INTERVIEW WITH JULIA ESQUÉ
It's difficult to define the work of product designer Julia Esqué specifically, and perhaps that's why we like her so much.
From her studio in Barcelona, Júlia brings to life designs that challenge preconceived forms and push the boundaries of the materials used. Good examples are the knives that explore ergonomics for The Table Knife Project, the Hortensia armchair produced by Moooi or the glasses designed for FAD Barcelona. Her designs close the circle between the functional and the conceptual, and remind us of all the beauty that can emerge from reading between the lines.
N.: Could you briefly define yourself?
JE: I am 34 years old, I was born in Barcelona and I am a product designer. A couple of years ago I stopped working for others and decided to start my own business. Although it is not an easy path at all, little by little I am working on projects that excite me and make me happy.
N.: What inspired you to become a product designer? Was it something you always wanted to be or did you evolve into this profession by chance?
JE: I have always been curious about objects, although when I was little I didn't know that the profession existed. My paternal grandfather was a blacksmith and he always made little inventions to make our lives easier and more beautiful. He had his workshop below our house and every time we went to see him he would show us some new object he had made, something must have stuck with me. When I decided that I wanted to study product design, my family encouraged me to go for it.
N.: Tell us about your work process. Do you focus more on the conceptual phase or the prototype phase? Is experimentation an integral part of the process of each of your projects?
JE: The truth is that I have a hard time until I have a clear concept. Once I have it clear, I start to enjoy the project and I let myself be carried away by experimentation and working with my hands, which helps me to move forward with the project. Normally I end up making models and prototypes until I fill the table and from there I make decisions looking at the differences between iterations.
N.: Would you share with us any current projects that you are excited about?
JE: In Catalan there is this phrase that says “don’t say blat fins que no sigui al sac i ben lligat”. Something similar happens to me with the projects I work on, it’s as if saying it out loud would bring me bad luck. But I can say that I am working on a couple of projects that I have been pursuing for some time and I am very excited about them.
N.: Barcelona, Lausanne and New York are cities you have lived in… Which one do you prefer? Would you recommend any special/favourite place in any of them?
JE: I'll stick with Barcelona, I guess that's why I'm here. The experiences abroad were amazing, but we're very lucky with the size and position of the city.
Special sites:
NY: “The Lot Radio” is an outdoor radio station with a terrace bar for having a coffee in the morning or a wine in the evening. It is located at a Greenpoint intersection very close to McCarren Park. I don’t know what it is like now but at that time the atmosphere was great.
Lausanne: I have very fond memories of the “beaches” in front of Lake Leman. The views are of the French Alps and it used to be our place to go for a drink, barbecue and swim.
N.: Is there anything outside of your profession that really interests you or that you are interested in learning more about?
JE: Yes! I would like to learn more about pattern making, have a hand loom and learn how to weld.