Xun Zuo

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Xun Zuo ("XZ") 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?

XZ : After studying painting for several years in high school, I entered a university to study packaging design, where I began my professional practice as a brand designer. A few years later, I transferred to the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee to study brand design and then pursued a master’s degree in Visual Communication Design at Pratt Institute. I am now working at a creative agency in New York, focusing on brand activation and spatial experience design.

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

XZ : When I was a child, I was deeply fascinated by cars, not so much by their mechanical engineering, but by their aesthetic design. Drawing the cars I imagined and building them out of LEGO became my favorite childhood pastime. Over time, this passion evolved into an interest in fashion and sports, which eventually inspired me to pursue a career as a designer.

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

XZ : I chose to be a designer, but at the beginning I signed up for product design, not graphic design.

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

XZ : I design brands. My practice and research began with creating packaging and visual systems, but now I am shifting toward designing unique experiences for brands.

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

XZ : Truly love the profession you’re in, but don’t fall too much in love with your own work. Stay sharp, skeptical, and a little bit ruthless.

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

XZ : Good designers create beautiful things, but great designers create work that makes a real impact on society.

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

XZ : I always ask myself: Who is the audience for this design? What do they need? Are these needs real and urgent? How does this design address and fulfill them? How do its form and function interact effectively? What are its commercial and social values? Is it distinctive? And does it embody aesthetic excellence?

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

XZ : Good design is about efficiency. It sells products better, builds smarter structures, streamlines workflows, and accelerates communication. Good design reduces waste and misunderstanding. It unites stakeholders and consumers.

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

XZ : I might continue to pursue my passion for automotive and footwear design. I design for myself.

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

XZ : ChatGPT said: My dream project is to design a system that helps local small businesses better express their value and connect more deeply with their communities and cultures. Through design, I want to empower them to compete with increasingly homogenized global corporations—while also helping those corporations understand, respect, and celebrate local culture.

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

XZ : I don’t think I have a fixed formula for design, because every project is different. But I’d say Virgil Abloh’s “3% rule” is often my starting point.

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

XZ : Virgil Abloh is a great designer who has been a major source of inspiration for me. I also draw influence from artists like Futura and Takashi Murakami. Beyond that, I learn and grow by studying the work of various design institutions—from multinational companies like 2x4 to independent creative studios.

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

XZ : I love Virgil Abloh’s The Ten series. It preserved the classic look of Nike sneakers while completely reconstructing them from the inside out. What inspires me most isn’t just the shoes themselves, but the transparency and openness behind Virgil’s process. He shared his sketches, methods, prototypes, and experiments — that openness toward showing how things are made deeply influenced me. It’s the stories and thinking behind the designs that I truly love.

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

XZ : In my personal work, one project I really love is Hins’ Island, a low-poly 3D island design. It’s neither a logo, nor a poster, nor a book; it’s a form of self-expression, the only project where I am both the designer and the client.

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

XZ : See more design, visit the museum, and talk with other designers.

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

XZ : I don't know. I could become a code writer or a barista.

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

XZ : It's storytelling and problem-solving in a visually appreciated way.

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

XZ : My parents. My professors, especially the one American professor I met in China. He helped me a lot in both academics and life.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

XZ : The design is a fun thing to do for me. That helps me a lot.

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

XZ : Experience. A designer must keep creating and practicing to make a greater impact — to prove their ability to shape society through design. That’s what I’m still lacking.

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

XZ : Designers should ensure that their work is presented within a thoughtfully designed context.

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

XZ : more brand activations

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

XZ : I hope the design systems I create can help local small businesses win — to become the coolest and most beloved things in their communities.

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

XZ : cool, new, and fun visual solutions.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

XZ : Good design helps society become more efficient and eliminates misunderstanding — especially in an increasingly polarized world. Good design should also empower underrepresented communities.

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

XZ : I love helping brands communicate more effectively with their audiences. Some of my recent experiential design projects have achieved exactly that.

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

XZ : I designed a very cool café in Taiwan. It feels like my own child. It’s become a place both locals and tourists love to visit, and seeing people take photos inside truly makes me happy.

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

XZ : AI is a revolutionary shift, and the democratization of design is another major trend. I’m curious about how professional designers can redefine their place within this new landscape.

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

XZ : Designers are increasingly shifting from executional work toward creative direction.

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

XZ : Some projects take me a month to complete, while others never truly end — they become ongoing works that require continuous care and evolution.

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

XZ : I sink myself into the related visuals and study of the customers.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

XZ : Just Do It

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

XZ : It’s an ongoing interaction: design draws inspiration from social trends, then shapes aesthetic trends; those aesthetics become archives, ready to influence future designs and movements.

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

XZ : Technology is the most crucial consideration — creativity is limitless, but only technology can turn ideas into real impact.

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

XZ : Adobe, C4D

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

XZ : These are the ingredients I often work with — I think about how they interact with my visuals from the very beginning of the design process to create the vibe I want.

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

XZ : Why you do this?

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

XZ : Everyday, in everywhere.

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

XZ : I don’t have an ideal model, but I believe good design requires the input of diverse perspectives and points of view.

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

XZ : All of my coworkers, especially my boss.

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

XZ : Designing Design, Kenya Hara

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

XZ : I’m always learning through projects, but my educational background has shaped a mindset where I constantly ask myself, whenever I see something: How was this made?

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

XZ : Probably everyone from the Bauhaus school.

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

XZ : For designers, yes — because we’re always working behind the scenes.

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

XZ : Black, blue and grey green. New York. Coffee. Fall. Sneakers. Audi and Nike

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

XZ : Design is a very enjoyable fun job for me, but I can hardly think of any funny experiences. Even though I enjoy it, I always try to stay serious about it.

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

XZ : See people enjoying my design, buying the product I designed, and support my client.

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

XZ : I spent most of my class time drawing comics, which my teachers never allowed — but looking back, that was probably a sign.

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

XZ : I hope humanity has become an interstellar species. Meeting and living peacefully with extraterrestrial life. But it’s also possible that our civilization won’t survive the next millennium if we don’t make real change.