We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Cameron ("Cameron").
CALILA is a product design studio in Los Angeles. Cameron and Lindsey started CALILA to fill lifestyle needs in their own lives and gaps in the market gathered from Lindsey's six years as a museum store buyer. The design philosophy that drives the creation of each product is Simple + Functional = Beautiful. They specialize in a clean, minimal aesthetic with geometric silhouettes and asymmetrical balance. All of their products are driven by a laser focus on functionality. CALILA is designed and made in L.A.
Cameron Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Cameron.
Designer Interview of Cameron:
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?
Cameron : I learned to sew when I was 7 years old and have been hooked ever since. I wanted to bring new design to handmade goods that I wasn't finding on the market currently.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
Cameron : CALILA is a design studio that creates functional personal and travel accessories with a simple, minimal aesthetic.
DI: What is "design" for you?
Cameron : Design should function and add value to one's life.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
Cameron : I love chairs. I particularly love the Eames molded chair. I love how beautifully it incorporates a single piece of geometry.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
Cameron : The first design we ever did was a tote bag that way a daily carry haul-all. It had very specific functions for each of its pockets and a Japanese modern inspired aesthetic.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
Cameron : I feel liberated. It feels like breaking through the wall of old ideas that hold people back and touching a new space of possibilities.
DI: What makes a design successful?
Cameron : Does it work? It's really that simple. It should fulfill it's function in a very targeted and specific way.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
Cameron : We alway start with a problem we are encountering in our life or someone else's. We dial into the specifics of that problem and try to solve it in a way that hasn't been done before. Finally, we focus on very clean, minimal, geometric shapes in the final design silhouette.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
Cameron : Sometimes it is as quick as a few days. Other times it can take six months to a year. It is all about how well the design prototypes perform in the real world.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
Cameron : We primarily specialize in high design boutiques and museum stores, places that appreciate a focus on design.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
Cameron : It has always been a back and forth design process between the two co-founders, Cameron Stephens and Lindsey Vaniman.
DI: How can people contact you?
Cameron : All of our information is on our website at www.shopcalila.com or email us at caliladesignsla@gmail.com