That's funny you ask - I did think for a second about which link to provide. I went with the print version because the article is six pages long and I prefer not to have my reading interrupted. But that's me.
Agreed. We have so much bandwidth and computing power that most of will see either copy at the same time. Besides, I like seeing the design of the site and article photographs, they set a tone.
It's interesting how the copies are (inevitably) always deeply inferior to the originals. Except for the chair, which appears to be identical.
Copying an existing design and then changing it to try to make it look like you didn't might be pretty close to the worst design methodology you could come up with.
>It's interesting how the copies are (inevitably) always deeply inferior to the originals.
Some are dangerously so. DWR doesn't carry a knockoff, however there are a fair number of Isamu Noguchi coffee table knockoffs out there, with dealers selling them for only $200 less. Saving $200 becomes irrelevant when you discover that the knockoff isn't counterweighted by design, and you hear of a story of someone who had to clean up a huge mess of plate glass.
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DWR's saving grace will probably be their absurdly helpful and friendly staff. The "ready-to-ship" is still valuable as well, as there's plenty of manufacturers out there where the realistic lead-time for delivery is 16 weeks, and still far too many that only deal with interior designers.
I'm a male. If I go into a regular (non-chain, family owned) furniture store I'm promptly ignored by ALL the staff members because there isn't a gal on my arm. On one occasion I tried to order a different size of a giclee than the one on display (because I couldn't see it working on something other than a 14 - 18 foot high wall). No one could be bothered to help me.
Contrast that to DWR where when I went shopping for a lounge chair I could feel confident about for 50 years, they had no problem with me sitting in very high-end chairs for hours on end. When I mentioned I was looking for a credenza they had no issue helping me find what I was looking for... even though they didn't carry it. Yes, they gladly helped me find something to buy that they didn't carry.
By the by though, it is true that American culture does tend to look more towards "now" than the long tail and cheaper is better. In some cases it's hard to argue -- I'd like Florence Knoll's four-position credenza, but there are cars that you can buy for that much money. Honestly I still feel a bit dirty with what I paid for my Eames lounge.
A friend had an absolutely piss poor experience with their fulfillment company ("White Glove" or something like that). They basically delivered a sofa laying on it's side (in other words, vertical) on his front lawn leaving him to fend for himself to get it the rest of the way into the house. I believe it was more than a few weeks later than estimated as well. When you pay that much for a sofa (the delivery wasn't free either) that sofa had better land exactly where you want it. It was enough to keep me from buying anything from them. Too bad about the knockoffs, that's just sad.
I went to a DWR store in Atlanta and they had horrible customer service. Pretty much didn't even acknowledge me even though the place was practically empty. That was the first and last time I visited them.
DWR's other problem is competition from online retailers like Hive Modern and highbrowfurniture.com. People see these great designs window-shopping in the city and buy online instead. On items this expensive, the tax savings can be pretty significant, even when you add shipping charges.
It's interesting that opening a storefront like this probably drives sales for modern furniture overall. I wonder if they get kickbacks or lower prices from suppliers.
Here's the design-included link: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/141/a-modern-mess.html
If nothing else, I learned a new word today ('ethonomics'), by tracking back to the main page.