Interview with Yorgo Tloupas

It's a design studio of around 12-15 people, led by me, with the intention of NEVER becoming an ad agency, but of course of doing their job better.

It's the responsibility we have to try and make man-made objects somewhat bearable

Objects I can ride: skis, snowboards, bikes, etc...

A well-designed car can be quite a delight, as it combines a huge amount of craftmanship, from the outside shape (sculpture), to the headlights and taillights (lam design), the seats (furniture design), the dashboard (graphic design), the chassis and engine (industrial design), the sound (music), and the smell (fragrance creation). No modern object comes close

Snowboard graphics and a brand logo for Rossignol in 1996, my board sponsor at the time, who helped me present my end of studies project at Penninghen in Paris, then bought it all! I was 21.

I get a special pleasure from cutting things. But overall I have no favorite medium.

Train trips can be quite inspiring. TGV creation is fast as well.

Obviously the link between form and function.

I can get in a logo-design trance sometimes. Need to be 'clicked' out of it by a specific event otherwise I'll stay immersed for hours.

The best feeling is to see people buying, using, and loving products you've designed. With Black Crows it's one of the most rewarding aspects. People are very faithful to the brand, and quite passionate about its design. Social media helps me track this as well.

Its longevity.

For a logo, it needs to follow my 9 rules. I won't tell you what they are unless you commission me to redesign your Worldwide corporation.

We won't save the world that's for sure, but if we can help make what man produces not too ugky next to what nature has produced, it's a start.

The mid-90s arrival of the personal computer greatly hurt the profession, allowing anyone to design letters and logos which were once the guarded field of well-trained experts. After a couple of disastrous decades, the average level seems to be raising a bit.

As I'm not an artist, I don't consider my applied art to be worthy of exhibitions. Seeing it in use is the best display I cans ask for.

I mostly look at art, from the Mesopotamian antique period until today.

I hope I don't have a design style. But I must admit I tend to like optical art and it sometimes shows in my work.

I live in Paris and it's a rather inspiring city, even though it's not really open to the wider world. Of course being half greek I can only be proud of my fatherland's heritage.

I will only work with brands that I feel need help, so I'll position myself and my company as a kind of doctor, here to help, to advise, and if the brands don't want to listen and choose alternative medecines, up to them.

Write the first words that come to mind, draw, analyse the brand, analyse the market, design, educate.

My bikes, my surfboards, my father Philolaos' furniture, the home itself.

It's usually a combination of my 5 jobs, with cycling in between: Art director of Vanity Fair France, head of my design studio Yorgo&CO, teacher at Penningen and IFM, carere of my dad's posthumous career, and owner of na greek coffee, Yorgaki

Work in an industry that passionates you. It was snowboarding at first for me, if you love music go design album covers, if you love food go design food packaging, etc...

Positive: work is your passion. Negative: it's unstable if you're your own boss.

There are 9 of them.

Rigor, curiosity.

Pen, computer.

There is no limit of time I'll assign to a project, but sport in between helps the balance.

From 5 minutes to 5 years in my case.

What exactly do you do? People have trouble understanding unless you give them precise applications, such as "magazines", "logos" etc...

My first one, designing a logo and an snowboard range for rossignol when I was still in school, at 21.

Absolut Vodka
ADM
And A
Apologie
Arjowiggins
Armand Van Helden
Artcurial
Arter
Barclay Records
Beaux Arts
Black Crows
Blackblock
BMG
Café Artcurial
Cartier
Christian Louboutin
Christophe Lemaire
Ciel De Paris
colette
CPGA
Crash
Daniel Bernard
Davidoff
Disciplines
Emporio Armani
Et Vous
Eurostar
Gaîté Lyrique
Galeries Lafayette
GQ France
Hello H5
Hennessy
Honda
Hôtel de Crillon
IMA
Intersection
Jean Charles de Castelbajac
Jogging
Just An Idea
Justice
Kamel Mennour
Kenzo
Kitsuné
Lacoste
Lafayette Anticipation
Le Ballon
Le Refectoire
Legend’chx
Libération
Loro Piana
Louis Vuitton
Madame Figaro
Magazine
MAM
Martell
Most Records
NewYorkIndustrie
Noé Duchaufour Lawrance
Nutmeg
Ofr
Omega
Orso
Pamplemousse
Patrick Seguin
Printemps de Cahors
Psychologies Magazine
Ramdane
Range Rover
Relais & Châteaux
Ricard
Rossignol Snowboards
Shu Uemura
Stephane Malca
Street Machine
The Sound of the Season
The Upper Room
Uniqlo
Utopia
Valerie Donzelli
Vanités
Vanity Fair France
W Hotel
Wanderungen Nicholas
What’s Up
Xavier Veilhan
Yorgo&Co
Yves Saint Laurent

Logo design because it is the creation of symbols. Symbols define society.

More logos. More surfing and skiing. Less broken bones please.

Yorgo&Co is a fantastic team of 12 to 15 people, all talented, passionate and dedicated to quality work made with passion. LOVE THEM.

I'm writing a book about the history of logos, from Mesopotamia to today, via Antique Egypt, Greece, Medieval monograms, flags, the Bauhaus, the IIIrd Reich, etc...

contact@yorgo.co

Cats rule.