Intentional designer
Some designers are intentional in what they create, and their approach to designing is inclusive. Erika Pekkari is one such designer whose work reflects her connection with bold colors, patterns, and the people she works with. Her work has grown from her interests, curiosity, and upbringing.
About color, she quoted-
“Color resides somewhere in between art and science. Color carries messages; it expresses time, reinforces form, and sets the tone”. Her artistic expression includes constant experimentation with color and pattern, shaped by her exposure to textiles and craft in childhood and through formal education in textile and fashion design. The originality of her work stems from her investment in her craft. She took courses in hand weaving, spinning, and sewing before creating patterns and garments on an industrial scale.
Craft rooted in childhood memories
We often remember a particular toy, a dress, or banter from our childhood, and it stayed with us in our formative days – our teenage years and adulthood. For someone, it is a pretty red frock with white frills and holding their dad’s hand while walking on a beach; for someone, it could be a set of colorful pyramid blocks. For Erika Pekkari, it was building tree houses, surrounded by meadows, forests, and the sea. A particular memory of a – “wrestling-mat” patterned rug, has been engraved in Erika’s memory, and the boldness can be seen in her designing while her work term at IKEA. Closeness with nature and her curiosity for botany led to creating pottery as well.
Artistic people often turn their memory into something of aesthetic and utilitarian value. The aesthetic factor behind their creation often reflects their deep observation. They observe the world around them- both rationally and poetically. The utilitarian factor is achieved over time, after exploring different mediums of the craft. Erika has explored varieties of media from textile to metal, and glass to wood. Her entrepreneurial drive led to creating products that came with an agenda of solving problems through intentional thinking.
Transition from one genre of design to another
Erika Pekkari’s evolution as a designer began when her interests broadened towards interior architecture and commercial space design. From designing furniture to creating entire commercial spaces, Erika grew both as a person and a designer.
Many architects find it easy to design interior spaces after their experience of designing buildings and exteriors. But Erika’s journey transitioned towards interior architecture, from a fashion clothing designer to a product designer.
It is quite evident that architecture is a woven profession with art, psychology, spaces, and colors. Designers, artists, and architects are interrelated through the process of creating art, spaces, and environments. A collaborative approach brings all the professionals together.
Erika’s promptness in identifying her inclination towards product design paved the way for her to work with IKEA. She didn’t isolate herself as a designer; instead, she created a work culture where product developers, technicians, and logistics experts worked together to design products and find solutions.
Whether it is product design, textile design, or architectural design, all of it is a user-centric solution. If the designer associates their experiences, craft, and interests together, it produces aesthetic and purposeful results.
