Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Masaru Eguchi ("ME") 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.
ME : I started taking pictures when I was a college student. I studied psychology in college and after graduating, I began my career as a photographer, winning national and international awards. Later, I also became a designer, designing badminton rackets for the world's number one market share and branding design for a social business, which won the Red Dot Award in 2019.
ME : I thought if I understood design, I could improve the performance of the designers who were around me.
ME : I can't say either way. If I had met some very talented designers, I wouldn't have become a designer. It's that kind of environment that compelled me to become a designer.
ME : I design social design, product design, branding design, graphic design, websites, applications, all sorts of things. These days, I'm also training designers.
ME : Trying new things while learning from history.
ME : A good designer should be able to solve the problem and bring benefits to the client. In addition to this, a great designer has to create new values and change the conventions of the past.
ME : Be beautiful for hundreds of years. So, it takes time for the design to have real value.
ME : That's the difference between an ape and a human. If you want to be a monkey, you don't have to invest in design.
ME : In April 2020, we are facing a crisis like we have never experienced before. Everyone has to stay home. You have to be happy to stay at home. So, I've started distributing content for that on Youtube.
ME : That's a difficult question to answer. I want to design something that moves me in a way that humans haven't experienced yet, but I don't know what it is. It's working for the time being, though.
ME : Move! Trying new things. Don't stick to the must-win patterns of the past.
ME : There are just too many to answer. Renaissance artists, William Morris, Arts and Crafts, Bauhaus, Helmut Schmidt, Emil Ruder, I'm influenced by a lot of people. In Japan, I am also influenced by Korin Ogata, Hokusai Katsushika, Yusaku Kamekura and Kenya Hara. Sorry, I can't even begin to describe it.
ME : My latest favorite is the Swedish brand Jonas. The kitchen tools are amazingly good.
ME : Nature. I can't think of anything so functional and beautifully shaped in a man-made object that wasn't designed for it.
ME : I have studied history, observed nature and people, thought about it, executed and improved. It's especially important to learn the classics.
ME : Psychologist.
ME : It's planning and execution. What is not designed does not exist in this society. However, all things are divided into "good design" and "bad design". A good design is one in which planning and execution are working effectively, and a bad design is one in which they are not working effectively. A good designer is good at planning and execution.
ME : The greats of the past and ancient writings.
ME : My talent, my hard work, my luck, and my clients.
ME : Kidney Disease. Because if I had died, I wouldn't have become a designer.
ME : It's all about winning awards, using social media, and advertising.
ME : It's a secret. It's something to be excited about.
ME : There is always something new to discover.
ME : To sell the client's products through design.
ME : It gives wisdom and inspiration.
ME : Youtube and VLOG.
ME : There is none. Because as time goes on, I'm discovering the bad points.
ME : Raise the budget. And just because an app is convenient, there's too much for designers to do, too many bad designers.
ME : To be able to deliver value even when it's far away. This is especially necessary in the tourism industry, where designs need to be created that allow tourists to experience tourism without having to go there. The destruction of nature in the tourism industry is horrible.
ME : It is up to the deadline.
ME : Site visits and observations.
ME : Take history, improve it, and pass it on to the next generation. It is because of the greats of the past that we are able to design today, and as a member of history, we have to leave good design for the next generation.
ME : Design sets the trend. A trend is a trend of the people. If something designed first (a product, an idea, a politics, a culture, etc.) doesn't influence people, then a trend won't be born.
ME : It's about making production easy and making new discoveries.
ME : Adobe CC, Apple, iPhone, Camera.
ME : They work on the human senses and prompt action. A product or ad designed to say "I'm good," speaks to the user.
ME : Nothing. If there's anything to be said for it, it's that the design isn't working.
ME : Let ’s use! I'm just curious.
ME : It's a person with whom we can influence each other and work comfortably. I believe in co-design, but so far, I haven't been able to.
ME : Katsuya Kawata. He's my mentor. There are so many people I've never met...Renaissance, William Morris, Emil Ruder, Helmut Schmidt, Yusaku Kamekura, Kenya Hara, Korin Ogata, Hokusai Katsushika. There's more.
ME : “Dictionary of aesthetician’s” written by Kenichi Sasaki. “The Hojyoki” written by Kamo no Chomei.
ME : Observe, think, do, and improve. It's important to move anyway.
ME : Leonardo da Vinci. He's the only one I can't imagine. He may have been stern, he may have been mischievous, he may have been one person, he may have been a collective. Maybe he didn't even exist, I don't know. Anyway, I'm very interested.
ME : I consider myself fortunate.
ME : Black, nature, water yokan (Japanese sweets), autumn.
ME : I've never had a good time. Creating a great design is just a little bit of pleasure beyond the suffering, sacrifice and trials.
ME : There is nothing but a sense of mission. We are striving to use our God-given talents. If you have to motivate yourself on purpose, you should quit being a designer.
ME : I didn't imagine it, but I guess it was a no-brainer. I think I got lucky.
ME : I think it's better than it is now. That's what we're designing for.
ME : If you want great design, be kind to people, eat good food, take a warm bath, and get a good night's sleep.
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