HO KUAN TECK
LEGENDARY INTERVIEW
Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Ho Kuan Teck ("HKT") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.
DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?
HKT : I'm 3D artist, with about 16 years working experience in Movie and Games industry.
DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?
HKT : When I was 14 years old I decide to become designer because of my teacher.
DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?
HKT : I choose to become a designer, this is my childhood dream when I was 11.
DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?
HKT : As a designer, I have designed quite a lot of different design like characters, concept drawing, props design. The most I like is handbag designs.
DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?
HKT : Think out of box, research more as they can. Nothing is difficult on this world, if your mind is set.
DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?
HKT : Good designer is doing a job, great designer is creating an art work.
DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?
HKT : Good design is relate to life, function, value and positioning.
DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?
HKT : The value of good design plays an important role in its category, it shouldn't be invest by everyone but at least it fulfill to the group of people who need or love.
DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?
HKT : I will design female handbags when I had time.
DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?
HKT : The dream project was car design, I wish to do it in future.
DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?
HKT : Think out of box, experience more in life.
DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?
HKT : Not design master, but movie director inspired me, James Cameron. "Titanic'
DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?
HKT : I love Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, designed by Italian architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas.. A curving roof canopy constructed from steel and glass wraps around the airport, accommodating spans of up to 80 metres. Hexagonal skylights perforate the surface of this roof, allowing natural light to filter through the entire terminal.
DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?
HKT : My Lemniscate handbag, the most great part of this design was how the idea translate to the final product. I'm happy to say it was a greatest design from me for current.
DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?
HKT : Learn from mistake, always request critics. I always welcome people to critics my design, I can collect comments to improve myself or my design.
DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?
HKT : If I didn't become a designer, I will be a Marine farming researcher. This was my second favourite job.
DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?
HKT : Design is kind of method for idea communication with peoples, it can be a product or message. For me design is a part of life, without design there is no innovation.
DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?
HKT : My mother and my wife, they're the people who always support me to think further.
DL: What helped you to become a great designer?
HKT : Never say can't or impopssible.
DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?
HKT : Day job. It was a restricted creative work, from design briefing to the final design is always have the shadow of others.
DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?
HKT : New Bag design. Will try to make the design more sustainable and easily transform for a whole series of bag for my brand.
DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?
HKT : I hope I can design the most influential designs for the fashion world one day.
DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?
HKT : I have no idea.
DL: How does design help create a better society?
HKT : the design that relate to a needs, maybe.
DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?
HKT : I'm game designer, but I was excited to switch my job and focus in leather bag design. It's a very fun to have create my own brand and grow up every years.
DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?
HKT : Handbag design was my most satisfaction project, because every bag design from me have it own cencept and story behind. And all of them is my daily experience of life.
DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?
HKT : Depend on the project, it can be few weeks or few months to finalize the design . Usually I will take about 2 weeks to finalize y design.
DL: What is your life motto as a designer?
HKT : Work is for job done, life is for great design.
DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?
HKT : For me, design set the trends.
DL: What is the role of technology when you design?
HKT : Technology is for polish my design to be more presentable.
DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?
HKT : Depend on what I have design, for first stage is note book and pencil, second step will be Photoshop and 3d software. For making digital mock-up.
DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?
HKT : The color is like human expression, the ambient is to enhance color . Which mean this combination will create a strong feeling for the good design.
DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?
HKT : I would wish people ask me how to keep passion when designing.
DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?
HKT : My wife, she is my good partner when I can't improve my design.
DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?
HKT : No, most if my design is inspired by daily life.
DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?
HKT : Train myself in the skill I need, find the hardest project to start.
DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?
HKT : Awards and recognition for me is kind of assessment, it will keep me not to given up. To become famous, I think it is not easy.
DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?
HKT : The color I like is black, historical place is my favourite place to visit. spring is my favourite season, handmade goods is the most I like.
DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?
HKT : The funny thing I had experience as a designer was, my client didn't notice I was the designer he looking for and keep teaching me how to draw character.
DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?
HKT : Do what I plan and finished a milestone i have set everyday.
DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?
HKT : I didn't think about I will become a great designer. Even now I also not think about I'm or I will become a great designer.
DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?
HKT : I have think about future, but not thousand years from now.
