We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Cristina Ramella ("CR").
Born and raised in Italy, Cristina Ramella spent her life in Milan where she completed her studies up to a Master’s degree in Industrial Design at the Milan’s Polytechnic. As passionate as she is, Cristina decided to specialize in Fine Jewelry and Methalsmith in New York City. Later on, in 2011 she established herself in México and created Artelier, a fine jewelry brand. Her interest in Contemporary Arts, Design and Architecture, complements her love for precious metals and their metamorphosis processes. Cristina has lived in several cities such as Sydney, London, Genoa, New York and nowadays México. She is a passionate traveler, which allows her a constant search for inspiration and has brought her to materialize her ideas into high-end products with extraordinary quality. Every single piece of her designs represents her personal growth and reflects her sensibility, devotion and dedication to her brand. Living her life in 3 languages, Cristina manages to find a balance between her career and her personal life. She is a down to earth designer who appreciates even the smallest details in her everyday life. Artelier is a dream come true to her, a place where her creativity and experience meet to create always new beautiful pieces and statements. For Cristina her clients come first, and her main goal is to show who she truly is with her designs in order to make her customers happy as much as they make her too.
Cristina Ramella Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Cristina Ramella.
Designer Interview of Cristina Ramella:
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?
CR : I studied to become a designer more for my passion about art and arquitecture, rather than knowing what kind of designer I'll become. I have always works with Contemporary arts Museums and Arquitects, like my husband and also had the privilege to be an intern at Renzo Piano Building Workshop in Vesima. It was until later that I discover a passion for designing jewelry and decided to move to NY to become an expert in the field. Once me and my family moved back to Mexico, i started Artelier, my company and become a young entrepreneur, designing, promoting and distributing my new brand Artelier.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
CR : Artelier by Cristina Ramella is dedicated to produce high quality yet inspirational and very design oriented pieces. The new success of the brand is due to the new approach to the piece of jewelry, not only a shiny piece of embellishment, but also a philosophical and ideological piece that's telling a story about ourselves.
DI: What is "design" for you?
CR : Design is a concrete and practical instrument of landing an idea or project from pure inspiration to tangible artifact. A designer has to be creative but also prepared, practical and visionary.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
CR : Jewelry, although I have made a line of leather bags with jewelry applications.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
CR : My favorite is the Globe Ring, that I have nominated, along with the world cuff that is actually my best seller.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
CR : Books and catalogues.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
CR : I love working wit wax. Its such a responsive and vulnerable material. It allows you to create the impossible with your hands and see it realized in precious metals. Working with wax is like working miniature sculptures, it's relaxing and actually lots of fun.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
CR : When I see the surprised and astonished reaction of a friend or client, looking at my jewelries and almost not believing what they see!
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
CR : At the end of the day a design has to be beautiful and also sellable. I don't set easily for compromises and I keep researching until I get the product I want, the one I would wear.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
CR : It's a place where I'm allowed to loose my self for a moment and forget about the rest. Makes me happy to project my ideas. Like arquitects, I believe designers and artist are visionaries, can see what's not been envenomed or produced yet!
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
CR : Satisfaction, accomplishment, happiness.
DI: What makes a design successful?
CR : A successful design specks all languages and cultures, doesn't define one, excluding another. It's a conversational pieces, a universal beauty.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
CR : First is quality.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
CR : I believe it's important that design communicates and express our reality. Working with recycled materials it's always been a priority for my company. Also the message that our earth is our most precious jewels I think it's pretty important!
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
CR : I honestly have no idea. What we can accomplish today will be completely turn over in the next few years, and that exciting. New technologies will surprise us as designers and inspire new unimaginable creations.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
CR : Internet it's my primary source of inspiration. I'm a mother of two living a regular family life, and internet it's my gate to the world, to see whats going on, what people want and aspire. The world collection was actually inspired by a world map tattoo I find on the internet! I bought it was such a great expression of our culture, universally, that I wanted to create a jewelry with the same message.
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?
CR : I don't think I have a particular style. Style is evolving all the time.
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?
CR : I'm Italian but I'm established in Mexico since the last 7 years. Yes every place I have lived (Italia, Australia, NYC, Mexico) has left a mark and a change of my personal vision and life habits. Off course it reflects on my designs and perceptions.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
CR : First I collect images that inspires me, then I sketch for a while nonsenses until it hits me. Once I have a strong concept I sit down and make it real in wax or with my executive designer in Rhino.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
CR : Be prepared, punctual, focused, try many different variation of your job before settling down, but mostly read a lot!
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
CR : Enthusiasm. If you lack of a technical skill it can always be compensated by a good team member, but love and enthusiasm are rare to find.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
CR : Books, Note books, Internet, Rhino, Illustrator.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
CR : Can take months for a difficult design
DI: What was your most important job experience?
CR : Intern at Renzo Piano Building Workshop in Vesima, Genova. 2006
DI: Who are some of your clients?
CR : Showrooms, boutiques, private costumers
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
CR : A good team is essencial.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
CR : Yes, I'm working on the City Collection for 2015. The idea is to collect cities we have been to or we are dreaming about.
DI: How can people contact you?
CR : hola@artelier.mx