By Arthurious
Renowned furniture designer Marcel Wanders of Moooi shares his views on creativity, inspiration, and on asking the right questions.
Right now, I’m homeless.
I’m not an introvert, but I’m not an extrovert either.
Balance is always a good idea.
Look for a sense of purpose and you’ll find yourself on the right path. If there’s no path, that’s even better.
If I were you, I wouldn’t wait for inspiration to come. You can tie me up to this chair and I’d still find a way to be inspired.
The brain is a magical place: if you have a question, the answer will come. The problem is, not all questions are worth answering.
There’s no place like Tokyo.
One day, I decided that I’ll be living in five different cities for the next five years. Last year, it was San Francisco. This year, I found myself in Milan.
I travel to unroot myself.
What I love about big cities is that any design object that initially looked very rational, with time and changing context, becomes irrational.
Why do I like Tokyo so much? Try standing still there in the middle of the street for five minutes. You’ll get it right then.
It’s a common misconception to think that five years in a design school will make anyone great. No one is going to teach you marketing skills, technology or chemical procedures of microscopic structures of plastic — you have to fucking study it on your own.
People always tell us, designers, to concentrate on our talent. I think it’s a stupid idea. If you are a runner who is fast in running, you are the first one to reach a hurdle. But what if jumping is not your talent?
If one day you don’t learn, you’re in the wrong place.
Concentrate on the hurdles.
You grow when it’s most inconvenient; when it’s difficult, shitty, and irritating. There’s no other way to grow.
Can I have my coffee, please?
“If one day you don’t learn, you’re in the wrong place.”
Moooi New York Showroom
36E 31 St., New York City
