Interview with Ioannis Solomozis

Ioannis Solomozis ("IS") interviewed on Wednesday, 15 August.

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

IS : I was an amateur designer since my childhood, according to my mother’s (which was a two stores of white linen and textiles owner, while today is a member of SØLØ team) and my father’s (who is a mechanical engineer) opinion. As a kid I loved to disassembling objects and putting them together in order to create something new.As a designer I’m making a living since 2013 under my own brand, based in Athens, Greece. The launching of my very fist products collection in European market 4 years ago, it was a successful beginning that leaded me to be a small part of international design community Since then, I’m blessed to work into a field that I was always flirting. A milestone was Pantone’s feature to my brand SØLØ by including us in their Catalogue of Global Trends for 2018.

How did you become a designer?

IS : I became a designer in order to create what I was looking for and I couldn’t found. At first it was a light and washable backpack... and a pattern that I had in mind... next thing was the experimentation of how fabrics should be treated. Meanwhile I started to craft my thoughts into reality by creating a few customized products for friends and family. My internal drive was always leading me to create things in order to make my life easier and my environment vibrant and happy.Today I enjoy a job that fascinates me and I really love

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

IS : During design process I always keep in mind the end-user of the product or project I design. What he might need or misses right now. I start with the gap that I wish to fill or the improvement that I want to make. I care about what people might need. So the first thing is to identify the need in order to then proceed to the creation of a concept. The actual craft of design process follow while last is the testing.I don’t think that I have a specific style of design, however my designs are always followed by stories of my inspiration and my willing is to create long-lasting designs.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

IS : The pleasure of making a living of an everyday work that fascinates me is beyond words. I totally enjoy every aspect of the design process in a different way in every step but I think that the beginning and the end of a project are what always remain. Enthusiasm about the first idea,, the feeling of fulfillment when everything is done... The steps in between differ from project to project but the feelings come and go while I’m busy with the.procedure. One thing I can tell for sure, which is that when the final product of project is ready, any difficulty or/and pressure disappear.

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

IS : I think that a very important non-design skill for any designer is to care about people and of what society is doing as well as how its designs will or not affect the world. Besides that, I love playing music as well as cooking and it is said that I have skills in both. Both music and cooking share a few common traits, like the fact that in order to create something we need to know every note we press in order to be able to produce the melody or every ingredient and how to mix them for having a good meal. I really believe that those skills I have are very beneficial for me as a designer by helping me stay focused to the final achievement by being in a state of self-discipline while I actually have fun!

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

IS : I currently working on a full hospitality concept that it could be adapted to any place in the world, according to SØLØ’s philosophy as well as according to my design values as a designer. As a Greek I know all about hospitality which is written in my dna. I’m totally into this project that I could say more than I should! A project/product that I keep in mind but I didn’t have time to design since today is a baby-stroller, which is definitely yet to come.

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

IS : According to my point of view talent is not enough to make you a designer. It is needed very hard work and commitment to the final goal. Meanwhile, one should remain loyal to his values as a person as well as a professional.

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

IS : Be real. Be true. Stay in your path and learn how to take failure as an asset of future success.

What is your day to day look like?

IS : I always start my day by a nice working-out. Pretty much an evenly nice breakfast follows. I get a fast update of the community mostly via Instagram and I continue by focusing on my projects of the day or week. If and when I have the feeling that the day is going to be boring or unproductive, I stop working and I do something else.

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

IS : I always wish to know of what the industry is up to. I try not to follow the trends but to set them if possible. I’m not ignoring of what’s new while I have my own vision. It is tricky enough to have a brand identity while remain fresh. Personally, I follow the news and try forecast of what’s the next trend. Up to now I think that designwise I look “fresh”.

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

IS : My perception of good design is based on what remains of the whole picture of a product or project.From my point of view, good design increases the vibes of the surroundings and has a soul, because has a story to tell. It doesn’t have to be perfect or bold from every aspect, neither needs explanations in order to understand or like it. Good design is vibrant either it is bold or smooth and after all it has to be serviceable to at least one crystal clear goal.According to my instinct as a designer the one and only mistake one could make by trying to make good design is trying too hard by setting it as a goal, before anything else.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

IS : A design has always the potential of improvement. However, there is a point where a design is ready to serve the purpose of its existence to here and now. That’s the moment in which I can say that my design is done. Sometimes I start to design something that I cannot leave until is complete, while in other cases I maybe need to leave it a few times in order to take a breath... like I leave the dough to rise before divided it in order to shape it before bake it.On the other hand as time passes and my experience piles up I can always go back to a project or product and improve it - just for fun or because it is necessary as the technology improves.

What is your biggest design work?

IS : I consider SØLØ brand project and their first collection of products as one of my biggest design works. It took me 8 months to initially setup actually and it is still listed to top 5 of my works. Besides that I could mention some small size projects from UK to Singapore where I worked with Paola Navone that I consider as at least big deal for me (!); or the creation of my “JUNGLE” pattern for SØLØ which has won two international awards (as many as the design competitions where we were applied as competitors}. However, I think that the biggest one so far will be the project of hospitality that I’m still working on and it is about to be launched.

Who is your favourite designer?

IS : First of all I’m blessed because I had the opportunity to actually work with Paola Navone which is an ambassador of Grecian Chic, an extremely cool person and one of my favorite designers of all times. Another great designer which I admire and I find very cool while it is said that he is really cool as a person as well, is Luca Nichetto. I think that he is obviously the most international Italian designer of his generation and I think that he is a designer who cares to create an impact in the understanding of good design. In my case Charles and Ray EAMES as well as Ettore Sottsass are the iconic designers that created the most impact in my understanding of good design. However, if I had the chance to talk with a single dead designer I would talk to the one I find the most iconic of all times: Leonardo Da Vinci. (... I really am a lover of Italian culture, obviously!)

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

IS : I travel a lot, especially for design reasons (events, clients, inspiration) and Rock concerts. And this is the biggest part of my lifestyle and culture which is to create, to travel and to play or/and listening to the music. Music and places that I’m visiting have a great impact to my inspiration. I now live under a Rome Period which means that currently Rome is my inspiring city. Actually, in my plans is to create my next collection based to the impact that Rome has to my feelings and to my inspiration.I believe that design relates to everyone’s life and culture even when someone doesn’t even care about design. Design is all around us, either it is a good or bad one. Good design, which is obviously relates to any designers life either as a goal or not, is advancing the society and the way things could be in order to serve our life as well as our eye. Beauty and functionality, appearance and utility are combined to a good design, which has one and only goal: to make an impact to our lifestyle, and potentially to our culture as individuals.

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

IS : I strongly believe to teamwork and to what a team can bring into a project. Our team consist of different people, in different ages, with different culture and vey high perception skills. Working to our studio is actually an intense experience I might say. Lots of projects going on every day, designs, drawings, top views of spaces, phone calls, video chats, hard work on computer... and in the middle of this situation, there is us eating, listening to the music while having fun most of the time. I cannot tell how easy it is to work with me but to work for my company it isn’t that easy. Our philosophy doesn’t suits to anyone and it shouldn’t. We are creative people with specific professional and personal values and skills that it is needed to be respected by heart by an individual in order to be able to work amongst us. We stay focused and humble while we’re working and we’re always open and ready to overcome our limits to the point where our happiness isn’t threatened.

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

IS : Actually, I would prefer not to mention my philanthropist activity. One of my beliefs is that helping others is something that it has to be done silently. As for my company’s culture and activity as a provider of opportunities for young people, I might say that it is a priority, especially for out team members. Certainly, there is as well the part of social responsibility which is a field of our business ethics that it is active and analogous to our profits as a company and it is mainly philanthropic so far; again, I have nothing more to say about it. In general and according to my life’s philosophy every single person on this earth could and should help others/someone else.

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

IS : Except of the honor that a design award can bring to a designer’s life, competitions are important for any creative profession, according to my opinion. Especially in design world, besides the recognition and the promotion of our specific product/project, the fact that we take a break of our own work in order to take a look to each other’s best work of the year it is a huge opportunity for our design thinking as well as for design community in general. So, I would strongly suggest to designers to participate as competitors in any design competition they feel that their work could have a chance to stand out. It is amazing to be awarded but if they don’t I would suggest them to try again the next year. It is the journey that counts and let the best win! As for being the Designer of the Day, I’m honored and I feel very happy, indeed! It would be lovely to share the news with my audience on social media, as well as to add a mention to our next Newsletter to our subscribers! Thank you very much!!!

Ioannis Solomozis Profile