Interview with Sara Hayat

Sara Hayat ("SH") interviewed on Thursday, 27 October.

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

SH : My family has been in the furniture manufacturing business since the 1870s. We have manufactured pieces for HRH King George IV for his coronation in India as well as manufactured John F Kennedy's famous rocking chair. I grew up around design and seeing the intricacies and elements that make a design great. I started my company - Sara Hayat Design, in December 2021. I have always been curious and interested in the concept of Aesthetic Force - its power to move, to dazzle and its ability to take our focus off from ourselves and instead, making us aware of our present moment. Iris Murdoch calls this Unselfing. This shift in perspective and what it does for us, is powerful as individuals and community as a whole.

How did you become a designer?

SH : I remember the exact moment when I decided I needed to get out of finance and really throw myself into design. I was watching The Final Table and Chef Grant Achatz was talking about one of his favorite dishes - a helium filled balloon dessert. He was talking about the joy he saw on people’s faces when they would take a bite of it and their voice would change. No matter what age they were, as soon as they would inhale that helium and start talking the whole table would burst out laughing! Whether it was a grandmother or a child, you could see pure joy on their faces. They were present at that moment, connecting with their family and friends, and enjoying this outrageous dessert. I want to create that feeling of connection and wonder through my designs. So many fantastic designs exist, I wanted to create a comprehensive collection that contributes value and has meaning.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

SH : We have a bunch of catalogs from the late 1800s and early 1900s that I would pour over. The designs are timeless and they helped me take note of the different joineries and details that go into furniture making. I also took my inspiration by looking at designs of Oscar Niemeyer, Edra, Joaquim Tenreiro. Their take on design was so unique and the materials they used told a story of their era, the things they were inspired by, and their culture. I wanted my designs to serve as a means of self expression as well. I love learning about how things work, and am particularly curious about human behavior and mental models. I am fascinated by how cars, watches, architecture and sneakers are designed. So just like ambient research in writing, I saved the designs I loved and made notes on why I loved them and how they made me feel. The first question I asked myself was, how do I incorporate all this in my designs? I wanted to ignore the designs I had seen but keep the feelings they evoked. To do this, I started with first principles thinking; What is a chair? It's basically something you sit on to rest or relax. The second question was, how does human behavior fit in furniture design? It’s well documented that our surroundings impact our behavior and mindset and we are surrounded by furniture all the time. I remember my mom would always style our house a certain way, and she'd say, "Your home should be a reminder of the state of mind or life you aspire to have. No matter what happens when you walk out that door, you should feel peace and happiness when you are home." So early on I was cognizant of the power of intentional design, its ability to uplift and reimagine what is possible. From designing the angle of the backrest to the width of the seat, it is intentionally done to make you feel relaxed and at peace. Finally, I would start sketching each piece by taking inspiration from what I had liked about a piece of architecture or part of a car. Most of my color schemes as well have been inspired by how Rolls Royce uses different materials and colors for their interiors and one of the sectionals that I'm making right now was inspired by the sharp and sleek edges of Lamborghini's tail lights. My Romanesque Writing table was inspired by Steve Aoki's kitchen Island. It has all these different surfaces and looks so futuristic. I thought that would make a great book shelf or writing table. My architect, whom I drove crazy trying to explain my concept, finally said, "You can either have a book shelf or a writing table but you can’t have both!" Choices were made and we came up with a writing table whose chair seamlessly combines with the table.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

SH : The Japanese have this term "Mono no Aware," which refers to the bittersweet realization of the ephemeral nature of all things - for me, I think about the ephemeral nature of time and my kids at this age, of our family in this moment in time. For example, I made the T4 system as a way of being fully present with my kids. With their brilliant imaginations, I thought it would be fantastic to put play in the middle of our living room - into our daily lives. Thinking about it now, I can imagine them asking us to pilot a plane they made from the different pieces of the T4. Or be a trooper on their side of the barracks with their nerf guns! they've made with the pillows. I design because our furniture can be more much more than just things that we surround ourselves with. I see them as silent companions, helping us create spaces that foster connection, helping us uplift and reimagine what is possible. Its the temporary nature of things that makes us appreciate the time we have and the memories we can make. Theres this strange connection between melancholy and longing that brings out our creative best. I also feel Deep joy. It is one of those rare things that makes me lose track of time and excites me to wake up in the morning start working on my designs. When I look at the world through what I call, "the design glass," I take apart the elements that I find appealing and interesting and see how i can change and incorporate it in furniture. A lot of inspiration is taken from cars, watches and even sneakers. Nature is inspiring. So in a way, design is my whole life and i feel blessed and thankful that I get to do this every day.

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

SH : Being a day trader taught me how to make decisions and be in touch with my feelings. It also taught me how to be malleable and change with external outputs I'm receiving. All the skills I learned in trading I apply in design. It gave me the courage and tools to become a designer. To be a good trader you need to understand yourself so I've learned and studied human behavior and behavioral psychology quite a bit. I believe design is a function of empathy, and having these skills helped me lay down the foundations of my design philosophy. Following people I respect like Angela Duckworth, Brene Brown, Shane Parrish and Annie Duke on Twitter gave me a deep insight on their routines, what they are learning and whom they are learning from (whether its books, people or tech) helped me learn a lot about human behavior which is foundational to good design. I also love photography, technology (which is why i traded crypto). Finding experts who are masters in these fields - like Debbie Millman - a master in everything in design, on twitter introduced me to podcasts/newsletters that accelerated my learning and how they view the world, which i then siphoned into designing. But most importantly, all these things gave me the courage and the mental models to pursue a career in design. All the things that were coming in my way, i learned and developed ways to get around it. Like Debbie Millman says, we need a notch more optimism than shame and fear to achieve what we want.

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

SH : Since we're a new company, the goal is to establish my brand, be recognized for not only good design but quality workmanship as well as giving high value to clients. I'm also in the process of making NFTs of my pieces. Being a tech enthusiast, I would love to see some of my pieces in the metaverse. I have this vision of having a showroom in the Metaverse where people can come together, check out my pieces, interact with it, use AR to see how it will look in their homes, and then purchase it. I would also love it if, like in gaming, people from all over the world can come to my virtual showroom, talk and discuss the pieces - for example, asking your interior designer or your best friend who lives across the country to come and checkout furniture with you. This is more of a long term plan as my core business will always be producing furniture in real life. So my more immediate goal is to keep building my brand and roster of clients.

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

SH : When it comes to designing, bring in your unique vision. Dont think about what others might think. You need to love what you're doing and your designs first. When it comes to building a brand, do a personal inventory. Do what you are great at and get someone else to fill in where you are lacking. Thanks to technology, you can find someone across the globe that would help you do what you want in a set budget. Lastly, network. Being an introvert, this is something I have struggled with but I've learnt over the past few weeks in fact, that the energy you bring when talking about your products, that's the energy people resonate with. If you dont show people how much love and faith you have for your products, it is hard for other people to feel the same way. Reach out to people, connect. Despite how terrified you might be of experiences the unknown, not giving your all to make sure your designs are a success, would be unbearable.

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

SH : To reduce cost and margin of error when manufacturing, it is better to model and render your designs first. Check and double check measurements of everything. That has reduced a lot of cost for us. Its also allowed us to present to people our designs and see its product-market fit. Secondly, go over every aspect of the supply chain from getting an order to getting the order delivered. There will be many unexpected things that will come up but doing your homework helps to prepare better for the unexpected issues that will come up.

What is your day to day look like?

SH : My day starts at 4:30 am. I have vendors around the globe so it helps to wake up a little early to talk to people during their work day. It is also good to be awake when you have no distractions. I am thankful I get to do what I love. It is also a good time to read or write a little before taking calls and starting your day. I've realized, taking some time first thing in the morning for myself allows me to deal with challenges better. Before this, I would wake up, check my phone and emails first and would immediately be annoyed at something that wasnt done correctly instead of realizing that this is just how it is. After that, I workout, and then drop my kids off to school. When I come back, I take time to brainstorm content and come up with ideas on how to give my brand and my pieces the attention they need. I usually try to get as much done as possible before I pick up my kids from school. Taking time to workout, listen to podcasts, reading and writing help me clarify my thoughts and help me discern what i want my designs to say.

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

SH : I believe design is function of empathy so I follow my own style. When I would model my designs, the big question I would ask myself is, ‘does it pass the Aesthetic Force test?’ Dr. Sarah Lewis describes it as the power of art, or music, or a piece of writing that moves you, "to leave us changed - stunned, dazzled, knocked out. It can quicken the pulse and make us gasp in astonishment. Its importance is its animating trait - not what it is but what it does to those who behold it in all its forms." By using the First Principles mental model, I have stripped down each piece of furniture to its basic function. If a chair is something you sit on, then how can I make something that people would sit on as beautiful and functional as possible. I design my furniture taking inspiration from cars, from watches and beautifully designed jewelry. There is a sofa i am making that was completely inspired by the tail lights of a Lamborghini. The sleek edges and sharp lines make it look so futuristic - again, a nod to our ability to rise above and envision a bright and beautiful future. The shape of the Samandar table was inspired by the gorgeous Tonneau shape of Richard Mille watches.

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

SH : When my I see joy and curiosity on the face of someone experiencing my designs, I see that it is something that is resonating with people. It is seeing a shift in people's perspective in what they expect how a chair or table should look. Its that feeling of awe and joy that makes a good design. But design is incomplete without mentioning function. The way we interact with the design is the final piece of makes a design great.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

SH : I dont think a design can ever be complete. It is a good skill to have to be able to stop and discern that a design is complete for now. Sometimes the design might stay the same but some aspects of its function will change. When I look at a piece and the first feeling is, excitement, the design is complete. I then move on to designing my next piece. There will always be more ideas and more ways to make a product better.

What is your biggest design work?

SH : We have many designs that we have copyrights for which have also taken a lot of time to make. The one I'm most excited about and one that took the longest time to conceptualize from idea and build is the T4 Modular System. It is a modular built from different geometric shaped cushions that come together to make different shaped sofas. The pieces can be used individually and then can be attached together to make unique looking sofas. I am very excited about that one.

Who is your favourite designer?

SH : There are many, but I am a huge fan of Oscar Niemeyer, Edra, Joaquim Tenreiro. Their take on design was so unique and the materials they used told a story of their era, the things they were inspired by, and their culture. Again, it is understanding human behavior and how to best connect with those who see and use your design.

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

SH : This might sound strange, but I feel most creative after listening to a good podcast. There is something about people sharing their vulnerabilities that gets my creative juices flowing. I think its going back to design being a function of empathy. All my designs are rooted in connecting with people and how furniture can facilitate that. My culture and upbringing has a huge bearing on my design. I am currently living in the USA but I grew up in Peshawar, Pakistan. The fleur chair and settee design was inspired by my home town. Peshawar is sometimes called the City of Flowers. It has gone through taliban occupation and many political turmoil, yet it still stands and the people are ever smiling and optimistic. It is these traits that inspired the Fleur set and also inspired me to use more bold colors in all my designs.

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

SH : I work alone but have several contractors working for me. Having a family and being on a budget, I've had to find vendors that I could afford, who would produce quality work. Instead having huge upfront manufacturing cost, I decided to model and render my products first. This helped me gauge target market sentiment and if it resonates with people. By reducing upfront cost, I was able to hire a fantastic PR team, Sarah Raimo, who helped me propel my brand and get me featured in top tier design magazines.

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

SH : The craftsmen who work for us are taken care of. They are given pension and their children's education as well as healthcare is all paid for. I also contribute to different funds that gives financial assistance to girls in marginalized places in Pakistan. I would love to be in a position where I can help out and guide new designers. I know how hard it is for me to break into the world of design so I would love the opportunity to make it easier for others.

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

SH : The A'Design awards have been a godsend. It has given legitimacy to a new brand like mine and the confidence for me to keep going. I am looking forward to attending the gala and connect with other winners. Thank you for making this form and giving new designers like me an opportunity to showcase our work.

Sara Hayat Profile