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- [00:01]
A
Welcome to Deep Dive, a podcast series in which Frederick's Editor in chief, Dara Caponigro and fellow editors are joined by design industry leaders to share their unique insights, experiences and knowledge on the world of decorating.
- [00:16]
B
Hi, I'm Tori Malott. I'm the style Director at Frederick Magazine. Thank you for joining me on the Deep Dive. I am very excited to welcome Gerge Erdet to the podcast. He is a London based artist and founder of his namesake interior design brand. He previously worked for Gucci, first in the women's wear department and later as an embroidery designer and illustrator. He's currently working on a series of immersive events and experiences and continues the development of his Objects of Desire line. Gerge, thank you so much for joining us today.
- [00:54]
C
Thank you, Tori, for having me.
- [00:56]
B
First of all, I'm such an admirer. I love your designs. Please share with everyone a little bit about how you landed in the world of design. Did you know from a young age that you wanted to be a designer?
- [01:12]
C
I think I didn't know what I wanted to be, but since I'm a little kid, I've been drawing a lot. And I grew up in Budapest, which is a city in Hungary with a very captivating architecture. So the buildings, especially the ones that were built around the millennium, are super ornate. They feature a lot of weird figures, Greek torsos, scallops, garlands. So a lot of elements that are very, you know, captivating and stimulating for the mind. And I was kind of lucky to be raised in a household where my parents had a lot of antique furniture and interesting objects, you know, from the family, from grandparents and everything. So, like, as a kid, I became really obsessed with all these interesting, captivating pieces that are not really functional. They are just, you know, very stimulating for your brain and for your eyes. Like, I could always see that. Okay, these are different than everything that we have now, which is a bit more simple usually. Yeah. So I kind of like, this was the first thought that I always had that I always wanted to create something or I always wanted to do something that is about evoking a desire in people to get that whatever it is, if it's an object or if it's a drawing or if it's something just to. Just to create something that is almost really not about the function, but it's just almost about beauty and being interesting and creating something special. And then obviously later on when I became conscious about different jobs and okay, this is what we call as a product designer. This is what we call as a Fashion designer or architect, whatever. Then I was, you know, kind of like, more realizing that I'm interested in interior design, fashion design as well.
- [03:28]
B
So, you know, I think it's so interesting that you've done fashion and home, because I'm not sure that they always translate from, you know, from one to the other. How did you make that transition from designing women's wear and embroidery at Gucci to starting a home line? You know, what was that transition like?
- [03:53]
C
They don't necessarily work together, but I think in my case, basically because I was so interested to get into one of these big fashion houses, I was, you know, super excited to start working for Gucci. I was super excited to move from London to Rome, and. And it was an amazing, like a surreal experience. Experience where I learned so much. And it was amazing to experience, especially during this super glorious and interesting period, which connects to Alessandro Michele whole kind of mindset and approach to design and everything is so close to what I also think that a designer should do when they approach design and product and photography and everything.
- [04:44]
B
Can you tell us a little bit about what the approach was, you know, what the vision was, and what sort of how you overlaid your vision onto that?
- [04:54]
C
So I think his recipe was basically to create an amazing, colorful and really evocative universe around the most simple product as well. It doesn't matter if it's a little cardholder. It doesn't matter if it's super expensive evening wear. It's the same attention to detail that goes around the product presentation and the styling and everything. So it was this whole universe that I think equally took in. No matter who the customer is, if it's a person that is really into art, or if it's another person who is. Has maybe a little bit more of a commercial mindset, or if it's maybe a, you know, a young kid from Hungary, let's say, who has no, you know, connection with fashion, maybe, but they just really want that sneaker because everyone wants it. So it's. It was really speaking to everyone. And I think this is the. This. This was something that. That I learned that is super important. It was sort of this mindset that I really missed from home there. And when I basically decided to leave Gucci and to move back to London, the main reason was I'm really into as well to kind of curate this360 picture and not just to focus on one design stage of a product development process. Basically, it was kind of important to me to move forward into something where I can explore art direction. I can explore styling. I can create also my own universe as well around the product. And then basically this is how I moved into homeware because it was also the period when homeware brands became really into the center of attention. So small homeware designers became very popular and interesting and also many of the like luxury multi brand platforms started to launch their homeware division as well. Also many big luxury brands started to move into homeware also. And just in general, I think it was the moment when homeware started to be more about being interesting and less about, you know, just creating product after product. Basically.
- [07:30]
B
It's so interesting you were talking about, you know, your vision and really sort of it, it occupying a lifestyle. And I think if you go on your website, even the clothing that you, you know, have your portrait in, you know, you can really tell that it is your vision of the homeware and the clothing and the, the interior design all seems to be connected. And are you, would you say that that is intentional?
- [08:01]
C
Yeah, it's intentional. I mean it's not like, you know, it's not a costume that I put on or anything. It's more. I feel like people don't shop anymore because they need a product. They, they mostly shop because they fall in love with something and, and especially with the lifestyle brands or with session or whatever. When you, when you create product that is not really a necessity. Then I think it's all about creating a fantasy around, it's creating a story around as well. And I think this is, you know, this is also what is what, whatever. Shopping or finding a new object or finding anything basically is about that. You know, it's a little reward, it's something that makes you happy and you know, it's something that, you know, creates a little difference in your home, in your life or like, it doesn't have to be like anything super expensive. Like it can be also just, you know, a nice placemat that, you know, you just very quick quickly lay on your breakfast table like before you rush to work and then it's already, you know, adding some color to your morning. It's already like changing unconsciously your day a little bit. So I think all these objects are just about making, I don't know, life happier, beautiful, totally a little bit better.
- [09:23]
B
I love starting my morning off with a beautifully set table. Even if it's not complicated. It just sets the tone for the rest of the day.
- [09:33]
C
Yeah, exactly. I mean, this was also one of the main concepts around the brand and around all the products that to create products that are, that can be Used on a, on a, on a daily basis that are simple products. Like it's just a plate. It's just a placemat. It's, it's, it's, it's a nice, you know, glassware, whatever that you don't have to create the full tablescape fantasy, whatever. You know, you can just, you know, quickly add it to your. To your morning breakfast table, like in a very realistic way. Like it takes literally like five minutes just to, you know, just to use like a nice plate and then, you know, do your avocado toast on that. It's like dressing up. No, like when you, when you. If I think when you put like a little bit of effort, like how you leave the house, I always feel like I'm more productive as well.
- [10:26]
B
Gerge, you know, you went from a very corporate job at Gucci, which is, you know, obviously a huge corporation, to. To owning your own business, your namesake business. What are some of the best things and the worst things about starting your own design firm?
- [10:47]
C
I think definitely the fact that I can take control in everything that is related to design is a huge advantage for me and is also what I'm passionate about to be involved with everything. But I think it's also the other thing is that I love to work on multiple projects parallel. So I think it's great when really you can do everything that you are interested to do and you would never have time to do this much work and this much creative work actually in a corporate environment. But also you would never really have this flexibility of traveling, this kind of creative freedom, but like also freedom in on a daily basis as well is amazing.
- [11:39]
B
Yeah, that is. There is something very freeing and wonderful about that. Talk to me about what your inspiration was for your inaugural collection of plates and pillows and tabletop and how has it evolved since you started it?
- [11:58]
C
So the first collection was really inspired by a romance antiquity and all those impressions that I got from Rome. And I think it was more of a, like the inspiration haven't changed so much. Like you can really see all these notes in almost every collection, which almost became a bit of a signature style as well. But I think the main inspiration was to create a brand that tells a 360 story around the products. And it's not, it's not the usual homeware story, which is mostly about a perfectly set table or a super perfectly sty interior. There often a very perfect family is sitting. So it was a bit. The concept was to create basically a brand that speaks a little bit about a real situation. Like as an example, like the, in the, in the photography was to me was super important that like when we shoot a tablescape, it's never perfectly styled, it's more, it has more of a mood when you know, someone just leaves the table and you know the cutlery is a little bit all over and there are like other objects on the table as well. So to basically create this little bit romantic but still realistic environment around the products.
- [13:24]
A
We're going to take a quick break to thank the sponsor of today's Show, Schumacher. Since 1889, the fifth generation family business has been the go to source for textiles, wallpapers and trims. Their insatiable passion for luxury, beauty and quality have produced designs that transcend time and rise above the ordinary. So head to Schumacher.com to check it out.
- [13:50]
B
You recently installed your first immersive experience at the Mayfair in London. Please tell me about that and what inspired you to go down the path of immersive experiences? Because in a way it feels so different than product design, but maybe it's not.
- [14:10]
C
Yeah. So the restaurant I collaborated with is called the Main Mayfair. So it's located in the heart of London in a, in Hanover Square in a super beautifully restored Georgian building. And the main concept was that obviously during COVID the online platforms were booming, that was the only option. And then after Covid, there was still a kind of passion for online shopping. But what I experienced, you know, a few years after the pandemic is that people started to have this desire to finally leave the house, to finally explore small boutiques, to kind of get a real life experience with the product. And the reason why I did this takeover and installation is basically I wanted to create, I wanted to transform a space that is already very beautiful, but to kind of take it to a next level with the products and to give the guest the chance to be part of this evocative universe. So it was sort of to create this environment where you can meet face to face with the product. But it's not a store interior there. You can easily imagine how this could look maybe on your terrace, on your garden or in your living room.
- [15:36]
B
So are these more experiential pop ups and immersive experiences? Is that something you want to do more of and do you have plans to do more of these?
- [15:49]
C
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. I mean this is my plan basically to collaborate with hotels, restaurants and even some private houses as well to create some of these special experiences which are not necessarily have to be about my product. It can be also just a special installation, but to Create experiences where, you know, guests can have a one of a kind moment at a very special space or access to a very special dinner set up, access to a very special menu and also access to meet with a very curated crowd that they wouldn't meet necessarily with. So the other part is to have guests who could be artists or creatives or whatever that are mixed with the guests and they can share stories, experiences. I think I feel like these days it's almost like these experiences and these memories are the only objects that no matter what your social or financial status is, but you not necessarily have access to it.
- [17:03]
B
I feel like these experiential installations have definitely gained a lot of momentum in the last, you know, five years for sure. You know, in New York we have all of these crazy pop ups all the time. Tell me, where do you see design headed? You know, what's the future? Is it more of this? Is it something different? What are your predictions?
- [17:28]
C
Having a creative business or the way how design related businesses are operating are changing almost from like year to year. Because even if we just think about like how, how many changes are happening on social media or on Instagram about featuring products or selling products through that platform is already, is already really changing the whole, the whole concept of how a business can operate that doesn't really have a shop maybe it's really interesting to see how I think these days it's almost less about the product and it's also more about the momentum, the experience, what else the brand gives to the customer apart from the product. It's almost like you don't buy the product because you want the product. It's almost you buy the product because you want this whole fantasy that you could connect to or at least in my case I think I feel like there are so much brands out there. Everyone has a brand now. Everyone is doing homeware now. Like in the last five years. Like the amount of, you know, homeware brands that been launched is just insane. Like, just even in London, like every, I don't know, like every second influencer has a homeware brand now. So it's really about how you speak to the customer and how you I think also position your brand. Like what? Like it's not necessarily the product that is going to make the difference or not necessarily the product that is going to make you or your brand special. It's, it's, I think it's all those other things that you are also offering around the product, right?
- [19:09]
B
It's almost like the complete story that you tell, like you want to Be able to immerse yourself in a story that you feel a connection to. For sure.
- [19:20]
C
Exactly. And I think. I think especially I experienced this lately in Paris, because I think in Paris, it's. It has more of a culture to have, like, a small boutique rather than being on a big platform or to be present at a department store. Like, I can really see how people are exploring small stores and how some of the small stores have such a special ambience with the music, with the sound that they are infusing in the air, how the product is displayed, obviously, how the shop assistants are addressed. Like, it's all about that whole experience that if you enter to that space, you switch off from reality. And for that whatever amount of time that you spend there, you are in this, like, very special bubble. And I think it almost forces you to take home a little piece as a souvenir from this. And I think that's how you can sell a product, basically. Almost.
- [20:24]
B
It's so interesting. I'm so bored by big corporate stores where, you know, all of, like you said, even all of the employees, they all have to dress the same and look the same. It's. It's so boring. And I find that these, like, exactly what you're saying, these little boutiques are so interesting because a real personality is kind of coming through, you know, the personality of the vision behind the person who has created this whole experience. So it almost feels so much more intimate and personal.
- [20:59]
C
Yeah, completely. Completely. And I think this whole department store and multibrand and platform concept is basically over in that sense that. I mean, I think the whole industry can admit that all these stores and platforms, they became really lazy, actually, because they were really interesting before, like, pre pandemic. They were actually doing amazing shoots. They were very exciting. But right now, it's almost obviously for financial reasons, they have to save. And it's just all about product, product, product. And sometimes you go on the website of whatever store and then you can read, oh, we just uploaded, like, 500 product this day. No, like, I don't want to go through 500 products. No, right, yeah.
- [21:47]
B
There's something about an edited.
- [21:50]
C
Exactly.
- [21:52]
B
That's really, really nice. You know, it's like, it's like the creatives already did the work for you.
- [21:59]
C
Yeah, exactly, exactly. So I think this is definitely a shift in design and also, like, product presentation as well.
- [22:09]
B
And for everyone out there, if you haven't checked out Gerge's Instagram and website, you should definitely do that. And in product, it's beautiful and so interesting. And Gergay, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you for all of your time. I really appreciate it.
- [22:25]
C
Thank you so much for having me. Thanks a lot.
- [22:30]
A
Thanks for joining us today. Stay tuned for next week's episode of Deep Dive.