Interview for Chinese fashion and design magazine VISION

• What is your design philosophy?

My design philosophy is to always seek for something beyond a common form of everyday objects. I am constantly looking for new approach to design in order to create an unexpected, unique, dynamic and refreshing silhouette. Every object can be transformed in to something that can surprise people and make them wonder is that really a shoe, a chair, a lamp…?

• Have you ever practised architectural design? I’m very interested in the series of shoes which was inspired by Calatrava’s architecture, what kind of thought or idea made you put these two together?

I have never really practised architectural design but my mentors and my professors at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo who had an influence on my work are all architects. Idea for my shoe collection came from observing sculptures of Naum Gabo (who I admired from my early high school days). His sculptures have a connection with Santiago Calatrava’s architecture  in use of strings, dynamic and tension of the whole form. So the idea to use Calatrava’s architecture as an inspiration came to me naturally along the way. I wanted to experiment with woman’s shoe and see what can be done in terms of new form.

• In addition to these two artists, do any other artists,friends or teathers always inspire you?Can you talk about them?

There is a lot of designers and artists who inspire me; Ron Arad, Karim Rashid, Konstantin Grcic, artist like Enki Bilal  Surrealist artists, Dada artists, street artists and a lot of local painters and an great architect, also my teacher, Zlatko Ugljen and of course my mentor Ognjenka Fici (also architect). But inspiration is everywhere, you can find it in a little piece of thrash.

• Buildings are always made of straight lines, while the Calatrava’s work is a special case, bionic curves, did you try to combine this point with the ergonomic flow line of feet?

My main occupation while designing this shoe collection was on high heels. They determine the whole figure of these shoes. The upper parts complete and encircle the form. Of course I paid attention to ergonomics of the women’s foot by using shoe mold and my own feet.

• Did you take comfort for people to wear into consideration? How did the models and users rate them about the comfort?

Comfort wasn’t one of my primary goals because women would wear just about anything on their feet that has an certain value for them. I didn’t mean to make them totally uncomfortable, so most of them feel really good on feet except those two with wires  in upper part of the shoe. These shoes are models made of plastic so nobody  walked in them yet but I am looking forward to the day that someone will.

• You said that the shoes could be adjusted to possible industrial or small series production in the future,what aspects do you think need to be adjusted?

Adjustments need to be done in terms of material applyment. Wires in the upper part would have to be replaced.  Wires on shoes like “Linear constructions 01 and 02” could be warped in nylon so they don’t carve the feet. Other shoes in collection are more conventional in terms of comfort, so they don’t need big adjustments. Heels could be made of carbon fiber so they can live up to the challenge of walking in them.

• Which city do you like most?Did this city gave you some inspiration?Which city do you want to live and work in?

I haven’t visited every city I wanted to, but among those which I did Rome made the strongest impact on me because of it’s traditional beauty. I like Italy in general, Florence is also one of my favorite. Place that I would like to live and work in is still left open. Every city with perspective for a young designer like me is the right place, unlike my own where the shoe industry is a bit postponed.

• Are you interested in other areas in terms of design? Will this design affect your professional career?What is your future plan, career, working plan, etc.?

I am interested in furniture design, fashion design (accessories, hats, jewelry) but my passion are shoes. Shoe design is my dream and I am determined to make it happen. Right now I am looking for ways to make this shoe collection a reality.