Etereo

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Etereo ("Etereo") 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?

Etereo : I have been with Etereo for 5 years, starting out as a Marketing Executive, Etereo gave me the opportunity to lead this project, from design concept to execution. Together with my team, we are very proud and happy with how the design turns out to be. Etereo was founded in 2015 as a creative agency that specialises in Branding, from conceptualisation to activation. We have a dynamic team that is never satisfied with the norm and take pride in every design that we created. Each design is unique. No design is a repetition from the past.

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

Etereo : As a business student for 6 years, I always find joy and passion in creative media and arts instead of business theories. I love to draw and found myself spending more and more time on design art software, creating designs during my free time. And that was the time, I know that Design will be the right choice for me to pursue in my career.

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

Etereo : I am sure that I chose and decided to become a designer.

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

Etereo : Mostly branding designs, to create a consistent set of visual identity for the client. Creating designs that reinforce the brand identity and yet at the same time, keeping them creative, can be a meaningful challenge to me. We are now working on UI/UX projects, which is something that we really enjoy doing and we are keen to have more opportunities to explore this.

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

Etereo : Humble, willing to take in criticisms. Design is very subjective, and you must be willing to listen to different comments and continue to improve on every design you come up with. Communicate your ideas, do not be restricted to just your perspective, be more open-minded.

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

Etereo : A good designer designs things that people want and what is expected out of the project. A great designer finds new ways that solve people’s problems and bring value to them.

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

Etereo : Every design is good in their own unique ways. What makes a good design stand out more is when the design is able to solve people’s problems unknowingly and be remembered by people through their message, and not just being eye-catching.

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

Etereo : Good design contributes to good business. A good design helps to make the connection between design and business. If we can identify the problem and build an ecosystem in the business structure with problem-solving designs and enhance the user experience of consumers, the innovation and operations of the business will fall in place following the design and consumer trends.

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

Etereo : We are not restricting ourselves to any particular brand or company, we welcome all kinds of industries and are always ready to take on the challenge.

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

Etereo : Every project that exceeded the clients’ expectation is a dream project to us.

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

Etereo : Learning from mistakes and always be ready and keen to stay updated to the latest design trends. Most importantly, always be open-minded and take in criticism.

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

Etereo : We do not have a specific design master, we get our inspirations from our daily lives and also through the various designs in the design community. Each and every design is unique in their own ways.

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

Etereo : Designs that are sustainable and bring out the message and stories behind them without being too complicated.

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

Etereo : Designing of our own brand, etereo. The design is simple and yet complex to achieve, less is more.It’s definitely great because it represents us. We are proud of it and we use it across our communications.

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

Etereo : Not just upgrading of skills and knowledge. Gaining more experience is one of the most important things every designer should take seriously. Working on a huge variety and different kinds of projects help to increase the creative thinking of one’s.

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

Etereo : I would have worked as a Business Management role, likely in a media-related company.

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

Etereo : Design is about sustainability and usability while making it aesthetically pleasing to the consumer’s eyes. It’s about fulfilling the needs of consumers and solving their problems via design.

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

Etereo : The Etereo’s family has always been my biggest supporter and provides me with opportunities to work on different projects to widen my horizons.

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

Etereo : The more common obstacles are Design block and countless rejections from clients. But they are also the motivations that motivate us to improve on our designs.

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

Etereo : In their own ways that they feel most comfortable and confident in bringing out the message behind their designs. Designers know and understand their design the best, and we should not set restrictions on how they should present it.

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

Etereo : We are working on projects in very different industries now, such as a Fashion label and a Medical brand. We are excited and confident that we will be creating something very different that represents their brands, keep a lookout for them!

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

Etereo : To have our designs recognised globally.

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

Etereo : To be able to create extraordinary designs that exceed everyone's expectations, most importantly, the audience.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

Etereo : Design helps individual brands to create their own identities and owning this set of unique characteristics will help brands to take ownership and pride.

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

Etereo : We are currently working on local fashion and a label and a medical brand. These two projects are bold and the brand owners have very high expectations of us. This challenge makes us more eager to work with them.

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

Etereo : When designs come to life and we happen to see them in our everyday lives, give us a sense of affinity and pride.

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

Etereo : Design is taking a very important role in large and small brands, there is more attention on creating design that speaks about their brand. Design applications will be complex as different formats will be required.

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

Etereo : Individualistic and visionary designs are what people will appreciate in future.

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

Etereo : It greatly depends on the scale of the project, it can last from four months to a year.

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

Etereo : Getting to know our client, her industry, her target audience and her competitors, is how we get started!

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

Etereo : There are no bad designers, only lazy designers.

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

Etereo : Trends do not affect designs and designs do not follow trends. They are not correlated in any ways.

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

Etereo : It helps to translate the concept to clients with ease.

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

Etereo : Sketchbook is a must for all designs. Adobe Creative Suite, sometimes Wacom and of course, Photoshoot equipment.

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

Etereo : They are the hands and legs of a great design, The fundamental of a well- thought through design is the heart beat of a brand. And the rest of it, the color, the materials used, the ambient are the hands and legs, they bring the design alive!

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

Etereo : Can you create a design for our brand? Yes,why not?

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

Etereo : The story and meaning behind the design, what is the rationale and reason that the design was being created.

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

Etereo : My team, we are small but we are strong in our different ways and that makes us help and fight with each other to create new ideas. Yes, co-design definitely works!

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

Etereo : My team. We discuss and brainstorm ideas together for new concepts and direction for every project.

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

Etereo : Rather than books, we follow different design magazines and websites to stay updated and aware of the global trends and happenings in the design world.

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

Etereo : Consistent learning and upgrading, never give up! Take every obstacle as a challenge.

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

Etereo : I believe Award is a huge achievement for every designer in the world. Apart from motivation, having your work recognised is a bigger achievement and this will not come easy, it requires patience, perseverance and years of hard work.

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

Etereo : Black, it stands out on its own and matches well with almost all colours. My favourite place will be any cafe that allows me to have some me-time. Autumn will always be my favourite season, a bonus when there are autumn leaves!

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

Etereo : When we were working on an urgent project of website design, the whole team (yes, even the bosses) stayed over in the office to complete it. We had mental breakdowns, we laughed and we took turns to nap. It was a challenging 3 days but the laughter and bond that we shared in the 3 days will always stay in my heart.

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

Etereo : A cup of good coffee always works. Whenever I am having a design block or demoralised, I will always get myself a cup of good coffee to cheer myself up. And I will start on my work again, nothing is impossible, you just have to keep trying to get things right.

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

Etereo : No, drawing and sketching have always calmed me down since young, but I did not expect myself to pursue design as my career.

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

Etereo : Designs will get more innovative and people will understand the value and appreciate design more. They will start to see the importance of design in every business and it's not just limited to the visual aspect, but also the effect it has on the daily operations of a business.

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

Etereo : I hope that people will understand etereo’s belief in all designs. Not just pleasing aesthetic, we believe in sustainable designs and are always ready to take on challenges to create design beyond imaginations.