Getting to know Alain Monnens

They've been available in our store for quite some time now, but we never officially introduced them to you on our blog: the Cork Bowls.

These iconic full cork bowls come in 4 sizes: small, medium, large and extra large. But today we want to show you the man who is behind this brilliant design. Allow us to introduce to you Belgian Wunderkind Alain Monnens!

Welcome Alain! Tell us, what do you like to do in your free time?

Alain Monnens: In my free time - as well as in my professional life - I enjoy being creative. Photography is, for example, one of my hobbies. I also really enjoy cooking. Apart from that, discovering new things with my children is something that I also really treasure. They make me see things from a whole new perspective.

Summer holidays are approaching. What is your favourite holiday destination?

Alain Monnens: When on holiday, I want to discover new things. So I prefer a city that has a lot to offer. When it’s too calm, I get bored. A city like New York for example, really makes me feel like new.

How do you hope to make a difference with your work? What do you strive for?

Alain Monnens: As a designer I hope my creations outlive me. I try to design products that are timeless. In other words, products that people can cherish and that are life lasting.

What product of the XLBoom collection do you like and why?

Alain Monnens: I’m a big fan of Finn Stone’s Ball Chair, as it’s the perfect example of a timeless product. There’s no other shape that fits this particular product. It’s so self-evident that it seems as if it’s always been there, that it always existed.

What advice would you like to give to young designers?

Alain Monnens: Try to gain as much experience as you can in order to discover where you want to go to as a designer. Don’t assume it will all work out by itself. Designing is a verb, so it implies a lot of ‘doing’ and ‘making'. 

We will keep it in mind :) Thank you very much for this interview.

We also want to know what our readers think, so bring it on: what is your favourite holiday destination?

If you want to know more about Alain Monnens and his work, visit his website! 

See you next week!