Erik Spiekermann

Erik Spiekermann

The 2 Minute-Interview

Erik Spiekermann is not a man of many words. So the fact, that he has taken time to put some of his thoughts into words for us, makes a little proud. Erik Spiekermann is a designer, typographer, type designer, author and nothing less than a legend. (Although Erik himself probably wouldn’t agree with that term…) His creative work is second to none and has influenced legions of designers for many years. Together with two partners he founded MetaDesign in 1979 – still one of the most prestigious brand agencies to this day. Many of the fonts designed by Erik have become modern classics, above all FF Meta and ITC Officina. So, what do you ask someone to whom typography is language made visible? Keeping things more personal, we asked him about such things as culinary skills, fears, self-given advice etc. Thank you, Erik. For each and every single letter.

 

Name: Erik Spiekermann
Age: 68
City: Berlin
Job: Designer
Shoe size: 43
Favourite font: Block.
Contact: Yes.

 mmw_erik
   

What is good design?
Good design serves both the recipient and sender and has an aesthetic added value.

 

Which idea would you have enjoyed having yourself?
Inventing type.

 

What is the most important invention of mankind?
Type.

 

What wallpaper is currently on your desktop?
The colour Grey.

 

Which moment changed everything?
The Invention of type. And my birthday changed everything for me.

 

What can’t you do at all?
Play the piano.

 

How important is success to you?
It depends on what it’s measured.

 

What advice would you give your teenage-self today?
Start saving money as soon as possible, or you won’t get a pension. (Because I don’t get a pension.)

 

 

What quality do you appreciate in people?
Curiosity.

 

Which album, book, and film should everyone have heard, read and seen?
As many as possible.

 

Which piece of art would you like to call your own?
Malevich’s Black Square.

 

What would you cook for us if we visited you at home?
I would bake a cake.

 

What are you afraid of?
Stupidity. It is what causes most wars.

 

When did you last try something new and what was it?
Today, I ate lebkuchen I made myself. (6.12.)

 

What should no one know about you?
That I can’t play the piano.

 

Which question should we have asked?
Is there life before death?

 

Last Words:
Everything will fall into place.

 

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Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 17. Dezember 2015 | Tags: , , , , , |  Keine Kommentare

Saskia Ballhausen

Saskia Ballhausen

The 2 Minute Interview

In one of our recent issues, we already introduced you to lovely Britta, one part of the dynamic duo that created our new look. Tadaaaa, today it’s time to talk to the counter part: the one and only Saskia Ballhausen! Saskia has not only co-worked with us for a long time and helped us develop our new CD, she is also the force behind the great event design that we implemented for EO Entrepreneurs’ Organization. It’s all neon, you know!? Last but not least, Saskia is our regular translator. We don’t know anyone who could take care of our texts with more loving care than her. More so, Saskia manages to breathe 100% muxmäuschenwild flavour into the English issues of our magazine and supply them with an extra dollop of swag to boot. We like you very much, dear Saskia.

 

PS: What the heck happened June 12th 2011?

 

Name: Saskia Ballhausen
Age: 34
City: Berlin
Job: Graphic-Designer
Shoe size: 38
Favorite font: Oh… there are so many… Sabon by Jan Tschichold
Contact: hello@saskiaballhausen.de

 mmw_saskia
 

 

Name a magical place: The North Sea.

 

Where and how do you live? In an Unesco World Heritage Site – a little terraced house with a garden. Totally bourgeois, totally cool. And all this in Britz.

 

What inspires you? Cafè e Cornetto.

 

What would you do without a computer? Bake.

 

The worst possible design sin? Hotel conference rooms… WTF?!

 

Your favourite swearword: Shitte.

 

What moment changed everything for you? June12th 2011.

 

What are you proud of? That I married the best man on the face of this earth.

 

A piece of advice you never thought would come in handy? Trust no bitch. ;-)

 

What are you ashamed of?
That I love watching figure skating.

 

What can’t you get enough of? The scent of lime blossom.

 

If you were allowed one sin, which forbidden thing would you do? Steal an awesome ride and speed to the other side of the world.

 

What would you cook for us if we visited you at home? Spaghetti Bolognese. Then we can have a battle :-) And a freaky dessert.

 

Which super power would you like to have? Mary Poppins’ powers.

 

What was the last thing that really moved you? A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of listening to an amazingly talented violinist in the tube. She played so unbelievably well that it literally brought tears to my eyes.

 

What should no one know about you? That I eat Nutella by the spoonful.

 

Which question should we have asked?
Feast or famine?

 

Last words: Don’t go into the light, Carol Anne!

 

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Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 15. Juli 2015 | Tags: , , , |  Keine Kommentare

Ettina Berrios Negrón

mmw_thonenegron

Ettina Berrios Negrón

The 2 Minute Interview

 

Ettina is a fashion designer and founder of the fabulous label Thone Negrón. If you have a red carpet event coming up soon or are looking for THE perfect dress for THAT perfect occasion you should definitely check out the website or better yet: stop by the store at Linienstaße 71. In case you’d like to meet Ettina there in person, you should hurry: In just a couple of weeks Ettina will be exchanging silk fabrics and her sewing machine for changing table and nappies. If it’s a girl there might be a girl’s fashion line in ultramarine and yellow soon, too. And if it’s a boy? We think Hans would be a great name.

 

Name: Ettina Berrios Negrón
Age: 35
Location: Berlin
Occasion: fashion designer
Shoe size: 42
Favourite piece of clothing: dressing gown
Contact:

mail@thonenegron.com

 

What would you rather design, a nun´s habit or spacesuit for NASA?
 A nun‘s habit, of course.

 

Why? Well, it’s pretty simple: I design clothes for women.

 

What was your ultimate fashion faux pas? A red merino jacket that I wore out till it had so many holes in it that people started asking whether it was by Margiela.

 

Black and white or colour? 
Ultramarine and yellow.

 

Who would you like to dress? 
Cate Blanchett and FKA Twigs.

 

What is your sign? 
Aquarius.

 

You will be reborn as what? As a swallow in the Mediterranean, preferably in Greece.

 

What are you really not good at? Tidying up and hurrying up.

 

Who do you admire? 
Single parents.

 

What costs you a great effort? Preparing the quarterly statements for the tax.

  

What would you be called if you were a boy? 
…Hans?

 

Who or what changed your view of the world forever? 
Erich Fromm and Fritz Riemann.

 

Would you rather fight a duck as big as a horse or hundred horses as big as ducks? 
A duck as big as a horse.

 

If we came to visit you, what would you cook for us? 
 Christophe’s tomato tart with salad.

 

What are you afraid of? Flies, insect larvae and extremists.

 

When did you last try something new and what was it? 
Pregnancy – eight months ago.

 

What should no one know about you? I’m actually really lazy and pick my nose when driving.

 

Which question should we have asked? What is your favourite band?

 

Last words: 

The knife.

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Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 11. März 2015 | Tags: , , , , , |  Keine Kommentare