My meeting with design started when by chance I joined some drawing lessons, actually I was studying accounting but since the day I put a pencil in my hands and discovered my creativity I couldn't stop until now.
Im part of a comunity of czech designers in the center of Prague called Botega SmetanaQ. My particular studio its a place where the exploration and experimentation is mixed with the traditional arts of the shoemaking, I consider myself not only a footwear designer but as well a contemporary shoemaker.
As its name says design, its the field of assigning shapes, colors, sensations, but as well assigning life to new creatures that will become a product and will contribute to make our lives better.
Although I am a professional products designer I have special connection with the leather crafts and shoes, maybe because Its a family tradition that I want to keep and preserve.
I do not have a specific favorite design as the world is working thanks of the design, I admire airplanes so how not admire the mythic Concorde, and in small or individual scale I can not avoid loving pieces of the Czech cubism likes the vases from Pavel Janák.
Depends on the result but as I said before designs are a mirror of the designer emotions, and if they are good I consider them my child and sometimes its even difficult when somebody buy it.
Unfortunately I have the feeling that most of successful designs nowadays are salable because they follow the trends and marketing. In the romantic way a good design should transcend fashion or trends by its innovation and utility.
We are in a big part very responsible of the huge pollution and wasting problems we have. We misuse and abuse of the synthetic materials, making everything nice but disposable. Now we should come back to natural materials and create products that will last more, can be repaired and very important can be made locally and by human hands.
I'm not very optimistic, in one way we can see a new wave of local designers and small manufactures, but in the other way with the appearance of new technology like the 3D printing, design will be made at home but in the negative part we will use more and more plastic.
My inspiration its easy to find its only question of have open eyes, is everywhere even in a small detail of a window at home, but of course the mother of inspiration is and will be the nature.
I do not like trends, so I consider my design as a mixture of my latinAmerican roots and visual memories with my life in Europe, I can say im eclectic.
I am Ecuadorian and 24 years of my 33 I had the good luck of living in a real visual paradise, with a extreme nature and a reality seen only in fantasy books. In the other hand I studied and I am creating from one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Prague, and in a country very rich in culture, so I think the results are unique and wonderful.
My process starts making and objective and then trying to find the best solution for what I require, usually it comes by itself and If not I research for some similar solution in the nature.
Waking up at 8, 30 min meditation, make some time for me and plan whats the day plan, make arrive to my atelier at 10, make my first coffee, work a bit, lunch at 14 and then second coffee, working until 7 or 8 pm, come back walking through the river home, make some RTX, relax and going to sleep.
Believe in your own and unique style, watch less magazines for inspiration but read more, and the most important take critics from honest people who wants you to improve, from others just let it go.
Im very excited to be part of the most important design event in the Czech Republic and Central Europe. Designblok for this, I am developing a complete new collection.
I would add good and responsible design, responsible good design helps real people because you are buying design but as well the producer will have to money to pay a rent, have food and not only make companies owner being richer.