Daniel Valsesia
Designer
"According to the laws of physics, due to the ratio of wings to weight, the hornet should not fly. But the hornet knows nothing, and flies " (Igor Sikorsky)
Biography
Daniel Valesia, born 1978, graduate of Industrial Design at the European Institute of Design in Milan, has worked in Mandarina Duck’s creative department as a senior designer since 2007.
Always interested in photography and visual arts, he participates in multiple industrial design and graphics competitions.
MD
What is creativity to you?
Daniel Valsesia
It takes an unprejudiced approach, and you have to consider each project from different angles, finding inspiration in different sources...when I am beginning a new design, I could begin with a candy wrapper or a turtle shell, for example.
MD
Where do you find the inspiration for your projects?
Daniel Valsesia
Usually, a project emerges from the analysis of a problem and trying to solve it. However, sometimes projects begin with a feeling, when I touch the material. There is also repeated personal experience with the products. This is a great source of inspiration to me because it always leads to an original outcome.
MD
Are your collections the result of ideas, dreams, or...?
Daniel Valsesia
With my collections, I try to respond to the demands of modern life. Therefore, I design products that the customer can fall in love with. On several occasions I have met Mandarina Duck clients that have used the same briefcase for decades, which they refuse to part with because these objects have accompanied them through the times. I can understand this perception – the bag is a piece that, when well designed, can be more important than its contents.
MD
Mandarina Duck, what does it mean to you?
Daniel Valsesia
When I design for Mandarina Duck, I feel 100 per cent free in my work, in terms of form, function, material and colour. As a result of my training and personal taste, I do not like fashion products. I feel privileged to have an understanding of handbags as an industrial designer and not a stylist, because I have the opportunity to experiment. This is what makes Mandarina Duck different from other leather goods manufacturers.
