm, while working on his own projects in his spare time. By 2009, Lance’s client base had become large enough that he decided to start his own design agency, McGregor & McGregor.
For the large scale production lines of the whiteware industry, rapid prototyping is an essential tool ensuring all components fit together before the tool-making for the actual production line gets under way. Starting at Fisher&Paykel Lance used 3D printing for rapid prototyping his designs for a series of refrigerators. Creating the details for drawers and shelves became a more efficient task, when they could be printed out easily and seen in a real life context.
McGregor & McGregor has many fashion and beauty clients who look to Lance to design fragrance and packaging, requiring him to spot and create new trends quickly.
Creating a new exciting fragrance for a fashion house or pop icon means being able to translate and transcend trends at a much faster speed than for other product designs. As 3D printers and materials continue to evolve, it enables the creation more fantastic designs, as the designs for the Justin Bieber, Beyonce and Nicki Minaj perfume ranges illustrate.
Nowadays consumers are demanding more sustainable production methods and the ease, diversity and quality of 3D printing technology and materials makes it the perfect process for future industrial production and design ventures. One of these new ventures is the US based company othr, which invites the world’s best designers to create unique objects for the home. “By using technologies such as 3D printing, we avoid having to create more objects than there are homes for. Our objects do not physically exist until you choose to own one – each is embedded with a unique number to reflect your participation in its creation.” These objects range from everyday household items like a juicer and a bottle opener to Lance’s more decadent interpretations of a piggy bank or a bubble wand set for adults.
The new 3D printers can work with ceramics and precious metals. Hence the piggy bank is made of porcelain, reinforcing the original idea of keeping the savings for the ultimate sacrifice, and then revealing a little hidden treasure beyond the savings. The Bubble Ball & Wand take a childhood activity and recreate it with adults in mind. Mindful of their environment and the innocent joys of outside play. Again, by using durable and luxurious materials like porcelain and 18K gold, Lance has elevated a simple idea into a highly desirable product.