Though it is not a large urban centre Marbella is in many ways a leading centre of new design trends. Driven by the typical enthusiasm and dynamism of a youthful, cosmopolitan town, it bristles with energy, creativity and a can-do attitude. What is not possible in other places becomes a reality under the Spanish sun.
Much of this is naturally focused on the two main industries of the region, tourism and real estate, where design, marketing and architecture are the ingredients that produce luxury resort hotels, spas, fine dining restaurants, nightlife spots and a wide range of properties. Combined with entrepreneurialism they produce successful businesses that in turn support a great many other industries.
The latter also frequently involve design and creativity, from the architectural design of hotels, villas and entire country clubs to interior design, shop-fitting and landscaping. Add to this lighting specialists, home automation and home entertainment technicians, spa constructors and the marketing required to promote all the above, and it becomes clear that Marbella is a microcosm of design that punches far above its weight.
A new philosophy of design trends
A place as internationally minded and well-connected as Marbella does not, of course, live in a bubble, so many of the global trends apply here too, although naturally with a local twist. In architecture as well as decoration and the graphic arts, there has therefore been a shift from the more contemporary/traditional styles of the past fifteen years to a very modern, minimalist vernacular in which white has regained its position as Marbella’s colour of choice.
As we speak this process is evolving, for those who buy, live and consume here are no longer satisfied with a downgraded version of the products, styles and services they enjoy at home, so the pressure to get it right is greater than ever. Marbella appeals to a great variety of nationalities, from Scandinavia and Northern Europe to Russia, the Middle East and other parts of the world, so there is no single, homogenous audience to target.
For people in marketing and graphic design this affects the concept, the branding and the presentation of everything from restaurants, nightclubs, gyms and shops to golf courses and property developments. Sleek is certainly in, but just recently it has been evolving to also include earthier elements, as seen in the décor of dining venues, while modern villas increasingly feature a combination of white plaster with stone, wood or steel to add another visual element to the mix.
Corporate branding
Corporate branding, be it in the form of logos, websites and presentational and marketing material, naturally follows these design trends as it needs to reflect market trends and represent the companies that operate within them. In Marbella we cater not just to a local market but need to appeal to an international market. This affects the languages in which we communicate our marketing but also the design, as each segment and national market requires an adapted approach.
As a result, those of us who work in this market need to be creative and flexible, producing websites, corporate branding and a range of marketing material including brochures, corporate magazines and presentational material that hits the mark in many different ways.
-Michel Cruz-
Image courtesy of Marbella Turismo
