HORIZN STUDIOS DESIGNER JAIMAL ODEDRA & DAS PERFEKTE REISEGEPÄCK

Ein bescheidenes Ziel hat sich das Berliner Label Horizn Studios rund um die Designer Jaimal Odedra und William Fan nicht gerade gesetzt: sie möchten den Markt für Reisegepäck und Accessoires revolutionieren. Genau diese Denkensweise finden wir allerdings großartig – denn es steckt einiges dahinter. Zusammen mit einem insgesamt 30-köpfigen Team, das von Stefan Holwe und Jan Roosen geleitet wird, kreieren die beiden hochwertige, zeitlose Stücke, die sich für jeden Anlass eignen, egal ob nah oder fern. Die in Italien produzierten Taschen kommen seit dem Launch des Labels im Sommer letzten Jahres mit einem ganz besonderen Feature daher: ein Smart Travel Assistant, der kostenlos per WhatsApp kontaktiert werden kann und allerlei hilfreiche Tipps ausspuckt. Ziemlich praktisch. MATERIAL GIRL hat sich mit einem der Masterminds, Jaimal Odedra, unterhalten.

You were raised in London, worked in India and Morocco and now you live in New York. Why is Horizn Studios based in Berlin?

The world is small these days and we are all about portability, travel and a nomadic existence. Berlin was a choice for me for its exciting young energy, that is effervescing here at the moment. It feels fresh and green and the right moment.

What’s your favourite thing about designing for Horizn Studios?

Horizn Studios is about each one of us. It’s about the needs of daily life and how to ease into each day: whether you are cycling around the city, running to an exercise class, or to a meeting, or rushing for a plane. It’s about our nomadic hoarding urges, the need to travel and discover the world.

Horizn Studios is all about functionality but without compromising design. How do you choose the materials to preserve this balance?

Indeed the balance is very important in each product we design. The most important factor above form and function is the material. That is the core of the design, and we use the best available leathers, from Italy, to manufacture in Italy with leather crafting factories, that have been doing this trade for generations. Each stitch, detail, stamping is very carefully thought through and maintained.

The worst prejudice about designers?

Hmmm, that most designers aren’t business minded

What are you most looking forward every year?

I travel so much and it’s in my DNA now, so each year, I love finding a new wonderful ‘home from home’. I also love meeting people from all the places I travel to: whether artisans, locals, friends of friends etc.

When inviting friends and family over, which cuisine from which country do you serve?

I love to cook Italian: Pasta although my favorite cuisine is Japanese, but sadly I have no idea where to even begin to prepare it.

Are you more the resort-kind-of-guy or the backpacking-one?

I love resorts, but very hidden off the beaten track, secret get-away type places: often surrounded by forests, mountains, or desserts, and trekking becomes part of the stay.

Your worst travel-experience?

Madrid airport each time I pass through it. Its too big and inconvenient, and I almost always miss my connection.

A sentence one should know in any language:

Hello how are you?

A small thing that makes you happy every time.

To be acknowledged by the staff of any establishment, restaurant or airline, when they recognize you and are a frequent traveler or visitor. It makes my day.

 

Words Marieke Fischer

Interview Nele Tüch