Antoni Sellés, CEO of VASAVA

July 1, 2020

"We are strong in energizing and managing diverse creative teams"

Vasava was born in 1997 in Barcelona. His works are distributed in a very wide spectrum of disciplines (graphic design, product design, branding, typography, motion graphics ...) and mix "Catalan passion and a keen sense of the unexpected".

What is Vasava's "philosophy"?

Vasava's philosophy is based on several precepts that we have in mind since its founding in 1997 and that have accompanied us throughout the years.
First of all, teamwork. We are strong in energizing and managing diverse creative teams, this enriches us and contributes diversity of records to our work.
Second, Effort. We are workers, fighters and constant in our purposes, we never give a ball for lost.
Third, Inspiration. Our antennas are always ready and attentive to everything that happens. We let ourselves be permeated by everything that motivates us and makes us vibrate.
Fourth, Cohesion. A compact team in which each part knows perfectly what its mission is. Designers, illustrators, typographers… all together with a single purpose: to make good projects.
Fifth, Evolution. We are ready to change and adapt the point of view constantly. The world moves and we with it. The company must be liquid and adaptable to any circumstance.
And in sixth place, Technology. The tools are used to develop ideas and the better they are, the easier it is to express them. Take advantage of technology to drive projects.

Do you have a reference?
Obviously, the world provides us with references in all areas. In the end, the references you take are diverse and varied and do not necessarily have to be inbred with the profession, although, obviously, we have headlights that illuminate the way.
In any case, the best contribution comes from the interpretation that one makes of what is around, their experiences, social contexts, music, art or simply what is close.
It is important to have a kaleidoscopic look that filters things and references based on purpose.

Among the different areas of design, is packaging design the least valued?
I do not think that packaging design is the least valued field of design, the proof is that it is present in almost every moment of our lives.
Most of the products are dressed and send the appropriate messages so that we can understand, locate, distinguish and classify them among many other similar ones.
There are many communicative nuances that packaging design provides to facilitate its expression and understanding and, in addition, it facilitates interaction with the user by informing them of its characteristics or providing instructions on its use.

How important is typography?
Typeface represents tone of voice, emphasis, modulation, and distinctness. It marks the character and the feeling of what is transmitted by what is fundamental. By means of typography we can modulate the message so that, with a single glance, it is possible to perceive what what we see or hold in our hands is about.
Typography expresses sentiment, talks low or screams. Is it current or refers us to times past.
In short, it is the fundamental means of expression to transmit messages.

And to the illustration?
It represents the other expressive way, which together with photography, helps to explain the content and / or character in any piece of packaging.
It also helps us to express and contextualize specific situations, temporality, emotion or simply help to expose content.

What is the most important thing when it comes to designing a packaging, in addition to transmitting the essence of the brand and the values ​​of the product?
The most important thing is to understand the purpose you are looking for. Who is it addressed to and what is the message to be projected.

Can a "bad" design sink a good product?
A bad design helps a product not work well, it would be like a good joke poorly explained; loses all grace. This does not have to be final if the product is good; Sometimes it turns out that great products have been presented in a horrible way but over time they have been modulating their presentation.
Perhaps this is in contrast to some packs that make an aesthetic over-proposal and when the tests disappoint you.
I think you have to be adequate, timely and honest with the value propositions that you make when you design.
The worst thing is to disappoint!

Do you agree that “less is more”? Do you tend to eliminate superfluous elements?
Everything must have a reason.
Sometimes less is more but at other times you need to be more baroque than simplistic.
In this we cannot be categorical, in any case, there is currently a tendency to simplify things so that they are more immediate, easier and faster to understand.
If we look at the evolution of global brands, this trend is evident and in the last 50 years all have been shedding superfluous or decorative elements that have led them to positions of maximum synthesis.

How do you implement sustainability in your work method? Do you take eco-design criteria into account when you propose a packaging to a client?
Eco-design is present in all areas as it is something to be had in all facets of life. It has already been shown that we must put a stop to the indiscriminate waste of energy and materials.
In any case, it is something that has to be introduced from many different layers and the first that have to ensure this are the institutions, facilitating and giving coherence to plausible and real regulations that push to raise awareness among consumers.
We as designers have an important role as prescribers of materials and innovations but I insist that it is a joint effort between institutions, manufacturers, designers and consumers.

Do you work with all kinds of materials, also biodegradable or compostable?
Each project has its path and its process. As I said before, we must never limit ourselves and try any possibility that gives us a justifiable added value.
We do not pretend to have a single direction in our gaze, but to have the widest possible angle of vision when making design decisions.

Can you explain some of your latest projects to us?
We do very varied and diverse projects so I would recommend visiting our website at www.vasava.es
In this sense, I think it is preferable, since the content is extensive and there are some cases profusely explained.

Do you think that the current situation will mark a before and after both in the world of design and in all areas in general? Will concepts such as globalization, mass events, unnecessary consumption, food waste ... be rethought?

The new situation that we are experiencing has been conditioning us in recent months the work system and relationships with others, but I hope, little by little, things will be repositioned in their place.
We are social and emotional beings so it is impossible that fear and distance are here to stay. As soon as we can, we will kiss and greet each other with hugs, of this I am sure.
And the same will happen with concerts, fairs, relationships resulting from globalization, etc.
Regarding the new habits, I am more pessimistic in that the situation has promoted the increase in the consumption of single-use containers, delivery, the relaunch of super-polluting plastics, etc. So we will have to make an effort to rethink what to do in this regard.

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