Creative&Live

Demian Conrad is a graphic and industrial designer working between Lausanne and Bellinzona in Switzerland. Adept of “Less is more”, his work has been awarded and recognized all around the world.
Recently, he realised an amazing graphic creation for the mythical and historic brand GABBANI in Lugano. Bar, restaurant and hotel, Gabbani is synonymous of quality and a point of reference for its “fine food” and hospitality. The challenge was to create a contemporary brand mark containing the gene of GABBANI, in my opinion he succeeded!

I am really thankful to him for replying to my questions.

Creative&Live: What did you want to do when you were a child?
Demian Conrad: Biologist.

C&L: How did you get started in the world of design?
D.C.: My father used to be a publisher of rare books, and I was, in some ways, involved in crazy projects with a close friend of him, a graphic designer.

C&L: Do you work mainly on your own or in collaboration?
D.C.: I I tend to be a solo thinking guy at the first stage of a project. I really enjoy the research as I need to be aware of the details and history of the subject I’m working on. But when it comes to concretize the project, I do a lot of working with other designers and insight discussions with close friends and collegues. The most of my self-initiated project are done in collaboration.

C&L: We can clearly recognise in your work the influence of Charles and Ray Eames, The Swiss Style including among others Paul Rand, Armin Hoffmann, Emil Ruder, Joseph Muller-Brockman. Do you have any other sources of inspiration?
D.C.: I’m really interested in the work of the great Tibor Kalman and I like the design of William Morris. Both are radical designers who pushed the boundries of the design dialogue. But I’m also influenced by the daily life. I think we create in relation of our environnement, and be connected to the local culture is crucial.

To Conclude, The Proust Questionnaire for designer.
Your favorite color: mumble mumble – the color of a green leaf under the summer sun!
Your favorite font: Hobo.
Your favorite book: At the moment, The Architecture of Happiness, Alain de Botton.
Your heroes in design: Heroe maybe is too much, but I may say that a kind of guidance to me is of course Bruno Munari who has consecrated the last years of his life to one of the most important issues: children education.
Your favorite raw material: Pasta with olive oil! I love stone, marble and wood.
Your motto: Enjoy your life in each moment of the day, life is to short to be lost in stupid task!