5 Things We Learned... Seroj de Graaf
My first studio visit with Seroj de Graaf was in 2018. He welcomed me into his meticulously organized, lab-like space and brewed the strongest coffee I’d experienced since traveling in Brazil. Seroj’s manner then is much as it is now: warm, relaxed, and curious. His friendliness belies his razor-sharp commitment and focus to aesthetically and technically precise design. He is a renowned Dutch product designer with a broad experience in consumer lifestyle products, fashion accessories, and interior design. His acclaimed City Cufflinks® designs are successfully distributed worldwide by companies such as LVMH company, Selfridges, KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines, de Bijenkorf, and the Rijksmuseum. Seroj is known for having a fine eye for detail and a broad knowledge of materials and techniques. His mission to create meaningful products and brands enables him to design and develop valuable products for a global audience. In collaboration with other creatives, Seroj wants to set the standard for the next level of ‘total product design’ by employing a full-circle approach, understanding the needs of the consumers, brands and manufacturers.
Here are 5 Things We Learned about Seroj.
What made you...you?
It has been a long journey for me to find out who I was: to find a fit. From a young age, I was always busy observing, ideating, and creating things of beauty. I’m also a visual 3D thinker that innately sees the bigger picture and the details that make the difference within. So with every client, I naturally end up talking about their business, marketing, distribution, and sales strategy. Seeing the challenges the business has, revealing opportunities for it to create something of value, and collaborating with manufacturers on a great design gives me a lot of energy and gratification. As a designer, I found my sweet spot, but it’s still a challenge to find an ideal scenario to be in. I’m more of a curator, (working at) how well things go together. Cooking is an analogy for what I do. You know a little about what people like, but you work with what you have and add in what you need: combine, serving, testing, and mixing is key to the design process. I’ve always been obsessed with technology and wheels and combustion engines, so from 16 to 20 years old, I was building motor bikes. I looked at a technical university for car design, but didn’t see myself calculating and researching the science of cars. The sculptural part was more enjoyable. So I moved into industrial design. The creative part in me always imagines new models on how to serve peoples’ needs and how to make things better. This is the entrepreneurial spirit that continuously challenges my clients with more than just good design.
When are you happiest?
When I’m really in the moment, meeting people, hearing their passions, hearing them share their skills and ideas. When I’m working on something fully focused.
Would you rather have a muse or be a muse?
Am I proud to see my designs worn by a lot of people? No. The biggest achievement is finding the ultimate solution for the challenge defined and that I collaborated with others to make it happen. And when you achieve it, it’s solved. And once it’s solved, I need to find the next thing. So neither “a muse or to be a muse” for me. Being part of a total is more interesting.
Who do you admire?
People that can focus and work on a project for a long time.
What is important?
I think it’s important to know what you’re not good at. And once you acknowledge it, you can start finding people to work with and then you can really find a way to excel. It’s nice if people acknowledge the added value you create. To be aligned on the same drive and values.
Follow Seroj’s work on his website. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Images from left to right: Portrait of Seroj by Luca Halma; Ace and Tate glasses by SEROJ; Bag Bike and Pannier Rack; City Cufflinks®; Linja Shoes; and Ace and Tate glasses by SEROJ
