Nikola Eftimov

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Nikola Eftimov ("NE") 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?

NE : My educational background is based in fine art and fashion design. I graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (Graphic Art and Fashion Design, 1993) and completed a master's degree at the Accademia Italiana in Florence (Fashion as Art, 1988). Throughout my career I have been involved in fashion and costume design projects as well as traditional and digital art practices.

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

NE : The use of visual language(s) to communicate was one of the driving forces in my decision to choose the combination of fashion design and fine art as my future career.

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

NE : From a young age, I knew I wanted to express myself through visual means. Becoming a designer was not a random decision. As I grew older, this passion only crystallized in the specific areas of fashion design and fine art.

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

NE : For most of my career I have focused on fashion design, creating both unique, tailored and ready-to-wear clothing. From time to time I have also undertaken costume design projects. The love of art led me to explore the world of illustration and graphic design.

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

NE : Each of us is a unique person. If I had to advise young designers, it would be to constantly educate, learn and work hard. The main struggle should be overcoming personal limitations and prejudices and constantly expanding horizons.

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

NE : The first design solution is rarely optimal. Designing is a process that includes acquired knowledge, experience and passion for the profession. Design results depend on many factors, but a great designer never stops at mediocre solutions and always explores all possibilities.

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

NE : There are numerous criteria for evaluating good design, and some of them are: uniqueness, communication aspects, combination of aesthetic and functional characteristics, context, etc.

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

NE : Good design is something that defines the identity of a product or service.

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

NE : One of my old passions is costume and fashion history. Working on the visual aspect of a book about the general history of fashion in the West, including illustrations, even the reconstruction of individual historical costumes, can be a challenging but beautiful design adventure.

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

NE : A designer is and should be a dreamer. Dressing a guest for a MET Gala event is something a fashion designer can only dream of.

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

NE : Being honest with yourself, listening to intuition and again hard work are some of the main ingredients in the realization of a successful design.

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

NE : There are many designers in different fields of design who have inspired my work: Paul Poiret, Mariano Fortuny, Vivienne Westwood and others in fashion design, René Gruau in fashion illustration, Andrea Truglio in interior design, etc.

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

NE : The Delphos gown by Henrietta Negrin and her husband Mariano Fortuny revolutionized the development of fashion design in many ways. I like its timeless simplicity, femininity and elegance. The works of Georges Lepape and Paul Iribe changed the perception of fashion illustration. Thayaht (Ernesto Michahelles) left an eternal mark in fashion with his TuTa. There are many other examples.

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

NE : It's hard to pick one favorite design, however, I really like my recent Buky illustration. It combines tradition and modernity well. The winning design of an outfit inspired by Coca-Cola Light in 2005, in the competition to introduce this drink to the domestic market, also still resonates as a good design solution that is playful, but with references to inspiration.

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

NE : In addition to constant hard work and constant learning, important factors include openness to constructive criticism and good information about the current zeitgeist.hch

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

NE : It's hard to imagine my life without design. Perhaps I would have become a fashion or art historian, a Latin linguist, a biologist, or even a pharmacist as part of my family tradition.

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

NE : In my opinion, design is a process that gives products, services, etc. their visual uniqueness and functionality. It brings many human activities to another level of existence.

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

NE : My first supporters were members of my immediate family. Later in life, all of my tutors and mentors in the fields of fine art, fashion and graphic design contributed to my development as a designer.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

NE : Discipline, hard work, love for the profession and constant hunger for learning helped me develop as a designer.

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

NE : Personal growth also depends on the context in which the designer grows and develops. Since design is a relatively new discipline in my country, additional effort was required to explain its nature, personal choices, personal design signature, etc.

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

NE : The presentation depends on the particular area of ​​design, but it should always be presented with dignity and as professionally as possible. In this way, the designer shows respect for his work, his profession, his audience, his customers, etc.

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

NE : Currently, in addition to regular teaching and fashion design engagements, I am arranging several possible international fashion presentations.

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

NE : I learned the lesson that the process is more important than the end goal. I am on my own human and design journey, where it will take me, only the future will show.

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

NE : People expect at least consistent quality, if not improvement, but also some novelty and a bit of surprise.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

NE : The communicative aspect of design provides powerful tools for spreading messages that can help build a better, more tolerant and more humane society.

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

NE : I am currently involved in designing and executing unique outfits for distinguished women from the cultural sector.

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

NE : In addition to participating in prestigious design competitions and working directly with clients, I always enjoy working on projects with a social component, such as fashion design auctions that help economically disadvantaged sections of society.

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

NE : I would like to see even greater growth in environmental awareness, elimination of harmful practices and an ethical approach in the business sector.

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

NE : Design itself, but also humanity as a whole, is at a crossroads, so to speak. Future developments will depend on the choices we make and the path we take as humanity on this planet. In my opinion, we should use the new technology in combination with some traditional, sustainable practices that communicate with the current zeitgeist

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

NE : Everything depends on the type of design project, its scope, technical requirements, etc. Usually it takes at least two months to half a year to design and execute some design projects.

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

NE : A solid brief is a good starting point. This is usually followed by design research and initial design ideas.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

NE : Based on my design signature, my motto is Between Modernity and Tradition. As a person and author, By Skill Not Force.

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

NE : Again, the answer to this question is not easy; It depends on many factors, such as: the type of design and the specific industry, the position of the designer, etc. Some of the trends are caused by social developments, certain events, other creative industries, etc., which are later translated by the designer in different design solutions that could give rise to certain design trends.

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

NE : The role of technology is very important when I work on the presentation, but also in some earlier stages of the design process.

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

NE : For the presentation stage, working on illustrations, creating fabric patterns, etc. I use Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator almost regularly. I have also heartwarmingly chosen AI for the visual aspect of my work, which is why I use various AI-based applications.

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

NE : Even if I am focused on a certain type of design, I always want to see, at least imagine the bigger picture and the context in which the designed object would live. in this sense, colors, textures, materials, etc. are very important. Sometimes I even start an entire design journey based on a particular color or material.

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

NE : I would like to talk about various aspects of my design work, not just superficial things. The design process and solutions are often multi-layered stories, I would like to share some of them.

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

NE : When I witness a great new design and product, I am amazed, I think about human ingenuity.

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

NE : As a person who believes in individuality, a good starting point for teamwork or having a design partner could be tolerance, mutual respect, but also a good conversation and defining obligations.

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

NE : Some of my design lecturers who have extensive design and artistic experience have left a lasting mark on my development as a designer. Also, the costume history and fashion history lecturers from my master's studies in Italy further enriched my passion for these disciplines.

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

NE : Whether it's a poetry book, a novel, a history book, designe books, etc., all the books I've read have had an immense impact on me as a person and designer. The Book of the Courtier (Italian: Il Cortegiano) by Baldassare Castiglione, Against the Grain (French: À rebours) by Joris-Karl Huysmans and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde marked my early youth. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and Dailly Meditations with Saint Augustine (Compiled and edited by Rev. John E. Rotelle, O.S.A.) have helped me in my personal growth. Manual of history of costume and fashion (Italian: Manuale di storia del costume e della moda) by Cristina Giorgetti and 20,000 Years of Fashion: The History of Costume and Personal Adornment by Francois Boucher and Yvonne Deslandres gave me a solid foundation in costume and fashion history.

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

NE : Although the word sacrifice is not very popular in today's culture, in order to achieve a certain level of mastery in my profession I had to give up many things. Again, hard work, curiosity and discipline are the keys to the successful development of a designer.

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

NE : In case of time travel, I would like to enjoy afternoon tea or a nice dinner with Elsa Schiaparelli, Salvador Dalí and Leonardo da Vinci.

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

NE : Receiving the award was a joyful and humbling experience. The award came at the perfect time for me, it marked a new beginning for many things related to my personal and professional life. On the other hand, it obliged me to work even harder.

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

NE : Green and purple are among my favorite colors. There are many dear places, countries, cities in the world, Florence in Italy with its history, cultural heritage and people is one of the cities where I feel at home. Thai and Italian cuisine are definitely my favorites. I love all seasons, but I feel best in spring, autumn and during Christmas. I like gardening, beautiful porcelain and glass objects and listening to Early and Baroque music. I love the Thai fashion brand Greyhound.

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

NE : Once, while trying on a wedding dress, the bride came with her mother. I told her that all the finishing touches would be done by hand. She asked me if my sewing machine was broken.

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

NE : I always try to spend the whole day doing a lot of activities. Caring for my plants is part of my daily routine. I recently started learning Spanish so I spent at least an hour on this activity. Then it's work, regardless of whether it's a design or teaching assignment. Music, a nice cup of tea or a glass of wine with one of my friends are ways to relax.

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

NE : According to the people around me, yes. I just wanted to follow my dreams.

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

NE : I hope that humanity will survive and grow in conscience. If so, I can see a humane and empathic race communicating with the wider universe.

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

NE : For now, what I have already said is quite enough. I might just add: Let's make the world a better place together.