Interview with Davide Diliberto
Davide Diliberto is an industrial designer focusing on the shape of a product as the most relevant aspect, the core of its aesthetic.
Designer Interview
4 November 2019
I knew I wanted to be a designer since I have memories. I was able to hand drawing, I clearly remember that I used to notice some kind of details that other children did not take care of, so I started figuring out some future design profession. My first passion, anyway, has been car design, not product. This passion drove my preferences since the first work experience, where the story has changed in a very unusual way. My preferred car brand was Alfa Romeo, together with Zagato, the milanese car design firm that I appreciated the most. The first job interview in my life has been actually at Zagato and I barely could believe it: both dreams coming true! Unfortunately, or luckily, during the interview they asked me whether I could be interested in designing phones. It was my first chance, so I have answered “Why not”! Since then, I became a product designer instead of car designer.
Since 2016 I live and work in Brianza, a historical Italian area for furniture design and manufacturing. It’s strategic, ‘cause it’s near to the vibrant Milan and the companies I work for. My most important client is actually in Cantù, for instance. It’s a small studio, with an employee, enough room for a photographic set and where chillout music is the only noise.
Design is to create with a deeper mind.
Every project is stimulating, especially if there are a lot of constrains, anyway I like the bathroom and all the items in it, like taps and radiators.
The radiator Raw, for Brem, is a product different from other models on the market and well represent my vision of product strictly related to the environment/architecture. Another great experience is with Salice Paolo door hardware company, for which I have imagined and created a whole new design oriented brand called Ento.
It wasn’t a product: I designed a completely new car design column for an Italian car magazine. I have printed all the real scale pages and put it within an existing magazine, in order to show to the magazine Director the most realistic preview. As he did understood the effort and all the ideas, he has said “Yes. Let’s do it.”
I am confident working especially with metals: aluminium, steel, brass and so on. They allow me to play with shapes, they are durable and recyclable.
Usually, I have new ideas during vacation, often while slowly swimming late in the afternoon, when a few people are still on the beach, the water is flat and cold. Actually, ideas come when mind is reactive and sometimes you must simply accept that it isn’t a creative moment.
Every project must born around a concept and must be functional, but then I am really focused on aesthetics, especially shape and details.
Design is one of my passions, not only a work, so it is a way to escape reality and express myself. Unfortunately I can’t wait for the result, I have no patience!
Somehow, we are creating a small part of this world: isn’t that enough to be excited?
A lot of aspects occur during the design process and marketing decisions. A durable yet defined style is one of the necessary factors from my point of view, or at least for my vision of the ideal product.
When I was a student, I wrote a brief thesis about the problems when judging a product. Of course everybody can express its own opinion based on different and subjective aspects, but there’s one factor which should be always respected, in my opinion: consistency. I mean consistency of features in relation to the target and, above all, consistency of the single product within the company range, the respect of brand identity or its evolution.
Designers have the same responsibility of all other professionals, since each one carries different opportunities and risks. However, when a designer becomes Creative director or Design manager, he can really be one of the key elements of a company and make the difference both on cultural and ecological aspects of the process. I think that every good company should work with a Design director, since he can have a look from above and help everyone to reach better results in their field.
I think designers are more and more a key factor for a successful company. Quality is a goal which companies can reach by investments, but to build or keep a valuable Brand identity is a different challenge and designers can give the right instruments and vision. In general, I would expect that design can reduce the use of material, improve the way it is used and recycled.
My latest product, the door handle Robot designed for Ento, has been on show during the 2019 Milan Design Week, at the Archiproducts headquarters in Via Tortona. My next exhibition will be in Boulogne, Italy, at CERSAIE fair, with various new radiators. I would like to come to the Salone del Mobile with some new kind of products: lamps or chairs.
I try to avoid too simple shapes. Since the beginning I’ve always wanted to put some subtle touch to my designs, by playing with edges, surfaces and small details. I think that is really difficult to find the right balance between personality and durability, but when it happens you get an instant classic. In general, my approach is guided by the brand values and how my design can improve the perceived quality of a single product then the brand reputation.
I always try to positively affect the company perceived quality. Often I suggest and realize all the complementary instruments which can help the product, like press release, texts for catalogues, ideas for pictures, graphics for advertising, exhibition boots.
I should suggest to make experiences in other counties, and in good Design agencies in order to meet talented people, have the right time to improve skills and understand which is your interest. When starting a new collaboration with a company, try to give a little more than is requested.
I don’t have a true golden rule, but certainly I don’t feel comfortable with shapes that looks too rounded or soft. It could sound a bit odd, but for me is more artificial a shape like that, simply because if something is man made, it should show it from its shape. Obviously it depends on the product category!
Design can include a lot of different specializations, so each one of us has to focus on those skills that fit the better the specific product or the role in a company. However, I think that a good designer should be able to always explain “why”, otherwise is about art.
As an Industrial designer, I need inspirations from architecture, where visions of new ways of life born endlessly. Our objects will be put in those environments, that’s the reason why I often have a look at architecture blogs or good illustrated books.
The current one as a Creative director. I am sure that this is the best role of a designer in a company and is the best way for the company to spend money for design. It’s quite easy to recognize those products within a whole range that are really integrated with the brand philosophy and the company’s know how. Those products are the result of an integrated design process which involves all the non-material aspects like communication texts, commercial pictures and marketing ideas.
I have got new ideas for furniture field that explore the spatial relation with the environment. I hope to bring them to reality. Furthermore, I am trying to propose some tap concepts that are operated by new gestures. Also, I already offer to my clients a complete photography service for catalogues, communication and so on, but I’d like to improve my sensibility and produce pictures that can tell the product the best way.
Contact me at davide@davidediliberto.it