Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira ("CDF") 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?

CDF : I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Product Design and Master of Arts degree in Design. Since mid level education I was sure that I wanted something in between art and sciences. I felt close to each and was rather successful in each but had not felt to be in the extreme side of any of them. Looking at my options of degrees, what caught my attention was architecture and industrial design.

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

CDF : I knew that I wanted to make things around me more functional and more beautiful. So, I have chosen industrial design because it was offering me more opportunities & more areas to work with in the future. During university education I spent one year in Italy in a Communication Design program. That also had a lot of effect to shape my career as a brand designer today.

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

CDF : It was my choice

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

CDF : I'm a one person design studio that offers brand, packaging and web design services to worldwide clients. I started working as a freelancer in 2014 just after my graduation and during my masters education.

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

CDF : When we graduate from a design school we already have the necessary tools for designing for a project but usually we’re not experienced in managing a whole project process on our own. Here are my suggestions that I give when I talk to young designers: - Even if you will work for a company or will work independently, make sure to follow standard practices for a project process, as you get more experienced this will flow more naturally. - Be patient and don’t have unrealistic expectations from yourself. Don't compare yourself with somebody who has many years of experience. Actually don't compare yourself with anybody at all :) - Portfolio creation is hard but it’s the most important piece that we can show our work, our capabilities. Try to focus on it constantly and make sure that it reflects what you’re capable of, not what you have done created until so far. This means you may create some fiction work or a different presentation that you created for the client.

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

CDF : Care and attention

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

CDF : I’m a hard person to like something :) Firstly I judge by the basic design rules and the functionality. If we’re evaluating a graphic design this starts with visibility & readability. If we’re evaluating a product it starts with ergonomic and usability. Then, after checking these most important boxes, I judge by the aesthetic. Actually these judgements happen really fast in my brain and I might not be able to critic a design very quickly even though I know if it’s good or bad. As I internalized these aspects since the beginning of design education, some decisions come really fast and then I look for the reason after that.

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

CDF : When I'm working with clients, I work for their brand as if it's my own. This is a personality feature, I'm not able to do the opposite. Even though I'm not sure if it's exactly good or bad, I realized that it creates this bond between me and the client because they realize that I'm very honest and I'm going above and beyond to create the best option for that specific brand & target audience. So, overall I believe what makes a design successful is a good communication and dedication during the design process, which then results in great visual fit between the design & target customer.

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

CDF : Dieter Rams, Charles & Ray Eames, Ellen Lupton

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

CDF : Consume a lot of art and design work to train your eye

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

CDF : Probably I would do something in gastronomy area. I have a second degree in gastronomy because I'm passionate about discovering new tastes.

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

CDF : For me, design is exploring the best creative option for what we're creating within the frame of restrictions and relevant context. It's both analytical and imaginative. It's what makes us humans enjoy life, get inspired and find meaning.

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

CDF : My family and my husband

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

CDF : My golden rule is to approach each project in it’s own context. As a heart based business owner, I provide a boutique service that really digs deep into the core of that brand and develop unique solutions that would work for that brand. I enjoy this tailor made process and it definitely gives me something new to learn, develop myself in the meantime.

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

CDF : Being an independent designer is hard in so many levels. Deciding everything by yourself is an advantage but coming up with a vision and plan is not that easy, sometimes we limit ourselves. That's why every advice I received from more experienced designers and mentors are golden.

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

CDF : Lately I'm trying to focus on the visual storytelling side of things. When we're presenting a case study, it's easier to write paragraphs to explain the design process and how it connects to the brand and the customer. But it's even better to tell this visually. I realized that when I successfully do that, projects are more appreciated because viewers understand the idea and the story behind it.

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

CDF : I have some exciting branding projects coming this year in cosmetics, food & drinks areas :)

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

CDF : Continue to create until the last day of my life :)

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

CDF : Empathy and communication. We designers should be able to put ourselves in both client and customer’s shoes. It’s quite important not forgetting about who the end customer is. Sometimes it might be hard to satisfy both the client and the end customer, but it’s a skill that gets stronger by experience.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

CDF : We have the power of design in our hands and it can be helpful to bring awareness in so many subjects.

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

CDF : I'm fascinated by creating new worlds for brands. It's a world that completely belongs to that personality of the brand and I like to think 360 degree while designing that.

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

CDF : We see the importance of design increases day by day. It became a differentiation factor and an important communication aider for companies. As each company is pushing the boundaries to have a unique design that has a message to give, I’m expecting that a design done just for the beauty will lose impact. Instead, a meaningful design that feels relevant to customers will raise. We already started to see this happening since some years. However, it’s not quite easy to tell a unique story with a design because the roots of that story are in the brand and the marketing strategy. That’s why I feel that the line between the marketing and design will get thinner and more designers will start to upskill in marketing.

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

CDF : For a brand design project we’re looking at a timeline of few months to a year (if there are couple products to be launched, depending on the product, there might be approval process managed by authorities etc.)

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

CDF : Honestly it's a roller coaster of emotions. Each project starts with excitement, then exploration feeling, a bit of stress, then comes the pain of creativity, followed by the hope, adrenaline and satisfaction at the end.

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

CDF : For the work I do, Adobe CC & Figma combination is what I use most. As a hardware I own an iMac at home office and a MacBook Pro for mobile work. Except these direct design tools I use Google Work tools, Airtable for project and payment follow-up. For source of inspiration I use Pinterest and my reference design books.

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

CDF : As Eames said: "The details are not the details. They make the design."

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

CDF : The thought process and inspiration behind it.

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

CDF : "Where can I use this method of thinking?"

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

CDF : Ways of Seeing by John Berger, Creative Act by Rick Rubin

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

CDF : I'm a forever green lover.

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

CDF : For me it's possible to get inspired by many things, I try to see the beauty and ideas behind anything I see. That's why I travel a lot and try to experience many things in life. Especially creativity and art of the things inspires me; there are many inspirations if we really look at nature, art, movies, music, simple routines of daily life, well designed objects; as well as any creative work showcased on online platforms

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

CDF : I wasn't imagining I would be a designer when I was a child but I was so curious about how things are done in our daily lives. For example I would unfold a chocolate wrapper and fold again in the exact same way. It gave me pleasure to see and learn how the package was designed and folded.