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Interview with Claire Requa |
Home > Designer Interviews > Claire Requa |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Claire Requa (CR) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Claire Requa by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
CR: I attended the Edna Manley School of the Arts in Kingston, Jamaica. I have always had a strong interest and craving almost, to make things, clothes, jewellery, small furniture. When I moved to Denmark, I found that I was interested in doing lighting. Maybe that came out of knowing I would be facing many months in darkness.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
CR: Accent started as a studio/workshop 18 years ago. There, I made unique lamps, and small soft furnishings, and small furniture make-overs. Then after a major shift in my life, I decided to design lamps that could be made in slightly bigger numbers, than the unika lamps I had been doing before. My signature product, Claire de Lune Chandelier led me down several paths - and to satisfy my earth-saving cravings, I upcycled the waste from the production of the lamp to create a line of jewellery - CLAIRELY, clearly.
FS: What is "design" for you?
CR: Design is something that is functional, pleasing to look at, and well thought out.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
CR: I enjoy doing lighting - it is nearly always satisfying. I enjoy the challenge of making things work. As is the collection of CLAIRELY a satisfying process. The
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
CR: My chandelier, which is the starting point for all the other products I have done (wall sconces, cushions, room dividers, mirrors, clocks, wallpaper). All with the chandelier as the common design thread. And then came my upcycled jewellery, which came out of wanting to repurpose the acrylic that otherwise would be thrown away.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
CR: I designed a "scandal" bag for a minister of parliament when Denmark was joining the EU. This bag was a transparent carrier bag with images of the new currency - the EURO.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
CR: At the moment I enjoy using acrylic. But there are many materials I would like to explore.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
CR: Early mornings.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
CR: Functionality is a major player in this.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
CR: I have a deep sense of satisfaction.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
CR: Definitely elation, and especially when I meet and talk to satisfied customers.
FS: What makes a design successful?
CR: When I cannot find fault with the design or functionality.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
CR: If the elements are harmonious, if the product does what it claims.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
CR: We have a responsibility to design with a conscience. We must do our bit to do the right thing for our surroundings, that is, people and environment.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
CR: I would like to think that designers are thinking - finally - about designing green.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
CR: My current exhibition is at the National Gallery of Denmark's museum store. I am keen to hold another exhibition in May.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
CR: My inspiration comes from my life, from nature when I take walks, from wanting to fill a niche that needs filling. Much of my inspiration comes from my travels.
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
CR: I think avant-garde, contemporary. I like the juxtaposition of old and new, of mixing unexpected ingredients. I like to provoke thought.
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
CR: Copenhagen. I feel that being raised in Jamaica has given me a colorful approach to designing. This combination of hot and cold, south and north certainly has its challenges. One of the cons is certainly the struggle to have my suppliers and collaborators understand my vision. I tend to think outside the box, to want to do things that haven't been done before.
FS: How do you work with companies?
CR: I have a very hands-on approach. Both with clients and suppliers.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
CR: Allow the designer to fully explain their vision, and trust that they will deliver a satisfactory end result, even though it may be different than the original starting point. Selection of a good designer can come from learning about the individual.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
CR: The products "live" with me. They live around me in my home in various forms, and I tweak, and tweak until I am relatively satisfied. I test how they make me feel when it's light outside, when it's dark, when I am happy, when I am sad.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
CR: The Claire de Lune Chandelier, the mirror, I have a Ghost chair, which I enjoy. But we have a lot of second-hand things which have history and stories that we also enjoy.
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
CR: Up at 7-ish. Straight to the computer, a bit of breakfast, movement between the computer to our basement where products are stored, to my work table to work on items under development, a visit to my supplier to prepare prototypes, back to my computer. Research. To bed about 12:30am
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
CR: Realize that much of getting products to market is about networking, and hard work, and perservering.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
CR: As a designer that also produces, the business side of getting products to market are taxing. One of the positives is getting feedback from customers. Again, a hands-on type of contact.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
CR: The product must be something I would be happy to have myself, and something that will make me proud to have my name on.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
CR: Perseverance is important. Skill? well communication. Being able to communicate to end users.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
CR: Pencils are great. Adobe CS - couldn't live without it. The internet.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
CR: Not well, unfortunately. I end up going down several rabbit holes in the course of a day.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
CR: My chandelier took the better part of one year. My jewellery line CLAIRELY is an ongoing process. I am constantly thinking of pieces that could fit into one or more of the already existing themes I already have done. So these would be new pieces.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
CR: How do you do it?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
CR: Designing a lamp for a customer that I named POAC-14. This was a self-assembly lamp that gave me the push to do other lamps, and how I got started with Claire de Lune Chandelier.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
CR: Zannier, Illums Bolighus, Chateau de Versailles, Normann Copenhagen, National Gallery of Denmark, ABC Home, NY.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
CR: I enjoy the challenge of adding to my product line as it is organic, endless and limitless.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
CR: A new series of lamps.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
CR: I develop designs myself, but would welcome a collaboration.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
CR: Starting on the next series of lamps inspired by a different time period than the Chandelier.
FS: How can people contact you?
CR: By email - info@accent.dk
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
CR: Thrilled to have been awarded.
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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