Martin Foret

Specialized in Design.

Martin Foret

About Martin Foret

Martin is young designer (28) from Prague. He loves to lead his own projects, where he can provide all items, like founding and creating target groups, looking for inspirations, looking for suppliers, and especially design various items for interiors. He has really active attitude to sports and active way of life. His goal is create a stable brand with high credit. Brand, which will provide household items that will have a high level not only design but also processing in every detail.

  • Winner of the A' Design Award.
  • Specialized in Design.
  • Original Design.
  • Creative, Diligent and Innovative.
  • All Designs

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Interview with Martin Foret

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?
Somebody says, that they have known what they want to do since childhood. When I was child, I did a lot of sports and didn't think about future, becouse I was too busy. But later it came gradually through graphics and drawing to product desgin.
Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
I founded my own brand, which will provide furniture for intoriors. The focus of my brand is highly cultivated furniture at the European level.
What is "design" for you?
Design for my is about thinking. Mainly is thinking and then is drawing, sketching, and searching a new form and materials. You have to think complexly. About a context and enviroment where your design will be placed and last but not least, to people, they will use it.
What kinds of works do you like designing most?
My ownd projects. When I am limited on myself and technical and manufacturing possibilities, which is still enough.
What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
My favorite design, is design wich tells true, its sophisticated form but all elements are functional and there is no space for something which is only for "nicer" visual.
What was the first thing you designed for a company?
The Heart is my first product for my brand. Before that, I worked in teams and participated on projects like Skoda Heavy Machinery, where we designed new Cut machines.
What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
I prefer basic materials like wood, metal and fabrics. The product must be pleasant to touch and you should have good feeling about it.
When do you feel the most creative?
In the beginning of project. My head is full of ideas, but then you learn more about specific possibilities and then you get certain barriers, but its ok, becouse all this job is about searching ways and solutions.
Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
I am thinkig about whole enviroment and kontext becouse products always will be somewhere, where are even another thinkgs and it must still looks good.
What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
Excitement and satisfaction. Becouse usually it was a long jurney.
What makes a design successful?
I think its mix of good idea and good timing. But the really good design will show up in the course of time.
When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
I think that most import thing is, if its working as you expected.
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
Designer and manufacturer are responsible that their product will work, User-friendly, and that its just a part of their life, so it shloud communicate with another elements in their homes. In the same time there is responsibility not create materials wich will not be recyclable.
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
Intuitiveness. To do design smarter, to involve more aspects from the environment around us.
When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
My last exhibition was Designblok 2017 in Prague. I would like to exhibit in Italy or Germany within one year.
Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
Inspiration is every day. It's about everyday situations, looking at what would be nice to do.
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?
The basis is rationality. I have to keep in my mind a lot of aspects like price, shipping, how to client will use it, how they will built it, how the producers will make it. I try to include all these aspects into my design right from the start. I would like to create a nice form only from necessary and working parts of each product. I don't like somethinkg which is there only for "nicer" form.
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?
I live in Prague. I think is very important, where you live, where you spent you time. We are surrounded by various stimuli. Prague is historical and cultural city which brings a lot stimuli.
Can you talk a little about your design process?
First thing is that I search all kinds of enviroment where my product should to be placed. Then I started thinking and sketching my design, but always I have pictures of enviroments in front of me on my desk.
From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
It's a very exciting job, doing something nice from nothing, its similar like chefs. But it brings a huge responbility, becouse gurantee that people will like it, that everything will work for long time, that it will be safe etc.
Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
Basic of all is pencil and paper, then 3D, I use rhinoceros, then yu have to try it in real, prototypes are necessary.
Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
Yes, its hard, so a diary is necessary tool for each designer I guess.
What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
I like everything, meeting with people, sketching, time when I have new design in my hand and time when I see like somebody use my design.
Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
I do everything from fisrt sketch through the search clients and after sales.
Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
Now I complete the development of Servant. The free standing "voiceless slave" serves similarly as the one for the clothes. It is primarily aimed for people who ride the bike daily and who want to have the bike ready at all times. Thanks to the slave, you don't have to lean the bike against the wall anymore, where it can get scratched. Thanks to the fact that the bike is at the perfect, specified height, you can even wipe the floor underneath it!

Designer of the Day Interview with Martin Foret

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
I am quite short time between professionals designers becouse I am 28 years old but on the other hand I started work for design studios during my studies wich is 6 years ago. I worked even for studio where we designed heavy maschinery tools and maschines, I worked even in Skoda Auto in Motosport department and all these kinds of design have very interesting parts and I am glad that I could to get too much expierences from different enviroment of design and industry. But now I enjoy my own project and furniture design and complex living enviroment. Becouse the way how people is living is changig so design should reflect that.
How did you become a designer?
I wanted to be graphic when I was child but then stated work more with 3D objects and models of cars, toys etc so I decided to go on art high school and then university where I study product design. In this time I knew that I want be really designer.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
Maybe first step should be to say, that design is all of these parts ( technique, style, ergonomy, visual, materials, practicality etc). The most basic is functionality and steadiness. Then is egonomy and visual which should not be just for itself but it should works with environment around.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
Its pleasure but in the same time even the responsibility. The hardest is to do things which looks absolutely simply. Becose design of each product is done, when nothing more is possible to remove, but its also the biggest challenge.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
Its good and important question. I think that sports are very important for to be successful in whatever people do. Sport helps to relax and clean your mind, thanks that you can to see your project from distance. Also sports learn you to go through the barriers and create yourshelf a motivation which is very important. Becouse not every time all things are going as you want. And last but not least sport helps to get focus on goals step by step. So for me and I think not only me, is important to do more things and develop your personality complexly in culure, social life, but even sports, travelling etc.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
I would love to have my own brand with products which I developed. I am very happy when I can to see people that they are happy from my products, its stunning satisfaction. I would like to create brand which will have a high credit and level in all aspects not only products but even in communication with clients, benefits, service and corporate culture.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
Patience. Nothing is immediately so focus on each step which you just do. And I think that is important to do long research not only product which already exists but even situations and environment. Because is very important to have a good founded basic theory.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
To be honesty and self-criticism. Becouse the market will not have mercy if your products will be bad.
What is your day to day look like?
Its no so interesting, usually I try to do some sport or exercises and then to start with work. I like meeting and brainstorming becouse I can to get some overtures and another view how to see a topic which I design.
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
Designer can not to ignore trends but trends are going so fast that if you will to try keep this speed, I will be one step behind so designer should focus on specific problem that you try to resolve. But depends on your philosophy and possibilities.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
For me is important to have distance. When I to do some sketch or prototype, then I need a few weeks just to observe it and to think about it. If it still good , then next step is to show it another people what they will say about it. If I will not find some issue even after a some time, then it could be ready to introduce it to all.
How do you decide if your design is ready?
For me is important to have distance. When I to do some sketch or prototype, then I need a few weeks just to observe it and to think about it. If it still good , then next step is to show it another people what they will say about it. If I will not find some issue even after a some time, then it could be ready to introduce it to all.
What is your biggest design work?
Its my own first product which I designed for myshelf. I did all steps from research, first prototype, drawings, to develop it till the end which means wrap it in box and sell it to clients on my eshop.
Who is your favourite designer?
I like how to work the brothers Bouroullecs. Thery are really fantastic designers.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
All elements in our life influence us. Elements like environment where we live, people who are our friends, etc. I am happy that I can to live in really cultural city as Prague is.

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