Olina Francova and Jitka Arazimova

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Olina Francova and Jitka Arazimova ("OFAJA") 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?

OFAJA : We have been friends since we’ve studied at the Secondary Arts School. Coincidentally, we met six years ago and joined forces under a new brand, Franco Arazzi design studio, to design and sew multifunctional handmade leather handbags - Multibags.

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

OFAJA : We both are artists for all our lives, Olina as a iron sculptor and Jitka as a graphic artist. So there was just a small step from art to the applied design.

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

OFAJA : We are both artists and design is all around us - so the path to design was very open to us.

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

OFAJA : Our "rebellious" multibags are not subject to any fashion dictates – they are as free as their owners.They do not need to draw attention to the social status or the amount of the credit card. On the contrary, they should be an original complement and a functional subject for a self-confident "wearer" who wants to be different and is not afraid to step out of the crowd.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

OFAJA : We recommend the creativity, empathy and modesty - because those are the rarest skills in the world.

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

OFAJA : Maybe connections? We don't know :-)

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

OFAJA : Creativity and functionality of the design and, of course, the enthusiasm of your customers.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

OFAJA : Not everyone should invest into the design - only those who find happiness there. It is a great enrichment of our lives.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

OFAJA : It is always important what and for who do you design - you can't do it blindly. In a special nonprofit project "Handibags" we created bags, handbags and backpacks especially for individuals with various types of physical disabilities according to their needs. Our latest nonprofit project "Chemohats" was focused on the design of ‘bare head’ hats for women after chemotherapy.

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

OFAJA : Our every project is a realization of one of our dreams :-) Due to our age and experience we fully enjoy every project and we think that this is the best way how to live.

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

OFAJA : We enjoy the process of creation itself. It is a social extension and design therapy for us. We design and create something that is essentially ours, based on our experience and needs. We test each model personally and investigate how to improve it, what to add, what to get rid of... We are surprised how the meetings with our customers enriche us. These meetings are inspirational and often end up in a true friendship. Here we connect our need for creating, designing and communicating with the social aspect of knowing new people. We are interested in their opinion, needs and life experiences.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

OFAJA : If we should name a designer from Czech surrounding it would be Josiph Plecnik.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

OFAJA : We enjoy the good design from anyone but there are so many great designers that is really hard to name just one or two of them..

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

OFAJA : We don't want to enlight some single design. We believe that the best aspect of our design studio is the support and help in everyday life to those, who truly deserves the good design but due to their physical dissability they commonly can't reach it.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

OFAJA : We don't have an easy answer to that - everyone do the best as he/she could and only the time will show..

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

OFAJA : We are both artists so we would just continue :-)

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

OFAJA : Design should not be only minimalistic, plain, clear and nice but it mainly should serve to its purpuse. Sometimes you can meet design just for design - but that is (especially in fashion) useless. That is the reason why we try every design ourselves to ensure that it is truly multifunctional in every way. What we seem as trouble is e.g. when men design shoes for women. They produce designs which they like to see on women but - due to fact that they can't or don't try it themselves - are those designs commonly very self-serving, practically unusable or even physically damaging. Prove of it can be misshapen feet of our mothers and grandmothers from shoes with narrow toe and high heels. Similar is it with huge and heavy handbags worn over forearms which can damage the vascular system.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

OFAJA : We, our customers and happiness of the design process :-)

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

OFAJA : We don't know if we are great designers - we just know that we do what we love and what fulfilling us. If our design is great will be confirmed by our customers.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

OFAJA : Maybe - just a maybe - an obstacle was that we become from a small country with closed designer community. But, we are grown-up girls and we can handle it. :-)

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

OFAJA : Today there are so many possibilities in design and PR marketing that depends on everyone what he/she prefers.

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

OFAJA : You can always expect a full engagement and the joy of creation :-) Of course, we will continue in our non-profit social projects because we believe that it is important.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

OFAJA : To enjoy our work and satisfy our customers. We believe that everything else is not so important :-)

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

OFAJA : Maybe that their design product, which they bought, will suit their needs and brings the joy into their life.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

OFAJA : The good design should enriches life. Fashion is supposed to be fun for all: for its creator, bearer, and for ordinary observer. Fashion definitelly should NOT be about profit.

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

OFAJA : Nowadays, we celebrate the Bronze A'Design Award and think about the future challenges ;-)

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

OFAJA : So far, our most satisfactory collection is Multibags 5in1 and the success this collection had during the exhibition at the International Fashion Weeks in Amsterdam 2019 and which was now awarded by a Bronze A'Design Award.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

OFAJA : We would really love to see the expansion of the slow fashion. Especially the end of abuse child labor, inhumal working conditions and exploitation in the third countries which still many main brands use for their production. Stop being greedy!

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

OFAJA : We try to be optimistic - so hopefully to something better then now :-)

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

OFAJA : That depends - sometimes it takes dozens of minutes, sometime days, sometimes even weeks or months ;-)

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

OFAJA : With pencil, paper and scissors.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

OFAJA : The common credo of our studio is that good design enriches life and connects people who share the same opinion.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

OFAJA : It should be that the good design sets the trends!

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

OFAJA : Traditional :-) Technologies are still going forward so we never know when we will start or end.. For example, in the future may be possible to replace the traditional materials by the fully ecologic ones, without the enviromantal strain.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

OFAJA : Just our own minds.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

OFAJA : We play with animosity of used materials, we experiment with shapes and forms - not to mention the magical realm of colors, light and darkness. We take it all in, we shuffle it in our minds and initially we just shamelessly entrust a sheet of paper long before we dare to grab a incisor and to irreversibly define the future shape in the material. Then there’s only the pleasure of making.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

OFAJA : We would ask them how our design serves them and what would they like to improve on its functionality. We really appreciate the feedback.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

OFAJA : That is amazing! :-)

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

OFAJA : Yes, we believe in cooperation - that people should help and enriches each others instead of rivality. We are only once in this world.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

OFAJA : There are many of them and their opinion is very important to us.

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

OFAJA : Our designs are not influenced by any design books but we are oftenly influenced by books about life. One of those which affects our lives in general is definitely A Confederacy of Dunces from J.K.Toole. We really love this book :-)

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

OFAJA : Years of practice :-)

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

OFAJA : When we truly think about it, we would like to meet the receantly deceased Czech architect Jan Kaplický who won the dedicated architectural competition in 2006 to the new building of the planned Czech National Library. Hopefully, the human malice and envy which prevented this idea from realization will be overcome one day.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

OFAJA : We are very enthusiastic that our designs are so highly evauated, especially because Italy is the country of the top design.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

OFAJA : Color: black-red; place: whole world; food: see-food; season: spring, summer and autumn; thing: all the most amazing thing in the world; brand: brand is not important, only quality is :-)

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

OFAJA : Our young customer shared her experince with us: She went through a supermarket when a nice young lad went against her. She was a looking at him, he was looking at her. When he was passing her by, he looked into her eyes and said: "Hmmm, Multibags from FrancoArazzi - right?".

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

OFAJA : We are motivated by our life - our approach is that life is fun. And thanks for every new morning :-)

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

OFAJA : Yes - a designer, but also a garbage collector, an astronaut and a shepherd :-).

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

OFAJA : We don't know - we care what will happen in 10, 20, 30 years from now.. But what we are afraid of in the coming years is as G.Santayana said: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

OFAJA : Please remember, that the good design should enriches all lives - the designer's, creator's, bearer's, and even the ordinary observer's life.