When I travel outside of my backyard (Europe/North America), I am excessively sensitive to my surrounding, simply because I feel disorientated. Naturally, I try to spot/hang on familiar objects, colours, textures, tastes, music, etc. As a Frenchman, it is fairly easy thanks to France cultural and commercial exports -brands like Chanel, Vuitton, L’Oreal, Air France; objects designed by Starck, Bouroullec, Tse-Tse; food like wine, bread, chocolate, music like Gainsbourg, French Touch techno/house; etc. Instantly these things reassure me and kinda make me feel at “home”. I am not quite sure why, but it is in my guts.

When I stumbled on these two La Marie chairs this afternoon in a bookstore in Meguro station (Tokyo, Japan), it got me thinking about the other world. What elements in a user interface/product instantly bring similar emotions, familiarity and comfort?