Interview with Aihara Nico

Aihara Nico ("AN") interviewed on Monday, 6 January.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

AN : I have always loved drawing since I was a little child. I drew a lot of characters from anime, manga, and video games. I also liked drawing pictures of plants and animals. However, I only started working in design after I got married and quit my previous job.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

AN : When I'm designing, I'm concentrating, so I don't get too emotional. However, I often worry about how to look good.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

AN : I give importance to the impact and beauty of the moment people see the works for the first time. If they want to stop and take a closer look, the work is a success.

Who is your favourite designer?

AN : When it comes to design, the things that give me the most inspiration are the works of creators from the Art Nouveau period and Japanese ukiyo-e prints. I read art books by my favorite creators over and over again. And I am always researching how I can create works as appealing as theirs. I also learned a lot from Japan's excellent design during the Meiji and Taisho eras, when Western culture entered Japan

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

AN : I live in Osaka, Japan. Japan has a lot of wonderful classical literature, and I often draw illustrations based on them. There is a wide variety of traditional crafts, and one of the benefits of living in Japan is that you can easily come into contact with designs from various eras.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

AN : At first, I started drawing simply because I wanted to combine things I liked to express the world of Nanso Satomi Hakkenden well. However, it was not just a matter of self-satisfaction, but being recognized worldwide as an excellent design gave me great confidence. I would like to continue to take on many more challenges.