Interview with Oszkar Vagi

Oszkar Vagi ("OV") interviewed on Friday, 27 April.

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

OV : After studing fashion and product design in Italy and Germany, i was working for some years in the fashion industrie but i discovered very soon that the design of products and interiors attracts me a lot more. It is a great challange to create spaces and products that might become a long years companion of a person.Also it is a great experience to get in direct contact with the customer and experience how diferent people can live and approach the object of desire It is allways a new experience to create theire living space or a restaurant, hotel or office project.

How did you become a designer?

OV : It was a series of coincidences and the continuous curiosity for innovation and materials. First i wanted to change my own surounding and develope my own products then it became an obsession.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

OV : Simplicity, quality materials and details are a must. I like to use handcraft techniques and innovative materials. I understand my work as a continuous research and study. Allways on the go for new inspiration and innovation.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

OV : The excitment comes with the inicial idea, but it is again and again a beautifull experience to realise a product thought with all the dificulties of a production procedure.

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

OV : My parents had a textile wholesale company since i was young so i got a sensibility for materials very early. Also the possibility to travel, see other cultures and learn other languages formed my approach for design.

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

OV : in the last 3 years we get basicaly one dream project after the other. I have to say our team is growing with the projects. For now most of our projects are local but i hope to be able to work ióon international level on similar quality projects in the future.

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

OV : to be short i would like to ad a quote from Achille Castiglioni:"If you are not curious, forget it! "

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

OV : Never give up on your design! It is always a way to meet the idea and the materials but usually it is a long run.

What is your day to day look like?

OV : My ideal business working starts with an houre of swimming in an outdoor swimming pool. While in the water i can think over all projects and have my mind cleared. After that we have a ckickoff meetin gwith the team. Of course we have hussel from time to time but this is something we could deal with till now.

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

OV : I visit the international fairs of course and i have some subscriptions on material database and design libraries.

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

OV : good design for me is timless, simple and inteligent above all. The use of the right materials and the right proportions is the key of a good product or project.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

OV : If i have the feeling that i can't ad and also i can't take anything from my product.

What is your biggest design work?

OV : I'm working on a 4star hotel that is a historic castle in Hungary and it is a very detailed and a great chalange to combine the old with the new trends.

Who is your favourite designer?

OV : Paola Navone, Vincenso Decotis, the Bouroullec brothers, Piero Lissoni are some of the good designers of our times in my oppinion. The greatest designer of all times is probably Leonardo Da Vinci in some ways but who shaped our understanding of good design in the last decades is probably Charles and Ray Eames, but also a Hungarian rooted designer is very influential: Marcel Breuer.

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

OV : I think design is generally a very important expression of our culture and therefore it is obvious that my culture and my origin influence my work and mindset. The main drive for design is curiosity and the aim to make things better, to create a better world.Tih is what drives us to create products and interiors that make the life of our partners a bit better.

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

OV : I like to work as a team. I like to have my collegues on the same eye level this way they ccan contribute best to our teamwork. It is very easy to work for me. I expect only that everybody is giving the maximum of his (or her ) best knowledge and best energy.

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

OV : I work as a strategic consultant for the hungarian state to establish a significant and effective support agency for young designers and design aliged companies. Our aim is to bring together design talents and the industry to enable them to benefit of eachothers capabilities.

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

OV : The organisation of this award is perfect. Already the procedure to apply for the award is very practical and informative. Trough all the events and procedures everything is perfectly organised to every detail.

Oszkar Vagi Profile