“Nobody stops at a stop sign and thinks, ‘When are they going to redesign that? It’s so old!'” That’s what Susan Kare, the American artist and graphic designer, said during a design panel in Paris for the popular digital security company Ledger. Kare, famous for her groundbreaking work at Apple—where she designed many of the company’s earliest and lasting bitmap icons and fonts—was hired by Ledger to add a friendly graphic touch through swappable plug elements on its newest storage device, the Nano Gen5.

Ledger also employs Ian Rogers, who previously served as Chief Digital Officer at LVMH and is another Apple veteran. Now, as Ledger’s Chief Experience Officer, he mentioned to me just before the panel that “the more time we spend with technology, the more we’ll value human connection. You don’t fall in love with a robot—you fall in love with a person.”

Both were expressing the same thought: that the things which feel essential to human life—experiences away from screens—are still crucial to design, even as technology becomes more pervasive. Appropriately, this year’s Design Miami.Paris, which alongside Art Basel is a centerpiece of Paris’s annual October art and design week, marks Apple’s first direct involvement in the event. The brand enlisted four artists for a series titled “Designers of Tomorrow,” with the catch that each used an iPad to create their pieces.

Of course, big tech influences almost every discussion today, with its code embedded in everything. Yet from a design perspective, there seems to be a growing shift back to the behavioral, emotional, biological, and even nostalgic. Handcrafted and artisanal approaches have been in vogue for some time, but what I observed in Paris felt distinct: an aesthetic rooted in real-life experience. While the world rushes ahead with crypto, AI, and quantum computing, design is pleasantly rediscovering its inherently human charm.

Harry Nuriev, known for his tech-inspired style featuring chrome and ultra-modern elements, has created an installation on Paris’s Left Bank called Objets Trouvés. It displays rows of aluminum boxes filled with what looks like junk—a broken tennis racket, a worn tote bag. To enter, you must contribute an item, and to leave, you must take one. I donated a clean yoga t-shirt I had in my bag and picked up a “Hits of the 1960s” CD. Upon leaving, staff members certify the exchange and provide a certificate of authenticity. It was the most analog, low-tech art I encountered in Paris, standing in sharp contrast to Nuriev’s forward-looking approach. And yes, there’s nothing more human than browsing a market, even if this setup was far from a typical bazaar or flea market.

Milan’s Nilufar Gallery showcased Audrey Large’s lighting designs in its Design Miami.Paris display, and they are strangely, magnetically beautiful. I’m not sure if Large intended to evoke a lung, but it’s impossible not to see it and, in a way, feel it. I found myself gazing at the golden glow of the oblong shapes, focusing on my breath and feeling centered in the moment. I’d love to have that as a daily reminder at home. It was my favorite piece at the event.

Maui-based designer James de Wulf’s installation at Design Miami.Paris is a ping-pong and dining table that doubles as a sound bath, earning a “Best in Show” award from the fair’s judges. When playing, finely tuned metal plates produce a reverberation reminiscent of church bells or an organ. It’s an unusual sensation, both to hear and feel, yet it brought back memories of summer nights playing table tennis with my grandfather—long before the age of advanced technology.Cell phones were everywhere.

A Brazilian bookcase by Charlotte Perriand and Saint Laurent, photographed by Nicolas Bergerot, made its debut at Salone del Mobile. It’s so striking that it deserves a mention, and its story fits the theme: Perriand originally designed some of these pieces as one-off functional items, never intending them for mass production. The 1962 “Rio de Janeiro Bookcase” is a perfect example—its blocky form echoes the mosaic patterns of Ipanema and Copacabana’s boardwalks. Perriand created it for her husband Jacques Martin’s apartment in Rio, envisioning it as a unique piece to hold books, display art, support lamps, and more. It’s a remarkable example of design with a human touch, and now Saint Laurent, led by Anthony Vaccarello, has revived it in a limited edition.

At Design Miami in Paris, designer Duyi Han presented a surfboard-shaped mirror funded by Apple. It opens like a locket and was created using AI. Ironically, the design vividly portrays a human body and handwritten thoughts—one reads, “Your nervous system is your first language.” I spent a long time looking at it, drawn to the contrast between its handmade appearance and its digital development process. Among Apple’s commissioned works, Han’s piece stood out as the most captivating.

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful and concise FAQs about the interplay of technology and human touch during Paris Art and Design Week

General Beginner Questions

1 What is Paris Art and Design Week
Its a major annual event in Paris that brings together galleries museums designers and artists to showcase the latest trends and creations in contemporary art and design

2 Why are big tech companies at an art and design event
They participate to showcase how technology like AI virtual reality and digital fabrication can be used as new tools and mediums for creative expression positioning themselves at the forefront of innovation

3 What does a human touch mean in this context
It refers to the elements that technology cant replicate on its own the artists unique vision emotional depth the imperfection of a handcrafted object and the personal tangible experience of viewing art in person

4 Isnt technology making art less human
Not necessarily At this event technology is often used as a tool to enhance human creativity not replace it It allows artists to explore new forms and ideas that wouldnt be possible otherwise

Deeper Advanced Questions

5 Can you give an example of technology and human touch working together at the event
You might see an AIgenerated digital sculpture that is then physically crafted by a master artisan or a VR experience that tells a deeply personal human story The tech provides the how but the artist provides the why

6 Whats the main benefit of this collaboration
It pushes the boundaries of what art and design can be It creates entirely new experiences and objects that are both technologically advanced and emotionally resonant attracting a wider and more diverse audience

7 Whats a common criticism or problem with techs presence
Some critics feel it can overshadow emerging artists who lack tech funding or that the wow factor of the technology can sometimes distract from the artistic message and feel impersonal

8 How can a visitor tell if an artwork has a genuine human touch
Look for the story behind the piece Does it convey a personal emotion or perspective Notice the detailsare there slight imperfections textures or choices that feel intuitive rather than purely algorithmic The best pieces make you forget the tech and focus on the feeling