The invisible designer

Historically, product design has been understood like this:

A designer creates the object.

A craftsperson makes it.

A repairer maintains it.

That hierarchy has existed for centuries.

The perfect repair should disappear into the original. Whether it’s a museum conservator restoring a painting or a cobbler repairing shoes, success is usually measured by faithfully the return the object to its previous state.

However, in my studio, I see every restored object has two designers. One creates its beginning. The other design its new meaning. I am not replacing Gucci or Hermès, I intervene at a different moment in the object’s life journey.

A restored rare vintage Gucci Jackie I spent some hours with.

Let’s imagine three examples.

Case 1

A cracked leather handles is replaced with an identical leather handle.

No new meaning.

Repair.

Case 2

The handle is rebuilt using a stronger construction because the original failed.

New function.

Repair + engineering.

Case 3

The damaged panel becomes embroidered textile inspired by Chinese craft traditions.

The object now communicates something I never communicated before.

That is design.

Repair becomes design the moment when it is not trying to restore the past, rather creates new

Meaning.

A Louis Vuitton designed to showcase a beautiful “cultural marriage” on its damaged canvas body.

Perhaps the second designer is the one whose name never appears anywhere on the object, but someone leaving a long-lasting impact on an object’s life.

This is the true meaning of my practice.