Design Coast: Interview with the spanish designer Jaime Hayon (2008)

was born in madrid, spain in 1974.
he trained as an industrial designer in madrid and
paris and started working for fabrica, benetton group's communication research centre in treviso, italy.
in 1998 he was appointed head of the design
department, responsible for overseeing the development
of shop interiors, exhibitions and restaurants, as well as publications and logo designs. his projects include toys, tableware, furniture, ceramics and mosaics, interior and fashion design.
since 2006, he has been the art director of the spanish porcelain manufacturing company lladró, in valencia.
hayon's client list includes adidas, artquitect edition,
BD barcelona, benetton, bisazza, camper, coca-cola, danone group, metalarte, palluco,piper heidsieck and swarovski.
his first monograph entitled 'works' was recently released by gestalten verlag.

http://www.hayonstudio.com

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designboom met jaime hayon in milan on april 18, 2008.
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what is the best moment of the day?
breakfast, definitely - and dinner!

what kind of music do you listen to at the moment?
its very mixed, but something I have always had in my music library collection is flamenco music.

do you listen to the radio?
quite a lot.

what books do you have on your bedside table?
that's funny. I don't think I have any books next to
my bed.
I haven't been reading for a while. there must be somewhere a history book - yes, the history of england.

do you read design and architecture magazines?
not really.
just when they send them to me.
I'm not really interested in design magazines.

where do you get news from?
from the internet.
also I like to read newspapers.

I assume you notice how women dress.
do you have any preferences?
uh, wow. that's quite the question!
I like it when women are really sexy! (laughs)

what kind of clothes do you avoid wearing?
miniskirts - anything too female.

do you have any pets?
no, I don't.

when you were a child, did you want
to become a designer?
no.
I wanted to be a cook.

where do you work on your designs and projects?
at ten thousand feet, because I'm always travelling.

do you discuss your work with other designers?
I discuss my work with many people, but I don't have
too many people around me.
I like to ask for people's opinions.

describe your style, like a good friend of yours
would describe it.
he hates it! (laughs)
no, that's not true.
I've heard things like...it is humorous,
it has a sort of unexpected quality, surprise.

please describe an evolution in your work,
from your first projects to the present day.
it has evolved very quickly.
it has always been experimental.
I'm really happy about the fact that I'm always
learning by doing things.

what project has given you the most satisfaction?
in a way I think all of them have given me something.
it was really nice when I had my first exhibition at
david gill gallery. it was the first time I showed my
world to other people.

who would you like to design something for?
I've done many different things, including shoes.
I think it would be interesting to create some clothes,
but I don't know for who.

are there any designers or architects from the past
you appreciate a lot?
there are so many.
I love the floors of pichioni (an architect which maybe
no-one knows). I am even more interested in art.

and those still working / contemporaries?
I really like jeff koons work - sophisticated kitsch.
and I love the simplicity of donald judd -
the perfection of it is really, really exciting.

do you have any advice for the young?
to be themselves.
not to copy anyone else.
every person is unique, if they look at themselves and
believe in themselves, then they will make great work.

what are you afraid of regarding the future?
I'm afraid of many things.
I really enjoy what I'm doing, so what I'm probably
most afraid of is not enjoying what I'm doing anymore.