Interviews with Valeria Zerbo

I am an experienced architect who has worked for award winning practices in London and Venice with an inherent passion for design, architecture and interior design.

While still working as an architect, I am using my design skills to develop new bags for PINAPPLE NEW YORK. No matter which scale I am working in, the attention to detail, the understanding of proportions and the critical approach to quality is the same.

I decided to dedicate my time to the design of bags after moving from London to New York.

I believe that designing bags enables me to help people on a different scale, while as an architect I was using my skills to provide well designed areas where people could thrive, with the design of functional bags I am actually helping women when they are at work or during commute with an item that is designed on purpose for that experience.

Definitely I chose it. It was a natural progression from my studies first and then I realized that I was enjoying very much the creative and also technical part of the design process.

Currently I am focusing on bag design and at the same time developing my startup that I founded since the launch of BLunch. It is very challenging but also very rewarding.

“Design legend” is a little intimidating as I feel I am still very fresh to this world but I take it as a reason to keep working even harder than before. Hard working is the essential skill in general for all industries. In particular a young designer needs to focus on the experience people have of the item. A designer has to define since the beginning what type of experience, emotions people feel when using the product, this drives all projects choices, colors, materials, details.

A great designer makes his items unforgettable and they stand out for different reasons, a particular detail, a distinctive color, a particular emotion or a particular combination of textures and materials as examples.

A really good design is always a combination of aesthetic, function and successful experience by people using it. When a designer is able to find a sensible balance of these three aspects, I think we can speak about really good design.

I love the idea that I can help people by designing great neighborhoods or by designing an item that can solve specific issues we experience every day. Good design lets people have a better experience of everyday life and for this reason has a great impact on society and environment as well. I believe that all designers need to consider sustainability issues for the impact the production process may have on the environment and in particular I am sensitive to ethical aspects that need to be considered inside factories.

From my experience of designing BLunch I can easily say that this was made possible thanks to people that believed in me and also offered to help with their outstanding craftmanship in the factory.

My mum run a store that she inherited from her dad in the little city where I was born, I possibly would have helped her.

Design is a form of art expression that comes with the ability to create a piece which is functional to everyday specific needs and also visually attracting. Its success depends on the experience people may have with it.

I admit that I am persistent. As I have worked as an architect before deciding to start this experience, people were a little skeptical. I think the change happened when I found a factory willing to help me and understanding the mission of the project behind it. I need to say thank you to the owner of the factory in Italy who believed in me.

Education is really important but when it comes to designing it is really the experiences you make everyday that make a difference. A designer gives personal solutions to everyday or special needs, the vision you are able to incorporate in the design makes a difference.

If Blunch takes off, I will definitely be able to add more bags to the line. I have already developed some ideas and I cannot wait to give them life.

I am assuming to see what is coming next. I think of Pinapple New York as a place where women can find valuable bags deeply thought to help with everyday needs. BLunch for example was thought for women to keep their look and lunch fresh.

As designers we can have a deep impact in the production process by making sustainable choices since the beginning of the design process.

As I founded my startup Pinapple New York in September 2019, I am really excited about the chance that sales can take off and start adding more lines to my collection.

When I was attending high school, I was very focused on design and I loved the city of Venice so I went to the University of Architecture in Venice. I have always loved to sketch and I really enjoy all of the creative, artistic, and technical aspects of designing.

Pinapple New York put all her heart and countless design time into helping women carry functional bags in a fashionable way. It was founded in New York and went online in September 2019. BLunch is just the very first collection of bags produced in Italy and blending leather with a high performance and very durable Italian fabric.

Just few words for the name choice as many may get confused with pineapple. The name Pinapple merges the words Pinup and Apple. This name strucked me as it is notorious that New York is the Big Apple hence the use of apple and pin or pinup because with its different meanings was blending great!

Design is a form of art expression that allows to create an item which is functional to everyday specific needs and also visually attracting.

I like designing bags, BLunch is my very first bag for production.

BLunch reached the production stage for its versatility. Cleverly organized, it is a dual compartment bag in one to help all women who fit a lot in their day: commute, lunch plus late events.

BLunch is really my first design and its production signaled the birth of Pinapple New York.

The materials used for BLunch have been selected very carefully at the very beginning of the design process and the combination of fabric and leather, in particular, represents the essential nature of all bags from Pinapple New York.

Living in New York got my creative juices flowing.

The design needs to be smart, then I think about the aesthetic.

I need to be very concentrated when I am sketching an idea and I do not like to be disturbed. I also feel the necessity of drawing it on a piece of paper. When I see that the design works, I am very pleased.

Accomplishment, satisfaction, joy, relief, pleasure.

Quality, materials, attractiveness, multiple purpose functionality.

The idea behind needs to be very clear, it is not just about attractiveness.

The designer needs to consider, since the beginning of the design process, sustainability issues. I feel of the utmost importance the respect of ethical aspects involved with the production inside factories.

I think we will see the use of high quality sustainable materials and, beyond function and aesthetic aspects, we will see the integration of technology to value the customer experience.

I usually start from everyday needs that I experience myself. I realized that inspiration comes from the different lifestyles I find in different cities. New York, in particular, has inspired BLunch. I then merged it with the memories from Italy where I was born.

I am also an architect and I made mine, or at least I try, one of Leonardo Da Vinci quotes “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” and from Mies van Der Rohe “God is in the details”.

I was born and educated in Italy and I have lived for a long time in London. From Europe I learnt the importance of our heritage and my studies really focused on the beauty of the Rinascimento in Italy. It was New York, though, that inspired my passion for the fashion design that led me to develop BLunch. So, yes, I think this Bronze Award is the result of living in New York!

I worked for a long time as architect in award winning practices and I think the relationship you build with other members is very important.

I think that the portfolio speaks more than a thousand words. I also think that all aspects of the design process up to production are important and, as they entail different skills, it is important to valuate management and interpersonal abilities.

As I love sketching, I carry a little black notebook with me all the time and I take notes on it whenever I am attracted by some details. I then developed the idea with sketches and I research other examples, this can be about colors, materials and more technical areas. The mood boards get enriched with all different options but usually it is just one in particular that is explored in detail.

Some of my favorite design items are Saarinen side table, Bertoia chair from Knoll and the Flos Arco lamp. I also love kitchens and cutlery pieces.

Just after waking up I have my breakfast, brioche and cappuccino with my family, then school run with my kids. I reach my office to do all my business tasks and whatever needs to get done. I usually try to have a morning each week for researching so I can collect all my ideas for design.

I think it is extremely important to establish good relationships with people working on each stage of the design and production process.

Production stage is very rewarding as you can see your idea coming to life, I think managing costs associated with some design choices can be frustrating sometimes.

I come from the architectural background and I enjoy designing things to help people. When I moved to NY, I found another way to help people, in particular women on the go.

I think creativity, empathy, awareness. You need to able to make the best use of people criticism.

Hand sketching is the very first part of the design process so I keep my desk very tidy to reach all my pencils and paper easily. I also have a good collection of books that also look great in my studio. I then use CAD, Photoshop, Indesign a lot to develop organized drawings.

I set goals for myself. When I see that I am not reaching a good result I usually do not waste time on it, unless I get a fresher idea at a second time.

The design of Lunch is my first one taken to production and it took more than one year. Starting from my sketches and choice of materials, I had to learn about prototyping, sourcing, costing, production. The choice of the factory has been particularly challenging as I knew I needed not just a person who could produce it but a partner who could understand the mission behind it.

Where did you get your inspiration from?

I worked for many years as an architect for award winning practices and learning managing skills have been very useful.

Professional women and moms on the go.

I enjoy designing bags for the moment, I start from everyday life needs and I like to think that I can help people feel better.

Hopefully my BLunch takes off and I can add more products to the line.

I develop my own designs but work with a factory for production.

A new bag in progress still for women on the go.

Through info@pinappleny.com