Joumana Maalouf

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Joumana Maalouf ("JM") 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?

JM : I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from Notre Dame University (NDU) in Beirut, Lebanon, and an MSc in International Business from Montpellier Business School, France. I am also the CEO & Creative Director of Colorcode Creative Agency since 2009

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

JM : In general, nature motivates me to design. Its colors, contradictions and textures are a constant motive for my creativity. I became a designer because I am highly passionate about creating beautiful things. Being creative and seeing things in different ways is a gift and I wanted to share that gift with others.

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

JM : Becoming a designer was a personal motive and decision. It seemed like the best way for me to exercise my thoughts and creativity on a daily basis.

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

JM : I usually start with the brand name creation, logo, identity creation, mood board, packaging, advertising campaign, stands & displays,... The type of designs I wish to design more of is packaging designs, with creative layouts, colors, molds and materials following international standards and guidelines.

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

JM : My advice to young, up and coming designers is to always be unique, work hard, never stop learning and researching, don't limit yourself, enjoy what you're doing and be enthusiastic.

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

JM : What distinguishes a great designer are the following qualities: passionate, creative and always ready for a new challenge.

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

JM : The main criteria I consider when evaluating a really good design are the concept, the creativity, the attractive layout, color and typography

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

JM : The value of a good design is that it represents the image, the high quality of the brand. Also the way the package is designed is just as important as the product itself. I think everyone should invest in good design because it has a positive effect on the business.

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

JM : If I had the time, I would surely design a new brand for myself with a series of food packaging products that can be purchased by end consumers and offered as an elegant gift.

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

JM : The dream project I haven’t yet had time to realize is a new brand which offers refined food packaging design and product that can be offered as an elegant gift.

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

JM : My secret recipe of success in design is to always be unique and work hard using secret ingredients of commitment and persistence.

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

JM : I usually get inspiration from different countries' traditions, colors, typography, layout... because each country has its own unique style in design.

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

JM : I usually do not pay attention to the designers name, because my main attention goes to the design itself which catches my attention.

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

JM : My greatest design and most important job experience was when I experienced a new country, Morocco, with our client O'dyafy. It was a challenging and interesting project that came to us without a concept, an identity or a name. Our challenge was to create a concept in an unfamiliar and new market while taking care of every detail, in order to bring the concept into life and stand out from the local competition. All these elements and aspects make me think that the overall experience was challenging and unforgettable.

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

JM : In order to improve myself in the design field, I mostly pay attention to details, and have the willingness to always learn more. The spirit of challenge also pushes me to be perfectionist and always want to create more attractive designs.

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

JM : If I hadn’t become a designer, I would've definitely studied a major related to the Arts field because it makes me full of joy and passion.

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

JM : For me, design is creating something beautiful out of nothing or transforming an old item to a new colorful and attractive piece.

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

JM : My family has always been my biggest support. They have always supported me in everything and have encouraged me to chase my dreams.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

JM : Growing as a designer needs continued education: whether formal, online or on my own. I always make sure to find a way to learn a new skill or technique by traveling and visiting international exhibitions.

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

JM : The obstacles I used to face were juggling multiple projects at once. Over time, I was able to manage this issue professionally by: prioritizing, scheduling and keeping a to-do list.

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

JM : When presenting their work, designers should begin by simply restating the larger business or product goals so that the audience understands how this work fits into the bigger picture.

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

JM : Our future plans certainly includes expanding our range of clients in foreign countries and enter new markets.

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

JM : My ultimate goal as a designer is to gain more experience and more learning, to stay on top of the design industry, which is always changing and evolving.

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

JM : As a designer, people expect me to always have new ideas and concepts. Therefore, I'm always on the lookout for the spark of a new idea in everything around me.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

JM : The responsibilities of a designer for society and environment is defined as a design process that contributes to improving human well-being and livelihood.

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

JM : We are currently working for a huge veterinary clinic in Qatar. The project is still in progress.

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

JM : One of our most important job experience that gave me the most satisfaction was when I experienced a new country, Morocco, with our client O'dyafy. It was a challenging and interesting project that came to us without a concept, an identity or a name. Our challenge was to create a concept in an unfamiliar and new market while taking care of every detail, in order to bring the concept into life and stand out from the local competition.

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

JM : In the design industry, I would like to see changes in the coming years in the design softwares used. I think the future softwares will rely on tools that will visually adapt what the designer has in mind, such as concepts, ideas, ...

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

JM : The design field is evolving into a more simplistic field. The future of design will rely on machine intelligence and it will certainly be an expansion at a furious pace.

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

JM : The duration to finalize a design project varies between a project and another, depending on the size and importance of it. Usually, the concept creation and research process takes around 2 weeks, while the execution of the product takes a month or two between the design process and the production phase.

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

JM : When I have a new design project, I always starts with a deep research on a local and international level. It is then followed by a brainstorming session with all team members involved. After setting the ideas and right directions, we start with the concept creation, followed by the realization and finalizing the process with the production phase.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

JM : My life motto as a designer and in life is: "When there's a will, there's a way".

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

JM : Design trends are constantly changing. Whether I follow them or not depends on my clients and what they are interested in rather than my own personal preferences. Some clients are looking for projects that ride the current design trends, others might want something more traditional, and still others might want something completely innovative and out of the box. Therefore, I don’t ignore design trends, but rather I study and understand them in order to match them accordingly with the clients' needs and expectations.

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

JM : When I design, the role of technology is that it facilitates the realization of the project and it helps me deliver them to my clients efficiently.

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

JM : During design, we use all Adobe softwares on iMac, in addition to getting inspired by worldwide magazines, international exhibition participations and reliable websites.

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

JM : In design, the color plays an important role because colorful designs attracts consumers the most and makes the products easier to spot on the shelves. Colors are also related to the brand and gives an impression for the consumer whether this brand is fun, healthy, ... Also, the materials used set the brand's level. In sum, a creative ambient will be the key to success.

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

JM : My attraction goes first to the image and impression that the design gave me, then I start analyzing the design why I found it attractive and what elements are strong to catch my attention, whether it's the colors, layout, typography, style, concept...

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

JM : At Colorcode, we always work as a team, who quickly became like family members.

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

JM : The person I interacted with and had the most influence on my design is one of my clients, who is very up-to-date and always looking for creativity and innovation.

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

JM : There's no specific book that had an effect on my design.

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

JM : As I previously said, growing as a designer needs continued education, whether formal, online or on my own. I developed my skills by spending more time practicing things I used to find difficult.

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

JM : Irrelative of time and space, I would want to meet, talk and discuss with Mother Theresa.

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

JM : Actually, A'design Award & Competition is our first award and we hope to expand our participation in such competitions annually.

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

JM : My favorite color is: Fuchsia My favorite place is: Resort My favorite food is: Pizza My favorite season is: Summer My favorite thing is: Flowers My favorite brand is: eQuia

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

JM : One of the funny things that I experience sometimes is when clients don't know exactly the meaning of some basic designing terms. For example, a new client once came to me who thought a logo means a brochure.

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

JM : A great day in my life as a designer consists of meetings with current and new potential clients, as well as being actually present at Colorcode's office in order to be actively creating new concepts and following up with the team and the clients. I am usually a positive person, which makes me motivated and overcome difficult times and tough challenges and enjoy all the effort I put in.

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

JM : Growing up as a kid, I was always doodling and sketching in notebooks at school. I was also very fascinated by colors, so my parents noticed the first signs that I would follow a path in the design field.

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

JM : In thousand years from now, I think we'll live somewhere beyond Earth. As the world gets warmer due to climate change and with a rapidly growing population, it will be absolutely critical to establish settlements beyond Earth if we want the human race to survive. I assume we will have a civilization on Mars, the Moon or maybe another planet beyond the solar system.

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

JM : At last, I would like to say that I am always ready for a new challenge and to have new opportunities to create new designs and be more creative. Therefore, you can easily reach us via email: joumana@colorcodelb.com, via land line +961 5 458 067, via mobile: +961 3 420 431, via social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin): @colorcodelb