A genuine podcast by product designers, for product designers
The team at REDACTED hosts candid interviews where designers aren’t afraid to talk about their setbacks (and share what they learned), displaying remarkable confidence
Mario Alessiani, founder and creative director of the Italian namesake design studio, specializes in product, lighting, and furniture design. His clients include companies such as Umbra, Fabbian, and Axolight. Mario also teaches at the University of Camerino, IED Rome and Sichuan Normal University in China. His work has been exhibited at prestigious events like the ADI Design Museum in Milan, Eindhoven Design Week, and Milan Design Week, earning him awards like the IF Design Award and Archiproducts Design Award.
WebsiteI’m writing on this blog because, at a certain point in my career, I decided to start sharing articles about industrial design on my LinkedIn page. I was sincere and detailed because I wanted to express my thoughts on the design world, the methodology, the business, and more.
That’s why I’m here—Patrick, the boss at DesignWanted, noticed my writings and invited me to contribute to his renowned blog. I’m based in a small town in Italy, working with both national and international companies. While it’s fulfilling work, I often find myself alone as a designer in this city. The internet provides me with the space to express my ideas and engage in discussions with people, even if they are geographically distant.
This time, the distance was substantial, all the way from Italy to Australia. I started a conversation with Fraser Greenfield, a very astute individual who initiated my favorite podcast about design. It’s called the REDACTED Podcast, and you can listen to it on the main streaming platforms. But between you and me; I prefer Spotify.
I’m not an expert, so I might have fallen into some pitfalls during the process, but I’ve been searching for an international design podcast for a while. There are many out there, but none quite satisfied my curiosity. I yearned to learn more about the design process, the stories, and the challenges faced by my favorite designers. It was a challenge to find one that met my needs of growth.
I began listening to REDACTED after stumbling upon an Instagram story shared by BIG-GAME, the renowned design studio from Switzerland that collaborates with some of the finest design brands like Alessi and Karimoku New Standards (but if you’re here, you probably already know that).
It was a gift, with such insightful and meaningful questions that if I ever had the chance to meet BIG-GAME in person, I’d have nothing left to ask.
Redacted delved into the beginnings, the processes, the challenges—everything a designer would want to know.
I had the opportunity to speak with Fraser about what motivated him to start a podcast.
He is a designer who has worked in various fields of design & engineering. At one point in his journey, he felt the need to engage with people who were truly making an impact, and conducting talks to designers across the world was the best way to learn about things that just weren’t being discussed in Australia.
For example, did you know that Visibility Studio (now Guerra Studio) achieved most of its initial success through its network in New York, and most of their cold approaches failed? I had no idea, but the team at REDACTED peeled back the veil on Guerra’s early struggles.
In reality, what we see on social media or in magazines are the successes. It’s incredibly difficult to even fathom some of the most successful players in the industry were ever making mistakes. But the team at REDACTED has candid interviews where individuals aren’t afraid to talk about their setbacks, (and share what they learned) displaying remarkable confidence.
The beauty of a product arises from methodology and experience, not merely from inspiration and sketches. This fact is often overlooked, but not on this podcast.
When I had a video call with Fraser, I spoke to a precise and determined individual who knows what he’s doing, and it’s not an easy task. Running this podcast is a team of 5 dedicated people, covering all aspects technical and logistical.
Moreover, it wasn’t created with the intention of making money; everything is invested in elevating the quality of what they offer.
REDACTED is a perfect example that if you do something out of love, it will succeed. The spontaneity is evident, and the only driving force is the thirst for information that benefits both the people behind the podcast and the listeners who support it.
The real plans for the future involve incorporating video and enhanced interaction, and I’m very curious to see how this will affect the project. It might even serve as a key to reaching a broader audience and perhaps kindling the same passion we have in people outside the design world.
Listen to the REDACTED Podcast on Spotify here.
