william k. sawaya interview

william sawaya © designboom

we met william sawaya in milan at his design office the 15.03.2001

what is your best moment of the day?

the best time of day is in the morning when I get here and my mind and physical strength are fresh

what kind of music do you listen to at the moment?

when I am at work I listen to what is being played. the kids listen to the radio all day long, at home only classical music

darwish, cast aluminium seating sawaya & moroni 1999

do you listen to the radio?

yes when I am in my car or at work. never at home

what books do you have on your bedside table?

I like milan kundera a lot, very often there is one of his books.

do you read design magazines?

the ones they send me for free

..you jane sawaya & moroni 1991

newspapers?

where do you get news from? 2,3 newspapers, I read the first page, then the culture pages, I’m not interested in politics.

do you notice how women are dressing?

do you have any preferences? very much, I like elegant women.

what kind of clothes do you avoid wearing?

effiminate clothing. I can appreciate it on others, but not on me

left: diva sawaya & moroni 1987 right: patty diffusa sawaya & moroni 1993

do you have any pets?

unfortunately not at my house, but at my parents’

where do you work on your designs and projects?

here I design, I develop a lot of ideas, a lot of notes taken while travelling

describe your style, like a good friend of yours would describe it.

they would say that I do honest design, I don’t demand anything, I don’t change the world, nobody changes the world, I used to do more eclectic things than I do now. then I learned to be sneaky. sometimes I just re-design.

left: hi boris, cabinet bar sawaya & moroni 1999 right: nylon sawaya & moroni 1998

which of your projects has given you the most satisfaction?

I designed a house in sardinia many years ago that I still like very much. the design projects that I like the most are always the most recent ones.

who would you like to design something for?

for someone known for being difficult

when you are working, do you discuss or exchange ideas with your colleagues?

no, I have some colleagues, but I never discuss work with them.

left: agrado, side table sawaya & moroni 2000 right: cinquanta sawaya & moroni 2000

you design for the company in which you are co-owner.

do you think your approach is different?

yes it is very different and it is fundamental that it is this way. my role in the company is to fill voids. first of all we ask others to design our collections and I add whatever items are missing. sometimes I design things I like, meaning that basically I design the things that others ask me to. our company has a certain style, so I can’t propose or realize all of the projects that I think up..

is there any architect or designer from past you appreciate a lot?

I have always liked pierre paulin, who was peraps the first to create modern upholstered furniture, sinuous and very relevant still today.

le diable en tete, pitcher sawaya & moroni sterling silver collection

and among those still working?

I like zaha hadid very much

on the news they said that italians are afraid of unemployment, criminality and

pollution. what are you afraid of regarding the future?

since italians are mamma’s boys and housewives, they always have a sense of uncertainty, they are never 100% adults.