Interview with May Khoury

May Khoury ("MK") interviewed on Wednesday, 8 August.

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

MK : My experience as a designer might be different from all others, I have become an icon in my country and the region without studying or going to collage for this profession, I found my passion and believed in a mission.My journey started 24 years ago, where I began designing in the concept of up-cycling without choosing this concept, but rather focusing on my mission to incorporate heritage pieces within a modern design to tell the story of that piece to revive and upscale it before it fades away especially to the new generation that unfortunately knows nothing about it.

How did you become a designer?

MK : My journey in design started as the director of one of the biggest and oldest crafts center in Amman, Jordan in 1994.Having an eye for arts and crafts, and dealing with so many artisans who got the know-how in many different materials, I realized my passion and decided on a mission.My mission was preserving and developing our heritage through designing pieces of art where I incorporate the old heritage pieces in furniture, home accessories, and clothing. Four years later I founded my own company (Badr Adduja Arts & Crafts) with the same concept and have been cultivating the talents of over fifty artisans, ensuring them stability of income while sustaining their craftsmanship skills towards preserving the richness of Arabian folk and heritage till this day.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

MK : I'm a designer with a mission of preserving, enriching and developing our heritage and promoting it nationally and internationally in the concept of up-cycling.Up-cycling is returning materials to usable form without degradation to their latent value, in a way as to create a product of higher value and quality than the original.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

MK : I feel pride in believing in my mission and the commitment to spread awareness among the new generation of this concept of design.Creating the initial idea then receiving the final product is the most exciting and satisfying feeling.It's narrating the story and history of this design and making it functional for a lot to use in their everyday living.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

MK : Having lived in Ramallah, Palestine. A city famous for its hand-embroidered dresses and different hand created home items, I developed a passion towards heritage and I started developing it in different trends:REPRESENTING heritage pieces in a new perspective that tackles our memories.UTILIZING our old handicrafts aesthetically to blend within our modern lifestyle.CREATING new concepts that have a touch of our tradition.My design journey has been very interesting, enjoyable and satisfying as one can notice a real leap in quality and design during my twenty-four years as a designer.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

MK : I feel that the more you do anything, the more you become deep-rooted towards what you create.During the 20 years journey, I have developed my designs with the help of the community around me and different outsiders getting to know what is really more desirable and how to incorporate my creations within different interiors and design one-off and add-on pieces.I want to be remembered as a designer who defined and spread awareness about our traditional heritage through the creations of functional and artistic pieces of furniture and clothes.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

MK : My advice to new designers is to have a mission or a vision.Hard work and persevering is what makes you get there, don't quit!Also to create a production line of whatever they do as this is a more practical and money making than the one piece of.I collect all kinds of books that deal with textiles and handmade items from all around the world, in order to enrich my knowledge and widen my scope in creating to clients globally.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

MK : I am a designer who had followed her passion with a clear mission that I believe in. My vision and passion were very obvious and my mission was appreciated, yet creating one of a kind high-end products in a third world country was not a big priority for people to give interest in, so I advise all artists and designers in this field to cater to the majority in their environment and abroad, not to limit themselves to a certain category of people who appreciate art and are willing to pay for it.

What is your day to day look like?

MK : I start my day with meditation to relax my mind, then I take a walk for forty-five minutes, where I start formulating my idea of design.Since I design in all mixed media, there is always something to create, my office is at the gallery and I do enjoy a lot my customer’s admiration and appreciation of my designs.Receiving a finished piece of my creations excites me so much, especially when it is executed to my satisfaction.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

MK : I always did my own personal designs, not being affected by the fashion international trends. At the moment I’m creating a line which will reflect what is hip & trendy and affordable to attract the young generation.We get inspired by watching the fashion shows of all big and small designers of the world to get the feel of what is fashionable.I will still design a limited quantity of high-end clothes and furniture that are my personal designs style.

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

MK : Authentic designs have to be based on a unique idea and a concept. It has to be creative, a creating process that leads to a new and unique result, that is what differentiates creation from imitation.The idea, process, and uniqueness of the product are about how the original idea and concept lives after it leaves the hands of the designer.And all designs have to be beautiful in form and function.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

MK : I am always designing but whenever a piece doesn’t sell then I do improvise on it and generally it sells after that. A design is good and successful if it sells quickly and in quantities. Generally, my creations are designed for a wide variety of clientele and displayed for sale for whoever fits in this style and suits it.Our custom-made designs are the ones that I can say are complete, as the customer tries it more than once and we keep improving it till it looks nearly perfect and up to our expectations.

What is your biggest design work?

MK : Designing the wall pieces of two renovated floors at the Landmark Amman Hotel as well as the lobby was a big honor, as well as the twenty one suites of the Fairmont Hotel, Amman.I am happy that these projects will encourage other Hotels to use my expertise and give me more projects to create pieces that reflect our rich culture and educate the public as each design narrates a story of the origin and usage of the old heritage pieces used.

Who is your favourite designer?

MK : My favorite designer is Zaha Hadeed, I admire and appreciate her designs and innovation, I wish I had met her, God bless her soul.

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

MK : I live in Amman, Jordan, one of the richest cities in archeological sites, all my designs have a signature that talks about our rich culture and heritage. being a designer with a mission of preserving our heritage, music inspires me always in my work and motivates me to create.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

MK : I can say that I am an easy, simple and loving person, who believes in teamwork, I do empower all employees and artisans who work with me, giving them the chance to express themselves and their capabilities, while executing my work, under my supervision. I don’t have any partners, and the positive side of this is having space and allowing myself to create and experiment without any limit, while responsible for the consequence of all of my designs

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

MK : I have been an icon as a designer and helped out volunteering to many women organizations using my experience preserve our heritage in the concept of up-cycling.I gave lectures to art and design students on extra curriculum events. I can say that I did make a difference or left an impact on my society, my country and globally.

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

MK : A design award empowered me and added to my confidence and self-esteem a designer. It was also a great addition to my CV as a designer when applying for projects. It would be an honor for me to be designer of the day.

May Khoury Profile