Saman Sabbaghi

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?

I have completed my education in the field of industrial design, Also I received BA/MA degree through these years... I have always had an uncontrollable interest in creating since childhood, and this matter showed itself in painting.

What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

As I mentioned before, my special interest is in the field of designing sneakers and shoes... I have a special interest in Adidas Y-3 brand products.

What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

Sustainable ones / mostly freelancing ones / Artificial Intelligence

When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

Aesthetic along with function and ergonomics through the lens of minimalism.

How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

I imagine that the field of design will move from individual focus to institutionalism, and the giants of this field, who mostly operate in very large studios, will cause monopoly, and in the future, these companies will use artificial intelligence to design all stages and processes of the product from 0 to 100.

Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

Science fiction novels...cyberpunk movies and up-to-date research articles.

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 Tehran, Iran. In fact, I do not include the dominant culture in my design approach because I believe that culture is a fluid thing and over time, different countries with diverse cultures in this world will move towards a single human nature due to the intertwining caused by technological progress. It does not mean to oppose the individual will of people in different parts of the world, but it is an act of hypocrisy.

What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?

In my opinion, companies should know exactly what they are considering in terms of aesthetics and functionality of the product... still some believe that the designer's role in the industry is not vital...Maybe a stronger communication between employers and designers can be created in social media.

Can you talk a little about your design process?

Need assessment - Feasibility - Ideation (Sometimes by Ai) - Modeling development process

Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?

Focus more on the design philosophy than the economic topic. Wealth lies in the deepest cognitive layers of the human brain, which philosophy penetrates into.

From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

Negative: You will become the toy of the employer's playful mind! Positive: You'll find yourself...

Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

Physical activities should neutralize the pressure of mental activity, that's why I am very interested in hiking.

How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

Minimum time can be about 1 month if everything goes professionally.