Inspired by the luxury and fashion orientation of the design sector, the South Korean mobile telephone manufacturer LG Electronics joined forces with the fashion organisation Prada to develop and market a new mobile telephone, red dot online interviewed the designer Kang-Heui Cha.

What inspired you to create this particular product and what was the intention behind it?

The Prada Phone by LG has changed the perceptions that a mobile phone must be under the conditions of aoForm Follows Emotion. Technology Follows Emotion.a and has differentiated itself by allowing satisfaction to the consumer through user experience. It is not just another phone amongst many other phones or a phone that contains many complicated functions, but which is capable of combining technology and minimal design, being understood as a Luxury product. Especially under intense competition with other manufactures, LG has continuously developed the line of minimal design such as aoChocolatea and aoShinea phones and is reflected as an identity for LG’s Mobile phone designs.

What particular challenges do you think designers have to face these days?

As the consumers need change rapidly, the role of designers are not limited to packaging technology in an attractive way, but to quickly read the market flow before others and grasp the consumers’ buying motivation to create innovative form and value accordingly.

As a designer, what would you still like to accomplish in the future?

I believe that design requires not only a deep insight but also a broad aspect of thinking. I hope to lead and make the trend through a wide range of design experiences to fulfill consumer satisfaction.

What do you think is the economic significance of design?

As the technology is rapidly evolving, the needs of the consumer are also rising quickly. Especially through internet and other forms of communication, the role and expectation of designers are being emphasized. It has come a time that low quality products are no longer a concern, since the technology, insight and knowledge is continuously being leveled between companies, and therefore the design have a greater value as the deciding factor. Major companies face challenges to differentiate themselves through technology advancement but instead, one great design could create a new market and also influence even the life and death of a company.

Designer: Kang-Heui Cha [ Source: Red Dot ]