Interview: Sydney Designer Rachel Vosila

Rachel Vosila is a young Sydney based designer with a studio based in Stanmore. She graduated with a Bachelor of Design from COFA in 2014, and after interning for Melbourne based Broached Commissions and working for Kartell in Sydney, she decided that 2015 was the year to step out on her own.

Rachel is currently completing a self initiated project @one.a.week, whereby she is aiming to design and make an original chair each week for the entire year during 2015. That’s 52 chairs in 52 weeks. Wowzer, what a little legend! Like all good things, this project started out as a joke one night over drinks, with the intention of holding herself accountable, being consistent with continual development and maintaining a sustained focus on goals. Brilliant!

We recently had a chat to Rachel about this project and some of her other work, and here’s what she had to say.

Chair 41:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.

+ Hello Rachel, welcome to Yellowtrace and thank you for taking the time to e-chat. Could you please give us a quick introduction on yourself? When did you first decide you wanted to become a designer, and at which point did you become interested in product design?

Hello! I’m Rachel! An object designer from Sydney.
I don’t really remember ever making a conscious decision to become a designer, I kind of fell into it by accident. I enrolled at COFA on a whim not knowing what I wanted to do, and in the 5 years I studied design, I had a series of great object tutors which influenced my ideas about the industry and the opportunity for different practices as a designer.

Chair 14:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.

Chair 7:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.

Chair 5:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.

+ Tell us a bit about your self initiated project ‘One a Week’. How did it come about and what did you learn while creating the chairs? Did you feel like throwing in a towel at any point during the last 12 months?

One a Week was an idea generated with the purpose of holding myself accountable to being consistent with continual design development and maintaining a sustained focus on goals that I wanted to achieve in 2015. It sort of started out as a joke over drinks one night, although this project has provided me with much more development not only as a practitioner, but in many other facets of my design and day to day life as well. Seeing these positive changes and the continual progress is what has kept me motivated week in, week out!

29:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.

34:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.

+ What was your main priority when starting this project? Is there something that is fundamental to your practice – your philosophy and your process?

This project has been a great exercise in defining what I want the priorities to be in my practice. It’s early days and I feel that I am still defining my own philosophy, though I know I want to develop my practice into something which generates practical items; objects with a sense longevity which has been instilled though a concept or story for each collection.

+ What are some of your methods to staying motivated, focused and expressive?

To be completely honest, what has kept me motivated is not wanting to squander the opportunity which has opened up for me this year. This project feels a little bit like a security blanket and an identity, and I’m excited to move into the next chapter!!

32:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.

31:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.

38:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.

+ Who or what are some of your influences? What other designers, artist’s creative’s or entrepreneurs do you admire?

I admire so many other artists and designers, it is hard to pin one down. Trent Jansen was a tutor of mine at COFA, and is a designer which has greatly influenced me. His considered approach to every process of design and the stories that these objects are able to covey are so beautifully realised it is something I greatly admire.

33:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.

45:5 2from ‘One a Week’ project.

39:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.

+ What’s next – can you share with us your vision, some of your goals and some of your current projects?

I have generated so many ideas with this project. My goal for next year is to take a selection of these back to the drawing board to refine and develop into my first collection.

+ What was one of your biggest lessons learned this year? What do you feel is the most challenging part of being a designer today?

The biggest lesson I have learnt this year is to trust myself and the little creative instinct and aesthetic I have. There are so many talented design practitioners out there, I used to get super intimidated and overwhelmed. For me, the biggest challenge is trying to stay true to the kind of aesthetic and philosophy I want to work to.

Alumnus 1 (2014).

Desk Tidy (2014).

Let’s Get Real:

+ What’s the best mistake you have ever made?

Being let go from my old job. It gave me the kick in the ass I needed (can I say that?) to get back into design and resulted in me starting this project.

+ Best piece of advice you’ve been given?

The most relevant piece of advice I have received is that happiness is not to reach ones goals but to know that you’re on your way. That really strikes a chord with me.

21:52 from ‘One a Week’ project.