Samsung Electronics will shift its design strategy for products such as smartphones, TVs, and appliances away from uniform minimalism to a direction that emphasizes individuality based on product functions and consumer preferences.
Mauro Porcini, Samsung Electronics DX Division chief design officer (CDO) and president, said at a press briefing for "Design Miami Seoul 2026" at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul on the 3rd, "I want to give people the choice in design without forcing needs on them."
Porcini presented "Expressive Design" as Samsung Electronics' new design strategy. The key is to move away from applying similar minimalism across product lines and instead give distinct personalities to form, color, and materials in line with each product's function and intended use.
He said, "Design in the IT industry has long stayed within a single aesthetic called minimalism," and added, "Consumers now expect diversity, expressions of personal identity, and meaningful connections with life even in electronic devices."
He continued, "Good design should not be considered only in terms of market conditions or competitive landscapes," and said, "Whether the industry is good or bad, we must fundamentally understand what people want."
The idea is to raise product-by-product differentiation by combining consumers' actual user experiences and preferences with Samsung Electronics' technological and brand competitiveness. Porcini said, "We need to think about how to deliver something meaningful and differentiate by leveraging technology, brand, and presence in the market."
As a new design principle, he proposed "Design is an act of love." This means technology and design should focus on understanding people and improving real life. He said, "At Samsung Electronics, design innovation should start from the experiences users actually expect," and added, "On top of the refined aesthetics of minimalism, we must add expressions that are more human and emotionally meaningful."
At this event, Samsung Electronics unveiled 14 works created in collaboration with 14 domestic artists that reflect the new design strategy. The works used Samsung Electronics products such as the wireless speaker "Music Studio 5," "Bespoke AI Family Hub," "Galaxy Z Fold8," and OLED TVs. Some artists also used artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the process of conceiving and expressing their works.
The 2026 flagship OLED TV SH95 applies a "Float Layer Design" that makes the screen appear to float above a metal plate. It departs from conventional TV designs that minimize screen boundaries and instead features using the product's structure and materials themselves as design elements.
"Design Miami Seoul 2026" runs at Seoul DDP through the 6th.