Interview with Antonia Skaraki

Antonia Skaraki ("AS") interviewed on Monday, 16 May.

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

AS : I studied Visual Communication and Advertisement – graphic design in Vakalo. I worked as head of the art department in several magazines and as a creative director in Able Communications. I was a co-founder of Design Lab where I served as V.P., I organized the Athens Design Games with Dimitris Fakinos at a biennale of Greek artists. I founded Karamella advertising in 1993 and in 2000, when the company became S.A. I served as a V.P. In 2005. I regularly participate as a keynote speaker at meetings and conferences on issues concerning Branding and modern concepts of tourism. Recently I held a personal exhibition in my hometown Chania, Crete called: 14 Stories 14 Routes Local & Global identity (branding). I also practice mentoring as a member of HUB 2 B in Crete, of the Dubai Center for Risk Innovation, member of the British University of Dubai, and member of Women’s Business Angels.

How did you become a designer?

AS : Natural born designer. It was a call of nature.Design is a matter, or state of being. Being happy, being self-content, being sad, being creative, being communicative, in harmony and being expressive. Design is a form of expression.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

AS : The right listening. The need becomes inspiration. The inspiration becomes an idea. The idea becomes strategy. The strategy becomes an application. The application opens the way through the market.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

AS : One emotion. JOY and mood for play.

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

AS : It’s a natural evolution of myself. I could not imagine myself doing anything else.

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

AS : To design until the age of 100 and to promote Greece.

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

AS : Just one thing, Passion.

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

AS : To observe, to focus, to analyze, to penetrate, to synthesize and finally to implement the synthesis that leads to the application.

What is your day to day look like?

AS : Being with my team and “play”!

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

AS : I observe them, analyze and deconstruct them in order to rebuild them at the extent of my preference.

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

AS : I need to feel it. If I feel it, the acceptance is coming. The acceptance serves the purpose of creativity.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

AS : A design is never ready, because nothing ends, ever.

What is your biggest design work?

AS : There are many inspired projects businesses over the last 30 years, that give me pleasure when I see them and I hope that the best is yet to come.

Who is your favourite designer?

AS : Le Corbusier, Gaudi, Philipe Starck, Vivienne Westwood, Neville Brody.

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

AS : The Cretan temperament, the mood for play and my son’s smile define my culture and life.

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

AS : I work a lot with groups and my team. The question is for how long can the teams bear with me.

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

AS : I participated in the European Community Equal program with the project Andromeda – Actions against racial segregation in workplace environment. I practice mentoring as a member of the Dubai Center for Risk Innovation, member of the British University of Dubai, and member of Women’s Business Angels.

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

AS : It is another route which gave me the opportunity to show my business in a broad highly trained audience such as the A Design’s. Thank you for that.

Antonia Skaraki Profile