Philippe Vergez

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Philippe Vergez ("PV") 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?

PV : I studied mathematics and physics at the University of Bordeaux, but always kept one foot in the arts. I took side courses in photography and design at the School of Arts of Bordeaux, at a time photography was argentic and design softwares were not invented yet... That’s where logic and emotion started to merge for me. Design became my language for both.

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

PV : I design to capture the things we can’t say easily, love, loss, memory, rebellion. Design gives shape to what haunts or inspires us. That’s what keeps me going.

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

PV : It chose me. I never really made a career plan, I just followed the instinct to create. Design was the vessel that could hold the fire.

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

PV : I design jewelry, mostly, sculptural, emotional, unapologetic. I’d love to explore furniture or sacred objects next, anything with a soul.

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

PV : Don’t try to be a legend. Try to be honest. Try to be necessary. That’s the only thing that lasts.

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

PV : A good designer masters form. A great designer masters silence, they know when to stop, and when to let a piece speak on its own.

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

PV : When it feels inevitable, like it couldn’t have been done any other way. Good design doesn’t beg for attention. It carries gravity.

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

PV : Because we become what we surround ourselves with. Good design elevates our thoughts, our habits, and our sense of self.

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

PV : I’d love to design for someone who’s lost their voice, a piece that helps them reclaim it. Not just jewelry, something protective, symbolic.

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

PV : My next one, one dream at a time.

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

PV : Memory. I design from moments I can’t forget, or from ones I wish had lasted longer.

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

PV : Alexander McQueen. Tadao Ando. René Lalique. And musicians, they’re designers of emotion.

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

PV : Anything that holds paradox, power and fragility, minimalism and excess, stillness and movement.

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

PV : I believe my greatest design, not yet released, is the Amorae ring. It’s deeply personal, bridging past lives and future hopes. It’s not just a jewel; it’s an intemporal symbol of love and freedom. It carries echoes of battles fought, bonds unbroken, and a longing that transcends time. I designed it to endure, not just physically, but emotionally. I believe it will stand as a testament to everything I’ve tried to express as a designer.

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

PV : Protect your solitude. Sketch a lot. Travel. Listen. And read, especially outside of design.

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

PV : Probably a writer or filmmaker. Something where narrative and rhythm still matter.

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

PV : Design is memory made visible.

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

PV : Qymira, her belief and presence shaped everything. And Evgeny who turns my wildest designs into reality.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

PV : Patience. Rebellion, staying honest, even when it cost me time. Never compromising with my values and integrity.

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

PV : Self-doubt. Lack of access. And learning to balance vision with feasibility.

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

PV : With clarity, but not over-explaining. Let the piece speak. But give it a context worth listening to.

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

PV : The AMORAE collection, born of past lives, revolutions, and love. One of my deepest works yet.

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

PV : Creating pieces that will talk to people 100 years from now....

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

PV : Authenticity. Vision. And a refusal to compromise.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

PV : Design makes people feel seen, protected, inspired. It can reconnect us to purpose, if it’s done with heart.

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

PV : AMORAE. It’s more than a collection, it’s a map of memory, pain, love, and freedom.

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

PV : The Roaring Lion Choker, because it united design, tribute, and philanthropy in one gesture.

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

PV : Less noise. Less mass production. More depth. More pieces that mean something.

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

PV : I dream it will go toward meaningful minimalism, where less is made, but more is said.

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

PV : From a few days to several months, depending on how stubborn the soul of the piece is.

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

PV : With a feeling. Then a shape. Then a sketch.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

PV : The hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can inspire. A magical quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson

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

PV : Design can set the trend, if it dares to ignore it.

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

PV : Supportive. It refines, but never leads.

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

PV : Pen and sketchpad, Adobe Illustrator, Rhino, Wacom tablet, multiple screens. And music, always.

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

PV : Essential, they give the piece its temperature, its voice.

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

PV : “What story does this piece tell?” Not “What does it cost?”

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

PV : “How did he/she feel when he/she made this?”

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

PV : Evgeny or Florent another one of a kind jeweler, always. And yes, if the values align. Co-design can be powerful.

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

PV : Lately, Qymira and Evgeny. One inspires, the other enables. And those who always supported me and encouraged me when I was lost. They know who they are.

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

PV : On the Road by Kerouac. Coolness: The pure elegance of freedom by Michael Köckritz. And countless poems.

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

PV : By failing. Then trying again. Being stubborn and by never rushing.

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

PV : Leonardo da Vinci, not for technique, but to talk about restlessness, magic of numbers and geometry.

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

PV : I’m not famous, and I don’t seek to be. I remain humble. The recognition is meaningful, of course, but it’s not the goal. Awards shine a light on the work, not the person. I’m grateful if the work touches people or serves a cause, that’s enough. The rest is noise.

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

PV : My favorite color is the sum of all of them: Black Place: anywhere with my significant one Food: pinxos Thing: my 1200 R Triumph Thruxton Brand:VERGEZ of course.

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

PV : I do not want to embarrass myself... LOL

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

PV : A motorcycle ride. A music. A walk alone. A sentence from a book. A text from a loved one. Or a moment when a design “clicks.”

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

PV : It was obvious to me I will be a knight in armor fighting endless battles. I was crafting my own swords out of wood at age 4 and I was always drawn to things that didn’t yet exist.

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

PV : Not very confident about the future but if we are lucky to witness a miracle, we may return to simplicity and remember to live with less and love more.

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

PV : I design with feeling. I create to remember. And I hope my pieces speak to the part of you that still believes in magic, resistance, and love.