成员: Eva Perez Rego, Cutu Mazuelos. 均来自西班牙。

Eva Pérez Rego 1974 and Cutu Mazuelos 1973 created Stone Designs in September 1995, just after finishing their studies at the IADE interior design school in Madrid. The idea of creating their own studio, without having any previous professional work experience, was a result of a wish they had built up over the years to freely develop their own projects. 

At the beginning, Stone Designs was dedicated more to the design and assembly of stands, which provided them with the chance to experiment and investigate using an infinity of forms, materials and concepts which they would later apply in their creations. Later on they also began to design commercial premises, offices, etc, providing them with global solutions. This included the design and production of all the elements, plus the furniture and fittings and part of the lighting systems. It was then that, whilst compiling furnishings and lighting items designed for specific projects and pieces which had been designed but not produced, they decided to bring everything together in a catalogue called Versus, which was published in summer 2002.

After exhibiting in endless events around the world, in Milan, Cologne, Tokyo, etc., they decided to promote their work, and were guest speakers at conferences, exhibitions, universities and other events related to the world of design. At the same time they continued with their creative activities, offering new collections and interior design projects every year, thus allowing the designers to gain maturity over the years.

In September 2005 they gave their image a complete overhaul. They published their new catalogue, designed by the Madrid based LAB-matic, which included items from their early days right through to today. A truly heterogeneous collection which brings together the best of these years.

In October 2006 they opened what is now their permanent showroom in the centre of Madrid, where they display their collections and organise events and collaborations with different artists and creators.

All Stone Designs creations flee from merely functional or precious designs, and do not bother with trivial details, even in sophisticated pieces. Their preoccupations are always present in their creations, along with their passion for nature and organic forms.  They are impulsive, passionate, direct, sincere, all of which is undoubtedly reflected perfectly in their pieces. Their enormous conceptual commitment and their obsession for nature means their typologies are understood almost intuitively. It is simply a different way of seeing and understanding life, and design is merely a channel through which to show this to us all. Work is the same with regards to interior design. They deal with dreamlike spaces in which the occupier is the fundamental part of the project. The most important aspect is undoubtedly the public's reaction. They never forget that, in the end, people have to live with their creations.

Achieving these goals is not easy and requires a very exhaustive prior study, without neglecting functional aspects at any time. In this sense Stone Designs always tries to provide new uses and solutions. In short, if you entrust a project to this studio the result will be, at the very least, surprising and different from what you imagined. All projects are a material interpretation of how the designers understand life, day-to-day, and the feelings of each one.
 

Where does the brand name come from?
Because we think the stone is the most perfect and primitive form that you can find in the nature, it's just the beginning of the trip of our lives.

Please tell us what you are working on currently.
We are preparing the new collection for the Milan furniture fair next April, and we are working on different projects for some fast-food companies.

When do you usually get the inspiration for your works? What is the concept of your brand?
The concept is very simple, do it!!! Don't waste your time waiting a boring producer to make your dreams come true. If you want you can. Our way of designing is very honest with the people, is a healthy design!! Everyone feel something nice when they are using our furniture, it's a very clear and innocent design. It's very difficult to define this, because the inspiration always appears when you are not at work, and then you have to take a pen very quickly and draw straight from your mind everything you are thinking on. After that, you can go to the studio and start working on it. But most of our inspiration is the nature environment and the people that live around us.

When you were a child, did you want to become a designer?
No!!! I wanted to become a fireman!!

Could you tell us the process of working on your pieces?
First we design the piece, of course. After this we think in materials, process and at the end packaging. But for us the most important think is that our pieces tell you something new, something fresh, something that when you see or when you use makes you feel alive.

What do you feel important when you are working on your pieces?
The spirit of the piece, everything in our work need to have a soul, if not the piece is dead, and this kind of furniture doesn't wake up any interest from us.

Which type of project has given you the most satisfaction?
Everything, sometimes we feel so proud with a very small project like a lamp, and sometimes we feel great with a big project. But for us the most important thing is what the project tells us. I remember for example when we designed the asi table, that when I went back to the studio after having seen the prototype, I called Eva crying because of the emotion I felt when I saw this prototype finished. Every piece is like a little part of you out of your body and out of your mind, sharing with everyone who wants to enjoy with your work.

When do you feel fulfilled as a designer?
I think when you see your work after years and you can see an evolution, and you can see that everything is getting better, and people love your pieces, this is the best part, when people choose your piece because the really like it!!

Which stores carry your products in Japan?
Now we are trying to introduce our company in Japan, because Japan has a very developed sense of the beauty. And this is very important for us, but at this time there’s nothing close
with any Japanese dealer.

What do you think about the current design trend?
I think that you mustn't look for the trend, because when you see the trend everything has finished and you are going to be all your life running behind the train of the trend.

What do you think about design industry in your country?
There's not a young design industry in Spain. And maybe it's only because young people are not risky enough to do what we are doing. It's hard, tiring but is beautiful when it works....

Why did you become designer?
Because I wanted to do something that make people smile, and to make them remember that there's something out there waiting to be found.

Are there any people who inspired you? Who do you respect?
My partner Eva, she is the best designer I ever knew. I like a lot the work from many others, for example the Bouroullec brothers and Hella Jongerius or Jasper Morrison are one of these designers that I think are doing fantastic pieces.

What do you do on your day off?
Surfing, snowboarding and motocross, I also practice iaido and kenjutsu. Japanese sword art. Twice a week.

Recently what kind of music are you listening to?
The best records of the year are the new one of an American group called The Shins and the new album off the British Zero 7.

Who is your favorite designer? What is your favorite book?
My favorite designer is EVA my partner. And my favorite book is one that has not been written yet.

What is your favorite word or phrase?
Is a phrase from Joel Tudor the longboard world champion. 'Open your mind and your board will follow'.

What is beauty for you?
The nature, everything in nature is a wonderful

Are there any places or countries you would like to visit?
I would like a lot to go to Australia, because 3 years ago my favorite destiny was Japan!! Since I was a child my dream was to visit Japan, but now I have been in Japan many times and I have to tell you that is absolutely my favorite country in the world!!! I would like to go to Kenya too because I love wildlife and few years ago I was in South Africa and I think Africa is the next place to explore.

What is your favorite cuisine? Could you tell us your favorite restaurants?
I have a problem with this, because I lost mi sense of smell and taste years ago, and for this reason I am very little exquisite. I love Spanish traditional food, because my mother is a marvelous cook!! My favorite restaurant would be one near my studio in Madrid. Its name is El Madrono. It's not the best but they attend my so well, and the food is very good too.

Could you tell us anything what you think it's cool at the moment?
Walking barefoot in the grass or in the sand, surfing a long wave in the North coast of Spain in winter time when you can see the snowy mountains far in the horizon from the water.

Is there any event that are you going to?
Next is Milan and after this we have been invited to exhibit in different countries including China, UK and USA.

What is your vision in the future?
I don't think a lot in the future because I think the future doesn't exist. You will be here tomorrow or not....... This is life. If you want to be happy, never think in the future. Just feel alive everyday.

Do you have any advice for the young?
Yeah, just work very hard and be modest to learn as much as you can. And when you are prepared to look for your personal way, it doesn't matter if this way is trendy o not, the most important thing is that it is your way.

What is your goal?
To feel alive as much as I can!! To share my life with the people I love, and to make people smile for a long time. Thanks a lot to all the Japanese people for making me feel so well in your country. Cheers, Cutu Mazuelos
 

Interiew to Cutu Mazuelos on +FleshFilm, March 2007

This story happened in Beijing, and we were a group of designers together. We were having a walk near our hotel when we saw that a complex of temples we had visited in the morning had been very carefully decorated at their entrance, and we could appreciate that a kind of celebration was being held inside.

As designers we are, we could hardly restrain our curiosity, and we decided to approach the door to see what was happening. When we were near the entrance, from the opposite side of a table full of bags with presents, some very kind girls asked us where we were from. We answered we were from Spain, and they understood we were from the Spanish Embassy, so they started giving us a lot of bags with presents, and we let them maintain the confusion.

So we entered the complex with two bags full of gifts each when one of the Chinese girls went to the designer Tony Arola and me, and she addressed to him as if he were the ambassador and I was his bodyguard, so she gave him another lot of bags with presents, this time special presents for the ambassador. My friend Tony, who is really cheeky, doesn’t understand a word of English nor Chinese, so the only thing he did was nodding as if he understood everything the girl was telling him, and as if that was the most common situation for him.

So we kept walking until we arrived into an area where we saw they had put several tables around a scenario with a lot of food and the names of different embassies. We were there eating and drinking for more than an hour and a half, pretending we were the ambassador and his entourage. In the end, when we thought the real ambassador would arrive at any moment, we decided to go away before the sham was discovered.

I can’t imagine the face of those poor girls when the ambassador arrived and they realised that a vulgar substitute had taken all his presents and those of his companions. I hope they wouldn’t end up at the police station for trying to impersonate the Spanish Ambassador.

Spanish potato omelette 

4 eggs
1/2 kilo potatoes
 Olive oil (one glass, or 1/4 litre)
Salt

Wash and cut the potatoes into thin slices. Heat the oil in the pan, and add the potatoes and salt. Fry, stirring occasionally. Tip: If you prefer the potatoes to be soft, use a spatula to mash them as they are frying. As soon as they are a golden colour, remove from the pan and put the potato mixture either in a sieve or on kitchen paper, so that as much oil as possible drains away or is absorbed.

Beat the eggs well with a pinch of salt, and add to the potatoes. Mix well.

Put two small spoonfuls of olive oil in the frying pan, so that the bottom of the pan is covered with a thin layer of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the potato and egg mixture. Tip: shake the pan gently as you move the mixture, so that none sticks to the bottom. Once the omelette seems to be cooked, use the lid of the frying pan (or a large plate) to tip the omelette out of the pan, add a little more oil and slide the omelette in again, this time putting the less cooked side first into the pan. If you need to repeat this step, so that the omelette is perfectly cooked and golden on both sides, you may do so. This omelette is delicious hot or cold.