Taiki Kato

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Taiki Kato ("TK") 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?

TK : After graduating from a design school, I worked at a design office that creates advertisements for 6 years. After that, I flew to USA and worked at a design studio in New York, and have been working in Tokyo since 2015.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

TK : I believe my relationship between me and design (creative) most likely originated from how I was brought up. I was born and raised in Kyoto, Japan with a father and a grandfather who are craftsman of Kiyomizuyaki, a Kyoto pottery. In my father’s workshop, there were various tools, from paint, brushes, designs, to paintings, which were a great influence on me. I believe that the branding-oriented design work that I’m currently working on was due to my childhood. I did not want to become a craftsman that carry down a legacy of skill, but always wanted to become a person that support these great craftsman or a brand from a different perspective.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

TK : As stated above, it had been on my mind since I was little and I chose to become a designer.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

TK : We take on fashion, advertising, graphic design, web projects to branding-oriented projects such as creating brand identities and promotions domestically and internationally. I want to be involved in package design and visual identity for cosmetics and beverage, as well as branding-oriented projects like spatial design of a café.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

TK : The physical and mental attitude towards design.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

TK : I believe that design is “discovering” from “pursuit” and “quest”, and then “communicating” that properly. I strongly feel both mental and philosophical attitude towards enduring these factors is everything in design. I believe that a good design has a good balance of emotional value and functional value that came out of the above factor.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

TK : In the future, I would like to be involved in the education field, but as for the near future, the next step for me is to team up with good designers that are around the same age as me, and to hold a workshop or a talk show that study typography and visual identity.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

TK : I am sure that most of the companies have issues and problems. In order to properly solve these issues, I think the companies should form a long-term close relationship with a designer or a team.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

TK : I believe the fact that I have a continuous and a great relationship with my clients. This cannot be achieved overnight. I am very grateful of the staff who support me.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

TK : I believe that design is “discovering” from “pursuit” and “quest”, and then “communicating” that properly. I strongly feel both mental and philosophical attitude towards enduring these factors is everything in design. I believe that a good design has a good balance of emotional value and functional value that came out of the above factor.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

TK : It goes without saying that each designer needs to create a good design, but unfortunately it will only be seen to a portion. These days, there is a social media called Behance from Adobe, where the works of good designers’ are showcased. They have a strict evaluation point system.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

TK : I am currently involved in a hat brand as an art director/graphic designer. We just finished our 1st exhibition and it looks like it is going to receive a high degree of attention. The brand is planning to officially launch around September.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

TK : I am currently involved in a hat brand as an art director/graphic designer. We just finished our 1st exhibition and it looks like it is going to receive a high degree of attention. The brand is planning to officially launch around September.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

TK : Luckily I receive projects from various clients, but what I like best about designing for these clients is when my team is able to communicate closely with a client and come up with a design from scratch as if we were one of their employees. These types of projects are very exciting for me, and I am very blessed to be able to work with these clients.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

TK : I always do a thorough research, brainstorming, concreting ideas, and study.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

TK : The physical and mental attitude to face design and continue.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

TK : I do believe in co-design. In general, I am teamed up with a creative director/planner and producer/manager and work in as small unit of three. I wanted to create a compact and flexible design team that can quickly handle any types of projects. We team up with other creators when needed. We take on fashion, advertising, graphic design, web projects to branding-oriented projects such as creating brand identities and promotions domestically and internationally. I also run a co-sharing office specifically to creators.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

TK : NEWWORK MAGAZINE