We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Matteo Ruisi ("MR").
I am a Creative Director and Brand Designer with a broad range of skills. I had the pleasure to work for international clients, blazing start-ups, and fast-paced agencies, working in-house, as a freelancer, and as a consultant. I have strong strategic skills and the ability to drive multi-disciplinary teams and head offices towards the same goal. I am confident, approachable, honest, and open to dialogues. I am always eager to learn and pay back the next generation of creatives with my experience.
Matteo Ruisi Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Matteo Ruisi.
Matteo Ruisi Design - Bank of England Visual Identity
Matteo Ruisi Design - Bank of England Photography
Designer Interview of Matteo Ruisi:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
MR : I was 18 years old when applied a design criteria to my job for the first time, and I was working for a supermarket as a clerk. noticed that expired food was piled in a shopping trolley and it required a lot of digging to find the items to return to each company. I then took a roll container trolley and created a few shelves. Over the shelves, I placed discarded fruit baskets and stuck a carton sign with a cut out logo of each brand glued on them. I think my natural instinct of organising stuff visually and a bit of OCD has brought me to become a designer, and in my career this aspect has grown and grown, until I embraced brand design as my core job.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
MR : I usually work in-house and as a freelancer
DI: What is "design" for you?
MR : Quoting David Ogilvy, design is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
MR : Brand design is definitely my favourite. It's a mix of creativity, organisation, holistic vision, and communication.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
MR : As of 2022, my favourite brand design is from Spotify, designed by one of the best branding agencies in the world, Collins. The way that they have reinvented the market through a purely visual approach is remarkable
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
MR : The first thing I designed was a logo for a resort in Umbria, Italy. I spent days on sketches and I loved the result: an oak leaf shaped as a B and as the number 3, because the name was Borgo 3 Querce (Three Oaks Borough)
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
MR : I love Adobe Illustrator, I can't live without it, but I always start designing with paper 250gr, a B pencil and a Paper Mate Flair M.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
MR : I think it just happens. There are certain days that I wake up and I surprise myself with ideas of any kind
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
MR : My focus is analysis and research. I then turn what I've learnt into a design strategy
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
MR : I'm relaxed but extremely focussed
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
MR : I wasn't sure I wanted to disclose it, but here you go - I feel emotional and almost tearful.
DI: What makes a design successful?
MR : Good design is something you look at with a sense of curiosity, something that speak to you even if there are no words to read.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
MR : Creative thinking, proportions, aesthetics.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
MR : Accessibility has become one of my top priorities
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
MR : Design is becoming more and more human-centric and less self-centred.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
MR : Inspiration comes from the in-depth study of the subject. There are plenty of stories a designer can tell when they have a thorough understanding of their subject
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
MR : Pondered, simple, sharp
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
MR : I'm living in London, a great city to meet people from all over the world.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
MR : It's hard to tell. Sometimes a good bond can put an average designer in the position of creating the best work of their life.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
MR : Every item in a home is a design item, even the home itself.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
MR : Team up with as many people as you can before others do it. Bring people onboard and let them feel a part of the process.