Cecilie Manz and Jasper Morrison are among a group of designers who have added "a little glamour" to the humble cane as part of an exhibition at the Triennale Milano for Milan design week.
Curated by Japanese designer Keiji Takeuchi, the show features 18 different takes on the walking stick, including a version for off-roading and another that functions as a vase.
Walking sticks & canes features works by 18 designers including Marialaura Irvine
"People with walking sticks are often viewed with pity," Sebastian Lopez of Keiji Takeuchi Design Office told Dezeen. "Keiji wanted to remove that, add a little glamour to it, a little pep to their step."
Each of the 18 designers created one cane with their future selves in mind. Maddalena Casadei's cane can be fixed to a table
Some focused on making little tweaks to improve functionality, with engineer Alberto Meda producing a super-light version from carbon fibre, while Parisian designer Alban Le Henry added a screw mechanism for height adjustments.
Designers Anker Bak and Maddalena Casadei both integrated metal brackets, so their canes can be secured to a table while not in use.
Julien Renault's version has a hook for carrying shopping bags
A steam-bent version produced by Italian designer Marialaura Irvine in collaboration with furnituremaker Thonet features a knot that can hold a newspaper, and the walking stick by French designer Julien Renault features a handle that curves to form a hook for c...