I first learned of the Bauhaus movement in design school. I was immediately smitten by what it represented. It would come to influence me and my design profoundly. And so, it was only natural that when I arrived in Germany to begin my assignment as Head of Footwear Design at Puma headquarters, among the first things I did was make a pilgrimage to Dessau. I was able to experience not only the living design example that it represented but also what it was like to study there. I overnighted in the student dormitory.
A design itch was scratched but not fully satiated. The inspiration remained and when I got the chance to express it through my work at Puma I did.
What I appreciated in Bauhaus design was the simplicity of form, aesthetics and functionality that came to represent modern industrial design. What I came to understand at Puma was that these principles were embodied in its early products. It was part of the legacy that I was charged with revitalising. I surrounded myself with the legacy product; the icons that were a part of shaping sports equipment.
That connection remained with me. And in 2018 I saw the opportunity to bridge this shared legacy.
