Interview with Cesar Augusto Idrobo Giraldo

It was the perfect combination of art and technology.

It was my choice.

Lately, I've been working on footwear since my masters is in accessory design.

Read more and make more.

Good designers create cool ideas. Great designers make cool ideas happen.

If it stirs my soul, then is good design to me. If a product performs at the level of my expectations is also a positive aspect that I value.

Good design is good for your life. A good design can avoid accidents, minimize the negative effects of a repeated task, save time, save a life and make a meaningful positive impact in society.

I would love to design interiors for self driving cars. What would that look like?

I'd like to work on a project that is truly far our such as bringing 4D printing to footwear manufacturing where the shoe would assemble itself.

A brainstorming technique that helps me unlock new ideas.

Issey Miyake, Marcell Mrsan, Zaha Hadid, Ayrton Senna

I enjoy Bradley Bower's work. He uses technology and digital

A footwear collection that I carried out from design to execution in only ten weeks. It's not always about what you deliver, but at the speed you can accomplish something. 7 prototypes in only 10 weeks is working at the speed of light compared to the pace the footwear industry operates at.

Read more and make more. Sketching ideas on paper are just ideas on paper. It takes a new meaning when you make the effort to bring them to reality.

I was thinking of being a mechanical engineer, but my artistic skills are already further along since I've been doing it since I was a kid. So, I'd probably had become a painter.

Design is the conversation that happens in your brain before you make a decision.

Marcell Mrsan has been one of the most influential mentors in my career as a designer and as a person. Also, most of the faculty in my school as well as classmates had a huge impact in my journey to become the designer I am today.

Persistence.

Time management.

You need more than portfolio. Strive to present fully working prototypes. It takes your work to a whole new level.

Algorithms in footwear design. Expect a blog or a book sharing my experience how I've applied parametric design in shoes.

They expect answers. Either is a new shoe style or a solution to a problem. I strive to provide the best answer I can at the best of my knowledge.

Good design helps us focus on what's meaningful in life which are the relations in our daily lives. Design can improve experiences where the people learn about something new; therefore, it allows them to make informed decisions later on and/or pass it on to someone else. A good example would be a design stand that provides healthy choices for lunch at a school and students are exposed to what they are eating and why is important. Design is all about bringing awareness.

Incorporating algorithms in the process of footwear design.

Any project where I have had full control of the design process because it allows me to exercise every area of me as a designer.

I'd like to see more design thinking into more industries and education.

It depends. It can take from 5 days to weeks or months. I wouldn't like to spend years in a project because the market moves to fast nowadays.

It depends on the project's objective. Sometimes you don't have to start from scratch. I strive to work smart and not hard, so I do research about what has been done already to avoid repeating work.

"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." - Ziglar

Design sets trends.

Technology helps me accomplish that extra percentage of work that I can't either do or it would take me extra time. I use technology more towards the end of a project to help me execute a well polished concept.

Rhino 5, Grasshopper and Adobe's Creative Suite.

It's a powerful role. It can break or make a design. So, choose wisely.

How it was made.

I want to find out who did it and why, what and how he/she did it.

I do believe in collaboration. There is a book called, "The Power of Two." that talks about how behind every genius mind, there is someone else. Designing is not a one person's job. It's a team effort. That why they say, "team work makes the dream work."

Marcell Mrsan, Jordan Taylor, Bradley Bowers, Theo Gough

The Method Method by Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry

Ayrton Senna.

Awards are a visual result of my hard work. t's not hard to be famous, but it shouldn't be the reason why you become a designer.

Color: Sage. Place: Savannah, Georgia. Food: Chicken and rice. Season: Spring. Thing: sketchbooks. Brand: Harry's men's grooming products.

This is how hard details and presentations were emphasized during my academic studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design. For some reason, a professor of mine would always catch the smallest misalignment of pictures in a presentation slide. That bothered him... so it bothers me now too.

Learning what makes others successful.

Yes. I started drawing and painting from a early age. Then during school, I'd take advantage of any art programs, projects or courses. I tried to be the best drawer in the class. Playing with Lego also contributed to the development of how I understood space and mechanics.

Hopefully we'll still be here on planet earth to begin with... but I hope good things happen.

Design what you make and make what you design.

My practice as an independent designer strives to provide companies or brands with an edge and a fresh perspective to their products and services. Also, assisting clients with technical expertise in the development of new styles in footwear as well as bags.

It's the thought process behind your actions. The conversation that happens in your mind which dictates your decisions and then is translated into an idea.

Lately, footwear and accessories. However, I'm open to any field of design. At the end of the day, it's another product.

My favorite design is a product by mother nature: a fruit. I always think that the perfect example of great design is a banana. Most people know what a banana looks like because of its iconic aesthetic and color. The packaging which is the skin is biodegradable and functional. You peel it as you eat. It's healthy and you can take it to go!

I did graphic design and brainstorming solutions for lighting products at artecnica in Beverly Hills, CA back in 2011.

My favorite material is leather.

In the mornings I feel that my mind is the sharpest; however, sometimes I have this rush of energy in the evening that makes me go to work. I've learned to channel that energy and work despite of I feel just to have some structure in my schedule.

In execution. There are a lot of good ideas in the market today that are poorly executed. The outcome is what customers see.

I feel freedom. I'm letting my ideas out in the world and hoping they will have a positive impart in people's lives.

I've heard that is the closest you feel to having a baby. It's like a parent to son relationship.

It's a combination of elements. You need a strong design, a strong business model/platform and it has to be relevant to the needs or desires of the targeted audience.

I strive to back track as much as possible where the idea came from. I put on my hat of detective to find out why is the product in the market, how is being marketed

We have power to change cultures for the good. Through our designs, we change thought processes. Thoughts become habits. Then, habits turns into cultures and finally cultures are what the world is made of. We need to educate people to consume responsibly and help them make informed decisions.

Despite of design being seen as valuable in the market, there needs to be a design-like approach in education and learning methods in schools. I definitely see potential in education as the next big thing because schools nurture the upcoming wave of professionals.

My last exhibition was at the Gutstein Gallery in Savannah, Georgia. I'd like to be part of gallery series where different artists showcase their interpretation of a subject. Place doesn't matter as long as is accessible to people.

There is a special brainstorming technique that helps me make connections from other fields. This facilitates the generation of far out ideas and triggers other concepts when done in groups. My main source of inspiration is either furniture design or architecture.

I don't have a design style or aesthetic in specific. Most of the time you design for someone else; therefore, you adapt to their visual identity in order to create a product that relates to their brand and customer. I believe in the expression of your ideas and doing anything it takes to get the point across.

I currently reside in Portland, OR. Yes, upbringing and where you where raised affect your designs. It's part of who you are and is part of your knowledge which you use to design. I don't see being raised in Colombia as a limitation, but as a way to approach problems differently. Being in a different environment where I didn't have access to anything I wanted, taught me to be resourceful.

I adapt first to their work flow and way of doing things. Then, I start making changes that benefits them.

An interview is the worst method to hire a designer. I'd try to meet them in person and bring them to the company for a couple days. This is the most effective way to see how professional someone is. You get to see how they interact with other teammates, take them out for dinner and drinks, give them a small project where they can showcase all their skills and learn how they sell ideas. Make sure not only human resources, but designers and managers are involved in the interviewing process from beginning to end.

I start by learning and fully understanding the goal of the project. This will help me make decisions that are relevant to the project and keep me on track. Then, I start exploring as many solutions as possible by sketching quickly. After having feedback, I move into 3d prototyping and testing how ideas work as close as possible to what you'd see in the market. Make changes after having reviews and execute the best iteration possible. Then, source and prepare all the entities needed to bring the product to market. Finally, market the product! Separately from the commercial aspect of design, I strive to make time to work on ideas that have no brief. It takes creativity to sell a product that has no clear reason of why it exists. It's a good exercise for your brain.

My pocket sized moleskin sketchbook, My Canon G15, my copic markers, my french press and a Muji toothbrush holder.

Meditate. Read. Eat. Design. Break. Design. Eat. Reply/send emails. Design. Break. Read. Sleep. Repeat.

Read. Read more and learn from the voice of experience. There are no shortcuts to creating great work. Good things take time, so be patient.

The positive side of being a designer is that you have a voice either in society or at a company to make meaningful decisions. Our knowledge gives us the freedom and power to create solutions that people can benefit from. On the other hand, designers are accountable for the consequences of our actions. I don't see any negatives to being a designers, but as challenges instead. Any profession will have its good side and a not so good side.

Like Nike says, "Just do it." In design, that's the most powerful statement. We should test as many ideas as possible and avoid getting caught in a never ending ideation stage. I would rather spend a $1 million dollars in 100 ideas than to spend $100 million in one idea.

Translating research insights into design opportunities. Create the right design criteria will set the tone for the rest of a project.

Right now, I have my shoe making tools which includes an assortment of needles, hammers, knives, awls and among other items. Then, I have my drawing/sketching tools which are markers and colored pencils. I've been using a source of inspiration the work of Issey Miyake lately. Currently I'm reading two books: "Ayrton Senna: the whole story" and " Buying In." For software, I use Adobe's creative suite, Rhino 5 for 3D modeling and Grasshopper for parametric design.

Keep a clear goal in mind, structure your time around that goal and do take breaks!

It depends. Definitely not 7 hours neither 7 years. You can make shoes in 4 hours or you can spend 3 weeks on a pair of bespoke footwear.

"How did you get into shoe making?"

My most important job experience has been related to communication and interacting people. You can have great ideas, designs or solutions, but you have to know how to sell them.

Olukai, Android Homme, Emperia Handbags among other brands and projects.

I enjoy making prototypes. This is the stage in the creative process where you test your ideas whether they work on not.

Planning on staying independent for now, but open to new career opportunities if they knock on the door. I'd like to have a space and the tools where I can make footwear and accessory prototypes for companies. Additionally, teaching and sharing my experience by holding courses/talks would be of great benefit to those looking to start a career in design.

Either or. I do well in both situations depending on the needs of the company.

I'm working on incorporating algorithms in the footwear creative process.

Via email, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If you reside in Portland, OR, let's meet up.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my view of design to the world.