Interview with Justin L. Segal

Justin L. Segal ("JLS") interviewed on Monday, 23 September.

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

JLS : As the Vice President of Product & Brand at Storkcraft, I have the honour of leading product development and brand management at our 80-year-old nursery and kids’ furniture company. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always had a strong creative side: whether I was designing uniforms for the sports teams I was on, recording and performing my own music, producing my own movies, or creating brands and websites, I’ve always been a “creator”. I ended up studying at my dream university—the University of Southern California (USC) Marshall School of Business—and receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with an emphasis on product and brand management. During my time at USC, I had the opportunity to intern for various fashion labels and creative agencies, as well as spending my summers interning around the globe in places like Shanghai, Tel Aviv, Vancouver, and Malta.

How did you become a designer?

JLS : After working at L’Oréal Canada, my fiancée and I (we’ve now been married for over five years and have a daughter) returned home to Vancouver, Canada to lay down our roots. At first—to be completely honest—I didn’t have much interest in joining Storkcraft, as I was still under the spell of working for a glamorous, global powerhouse like L’Oréal. But I realized that I had a unique opportunity to play an integral role in building Storkcraft into the “it” brand of nursery and kids’ furniture. I’ve always had a passion for design—clothing, jewellery, logos, packaging—and began to dabble in product design while at Storkcraft. My first design at Storkcraft was a very simple, match-with-any-nursery crib called the Graco Teddi Convertible Crib with Drawer (the Teddi has evolved into one of our best-selling collections). After the Teddi’s success, my brother, Adam (Storkcraft’s President & CEO), asked me to lead our Product Development team. I have an incredible team around me; I am so grateful to work with such a talented Product Designer and knowledgeable Product Engineer. These two individuals empower me to bring to life the never-ending flow of designs running through my mind. I’m not a Product Designer or Product Engineer – I am simply Storkcraft’s Creative Director.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

JLS : I’m always observing the world around me: no matter where I am on vacation, I’m always seeking inspiration from the beauty that surrounds me. Like the late legend Virgil Abloh said, “Whenever I’m doing a collection, I’m inspired by the world around us.” I keep a notebook and pen on me at all times. I try to minimize my time spent behind a screen; each of my product concepts has come to life as a hand-drawn sketch – never on a computer, smartphone, or tablet. The Santorini crib, which I designed for my daughter, came to life on a napkin while vacationing with my wife. After I conceptualize the product and outline the elements and features that will define the product, the concept then goes into the capable hands of my Product Designer and Product Engineer. It is an enriching and collaborative process that personifies teamwork and creativity.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

JLS : If I had to describe the overarching theme behind each of my product designs in one word, it would be “vacation”. With my designs, my goal is to take the consumer to a beautiful, unforgettable, and aspirational place. This is why my collections are named Santorini, Casablanca, Kyoto, Sicily, Amalfi, and Crete. The unforgettable memories I’ve accumulated in beautiful places—from our honeymoon on the Dalmatian Coast to our babymoon in Hawaii—live forever in my mind. I always aim to infuse the spirit of “la dolce vita” into my designs.

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

JLS : My everlasting love for sunny, hot, coastal destinations have shaped my design ethos thus far. Also, since I was a kid, my admiration for Pharrell Williams has had a massive influence on me. Pharrell is someone who infuses happiness, authenticity, and good vibes into each of his designs and creations. If you ask anybody who knows me, they’d say that I represent the same things and emit a lot of positive energy. So, I aim to do the same with my designs; I think that’s really what sets the final products apart.

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

JLS : There is still so much to accomplish for Storkcraft as we enter our 80th year (the first Storkcraft crib came to life in 1945). I love the rhythm that we’ve found as of late within Product Development, which I describe as our “art of nursery” ethos: we aim to bring unique, aspirational, and captivating designs to life, each with its own authentic story. While nursery and kids’ bedroom furniture will always be at Storkcraft’s core, I think the future holds expansion into new product categories, new technologies, and expansion to new geographic markets.

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

JLS : Surround yourself with good, talented, inspiring, and supportive people. Pick your “industry heroes” and emulate them but be sure to blaze your own trail. For me, since I was a kid, my industry hero was Pharrell Williams. I, myself, never really fit into one box, and always admired how Pharrell was able to become an icon across so many different industries, with his own authentic and distinct flavour.

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

JLS : Design with meaning, with purpose, with a story. The most beautiful thing about the collections I have brought to life with my talented team is knowing that each collection is rooted in a real-life memory or experience, and tied to a real human emotion I experienced in my life. Also, surround yourself with a talented team that matches your passion and ambition. These are two qualities you cannot teach: you’re born with them. I am grateful that my Product Designer speaks my “language” and understands how to bring my sketches to life in a way that honours my original vision and captures the emotions I felt when conceptualizing the products. I’m also grateful that my Product Engineer keeps us honest and tells us when we’re crazy (haha!).

What is your day to day look like?

JLS : My day starts with the most beautiful smile from my daughter, Rafaela, as she wakes up in her Santorini crib. I cannot explain how much her smile melts my heart. Then, I head out for a morning workout, followed by a sauna session in which I focus on idea-generation, design, and meditation. After the sauna, I head to the Storkcraft headquarters and start my workday by reviewing the latest round of work from our digital imagery studio, over a very hot cup of black coffee. The truth is, the rest of my day is filled with back-to-back meetings across many different departments. Just ask my team how Justin feels about meetings – haha! My after-hours schedule is fully dedicated to my wife, daughter, and our toy poodle. I don’t use my phone on weekends. By nature I am a very “all or nothing” person, so I try to be as productive as I can during the work week in order to enjoy a completely screen-free weekend. After-hours and on weekends, I prioritize being present with my wife, daughter, and toy poodle. Time is our most previous commodity and only moves forward, and family is so important to me.

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

JLS : I seek inspiration from the brands I admire outside of our industry. Regardless of whether these brands are within the realms of fashion, jewellery, or automobiles, inspiration can come from anywhere. Excellence transcends industry. So, whether it’s the shape of a beautiful bottle of perfume, the winding coastline of a beautiful destination, or the curves of a vintage automobile, I find inspiration everywhere. In the words of Lenny Kravitz, “Love, creativity, and opportunity is in the air. Take it in and do your thing.” I keep a collection of travel and fashion magazines in my tennis club locker to bring into the sauna; I always emerge from the sauna with a stack of ripped-out pages containing various things that inspire me. However, I never look at what other companies in our industry are doing; my designs are pure, rooted in the beauty of the world around me.

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

JLS : There is a quote by Ralph Lauren that I love: “Style is very personal. It has nothing to do with fashion. Fashion is over quickly. Style is forever.” The furniture I design must stand the test of time and outlive the moment in which it was conceptualized. That’s my design ethos. Personally, I detest the world of fast fashion. I have always preached the concept of “price per wear” to my family and friends – whether that’s within clothing or furniture: the idea that it’s worth investing a substantial amount into products that you will use and enjoy for many years, rather than investing very little into products that you will not get much use out of in the long run. The Santorini, Casablanca, Kyoto, Sicily – each of these designs is rooted in my design ethos: to outlive the moment in which it was conceptualized. These products are designed for yesterday, today, and tomorrow. They’re designed to be as captivating right now as they are 80 years from now. To again quote the great Ralph Lauren, “I’m interested in longevity, timelessness, style – not fashion.”

How do you decide if your design is ready?

JLS : When my Product Designer’s final rendering matches my initial sketch, and when my Product Engineer confirms that we can bring this product to life in a safe and compliant way, the design is ready. Within the world of nursery and kids’ furniture, product safety supersedes everything – there are no exceptions. Believe me, we could design the most unique and imaginative nursery and kids’ furniture you’ve ever seen, but the most important thing in our world is that the product meets or exceeds all of the category’s applicable safety standards. I am fortunate to have such a diligent and detail-oriented Product Engineer overseeing manufacturing, safety, and compliance.

What is your biggest design work?

JLS : The Santorini, of course. But I think I’ve spoken enough about the Santorini in this interview (haha!). To see the Santorini recognized with multiple industry awards—from the Bronze A’ Design Award in the Baby, Kids’ and Children’s Products Design Category to being named an Honorable Mention within the category of Interior Design for Fast Company’s 2024 Innovation by Design Awards—is something I never dreamed of. When I designed the Santorini, all I cared about was having my daughter sleep in a crib I designed for her, with all my love, emotion, and imagination. The intention never was for it to be recognized with awards. Honestly, it was my brother who really pushed for us to introduce the Santorini to the market. Never did I envision the Santorini ending up in the homes of families across North America. I just have so much gratitude for the journey that the Santorini has taken me (and Storkcraft) on. And now we’ve grown the Santorini into a stunning collection, spanning multiple products.

Who is your favourite designer?

JLS : Pharrell Williams. Ask anybody who knows me, and they will tell you I personify good vibes, positivity, warmth, and (hopefully) swagger. I love how multidimensional Pharrell is. He truly is “one of one” and cannot be boxed into one category. I identify with Pharrell, admire him, and will forever be in awe of him. Pharrell, if you’re reading this, thank you for inspiring this dreamer from Vancouver, Canada. P.S. I would love to collaborate with you on a line of nursery furniture one day – so, if you’re reading this, please holler at me!

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

JLS : I’m just a guy who is madly in love with his wife, his daughter, and his four-pound toy poodle – and tennis. I love tennis with all my heart – from competing in tournaments to designing tennis lifestyle apparel. I think tennis is such a beautiful sport, and it can take you to such beautiful destinations. In my mind, I’m always on the red clay of the Monte Carlo Masters or Roland Garros. I just love finding beauty and imagination in my hobbies and passions. I think that’s what ultimately keeps my mind constantly pumping out concepts and designs.

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

JLS : I am a big believer in blending hard skills and soft skills, and in rolling up your sleeves to get things done. I don’t vibe with people who are purely strategic and are used to delegating tasks to people below them. I believe that in order for one to blossom into the most well-rounded individual, one must get involved in every layer of the business – no matter how deep in the trenches that is. Yes, I lead the Product Development and Marketing teams at Storkcraft, but I still take on tasks that others might think I’m “above”. We’re one team. No matter how high up in the organization you are, you have to be willing to get your hands dirty and lead by example. If one member of your team goes down, you have to be able to slide into any role on your team seamlessly.

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

JLS : The most rewarding thing about working within the nursery and kids’ furniture sector is being able to help families in need. Storkcraft is proud to support families who otherwise could not afford to outfit their nurseries or kids’ bedrooms with safe furniture. We partner with multiple women’s shelters, crisis pregnancy centres, and charities that support low-income families. In our corporate culture, we champion openness and inclusivity. We were recognized by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) in their 2024 JPMA Core Values Recognition Program within the category of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Outside of Storkcraft, my wife and I have our own charitable endeavour, the Justin & Yael Segal Family Fund (JYSFF). Through JYSFF, we support a mental health and drug addiction rehabilitation centre located in Be’er Sheva, Israel (my wife’s birthplace) that cares for people who otherwise would have nowhere else to turn. We are also proud ambassadors and supporters of the Israel Tennis and Education Centers (ITEC) – a charity that utilizes tennis as a vehicle to support youth. ITEC has programs for at-risk youth, girls’ empowerment, and cross-cultural coexistence that utilizes our beloved sport of tennis to create brighter futures for youth living in a very challenging part of the world.

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

JLS : I am extremely honoured to have been recognized with the Bronze A’ Design Award and cannot wait to attend next summer’s awards ceremony in Lake Como. I will be there with two very important people by my side: my beloved wife, Yael, and my incredible brother, Adam. I would like to extend my gratitude to the A’ Design Award & Competition for highlighting me as their Designer of the Day. Like I mentioned, I’m just Storkcraft’s Creative Director – I’m beyond grateful to have a talented Product Designer and Product Engineer working alongside me to help me bring my concepts to life. I am eternally grateful to my wife, Yael, who supports me throughout all the travel that I need to do in order to grow Storkcraft – despite the fact that we have a newborn at home. No words can describe the love and admiration I have for my wife (added bonus, she’s also my tennis hitting partner). Lastly, I would like to give a huge shout-out to the #StorkcraftFamily – to every family in North America that has placed their trust in our brand. We couldn’t do this without you. You are the fuel for our creativity.

Justin L. Segal Profile