Inspirational women in design
Leading figures from the world of design sharing their vision
Today, March 8, from Momocca we want to pay tribute to inspirational women in design and the fundamental role they play in it.
We have asked 5 questions to 6 women who are a reference for us. Remarkable women from different fields of design. All of them sharing the same passion, but with their own story to tell.
Interior designer in Deleite Design
M: How do you define yourself personally and professionally?
L: I am reserved. I observe and draw my own conclusions. I am also a perfectionist and self-demanding. On a professional level I am very detail oriented and not very conformist. I always want something more.
M: What is key in your project?
L: Coherence and that the development of a project follows a line. I work in the fusion of client-space, I like to do a previous research work. I like to find out who is who and what they ask of me.
M: A way of escape?
L: Walking in the countryside with my dogs. This makes me see that we are senses. I realise we live in a hurry, and this deprives us of the enjoyment of things as natural as breathing.
M: What advice would you give to other women who want to dedicate themselves to interior design?
L: Not to limit themselves. Let them be themselves, because each one of us has a lot to contribute.
M: Which women are your references?
L: My references are women close to me:
- Ángela Pedregal, she set up her bridal atelier and makes wonderful dresses.
- Eva Garco, illustrator. She is setting up her own company.
- Nuria, she went to study a Master’s degree in London, she is a brave girl.
Founder and creative in The Room Studio
M: How do you define yourself personally and professionally?
MR: I’m a loving person specially to my children and loyal to my friends.
On a professional level I consider myself a perfectionist, demanding and courageous.
M: What is key in your work?
MR: Not to limit my thoughts, to propose without fear and with confidence.
M: A way of escape?
MR: The practice of meditation and yoga.
M: What advice would you give to other women who want to go into interior design?
MR: I would say that although the beginnings are hard, they should not give up. At the beginning you must give a lot without expecting anything. Succes will come! It’s important to take risks and make mistakes, the best tools to get up stronger and more confident.
M: Which women are your references?
- Frida Kahlo
- Patricia Urquiola
- Teresa of Calcutta
Researcher, teacher and disseminator of design trends.
M: How do you define yourself personally and professionally?
I’m Creative, curious, proactive, proactive, positive. The same on a professional level.
M: What is key in your work?
Traveling, Reading, Observing, Researching, Analyzing, Debating, Disseminating.
M: A way of escape?
MS: I don’t need to escape; work and my life are connected and well intertwined. Enjoying life is also enjoying my work.
M: What advice would you give to other women who want to dedicate themselves to the dissemination and study of design?
MS: Interior design is related to all areas of design and to all concerns of contemporary human evolution. An interior has to do with the people who live in it, the functional elements they need and the elements that bring beauty. Beauty is a function, but we must keep in mind that beauty is subjective.
M: What 3 women are a reference for you?
MS: References and teachers:
- Rita Levi-Montalcini, researcher, Nobel Prize in Medicine.
- Hella Jonguerius, designer and textile expert.
- Rosanna Orlandi, gallerist and discoverer of design talents.
CEO & Founder in Singular Living
M: How do you define yourself personally and professionally?
EJ: I am a mix of creative talent and Germanic discipline. Since I was a child, I’ve imposed order and discipline on myself. I am very hard-working and a fighter. I am also a neat freak and a perfectionist. My children can’t cope with this facet.
M: What is key in your work?
EJ: In the world of interior design there is a lot of psychology and it is important to listen and invest time in preparing a good briefing and contrasting it with the client.
On the other hand, I like to adapt to the spaces and see “what the house asks for”. I like to create houses with soul.
M: A way of escape?
EJ: I like to do yoga and skiing, also spending time with my kids. But I really enjoy looking for the perfect fabric or table, it’s like a drug! My TOP plan is to go to the Rastro in Madrid on Sunday morning and have lunch at El Imparcial bat.
M: What advice would you give to other women who want to dedicate themselves to entrepreneurship and interior design?
EJ: I would say they get good training in the technical and creative part, but also in everything that has to do with running a business and providing a good service. There is a very important part of invoicing, margins, costs…
M: Which women are your references?
- Zaha Hadid, the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004 and a total revolutionary in the way of conceiving design.
- The furniture designer Charlotte Perriand who knew how to compete in a man’s world (in response to Le Corbusier’s “We don’t embroider cushions here”).
- And at a Spanish level, I really like the work of Galán Sobrini Arquitectos (Adriana Sobrini and Cristina Galán) and Espejo & Goyanes (Cristina Espejo and Marta Goyanes).
CEO and interior designer in her own Studio
M: How do you define yourself personally and professionally?
AN: Cheerful, positive, with initiative and emotional. On a professional level, I transmit the way I am in my spaces, only that when I try to be empathetic with the client’s taste, my style adapts to the project.
M: What is key in your work?
AN: A good atmosphere, both with my team and with the suppliers, and even more with the client. This makes everything flow and transmits a good vibe.
M: A way of escape?
MR: The sea, I’m from the Mediterranean Sea. I often need to feel the breeze. It unblocks me.
M: What advice would you give to other women who want to go into interior design?
MR: I would say them to fight to be themselves. Don’t try to be like anyone else, the charm of this job lies in projecting our essence and originality, not in being all mass producers. For me that’s the secret of success …. Well, and to work hard 😉.
M: Which women are your references?
- India Mahdavi,
- Andrée Putman,
- Urquiola
Co-founder and product designer at Momocca
M: How do you define yourself on a personal level and on a professional level?
LC: On a personal level: I am energetic and full of vitality. I consider myself an open and friendly person and above all very familiar.
On a professional level, I have a restless mind. The phrase “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working” defines me perfectly.
M: What is key to your work?
LC: Easy! my team. It’s essential when you not only design but also run your own company. They are key to the success of the project; they are a second family.
M: A way of escape?
LC: Creating my own personal projects. When I’m stressed, I dedicate myself to creating new experiences for myself and my family. It helps me to disconnect.
M: What advice would you give to other women who want to go into interior design?
LC: Be resilient. Sometimes a lost battle teaches us more than a won one, when you fight to get back up you really test yourself and your most powerful self comes out. Finally, I would recommend them to listen to advice from others but never lose their own vision, because that is what makes us different.
M: Which women are your role models?
- On a more personal level, my sister Alicia. She is hardworking, courageous and always willing to lend a hand. She makes the difficult easy.
- In terms of product design, Patricia Urquiola, I love everything she does.
- In terms of business management, Anna Gener, CEO in Barcelona of Savills Aguirre Newman. Fighter and committed, I like her vision,
CEO and Product Designer at Vira the Brand
M: How do you define yourself on a personal level and on a professional level?
EM: On both levels, I consider myself very demanding and no-conformis. I’m interested in listening and observing people in their daily lives. I also value transparency and trust.
M: What is key to your work?
EM: Listening, observing and talking. Surrounding myself with people who are enthusiastic, eager to learn and grow together. And that’s where the key is, the team, without a doubt.
M: What is your escape route?
EM: To disconnect, I like to be with my son and talk to him. They have a way of arguing and seeing the world in a wonderful way. I also like to go on getaways with family or friends.
In short, that which makes you reflect and appreciate what you have is one of the things that recharges my batteries the most.
M: What advice would you give to other women who want to go into interior design?
EM: It is essential to understand that there is something to solve or improve. Don’t focus on what’s visual, what’s pretty or just different. I would also tell them to surround themselves with a good team. To create Vira, I could never have done it on my own.
M: Which women are your references?
EM: I couldn’t name 3 women because for me it’s every woman I surround myself with. The women who make up my family, my friends and my environment.
Each woman has her own life, her own challenges and we act as we think best. We fight every day to make ourselves seen, each one in her own way. And I believe that this is what makes you evolve as a person and as a woman.
Our thanks to these great women for taking the time to conduct these interviews and provide us with images. They are all a source of inspiration for us.
