Creativity comes in waves, and some days are naturally more stimulating than others. But we’re believers in the power of creating an environment that encourages your own innovation. After all, that’s why we started Native Union – to enhance your everyday and empower a modern lifestyle with the flexibility to find what matters and what inspires.
Joining us as an intern and now part of our Design team as our Industrial Designer, Guillaume Taillard sits in our Paris office and is one of the creative minds behind the products you know and love.
Working in design, Guillaume’s no stranger to the ups and downs of the creative process but he’s always able to find and create inspiration in the world and the everyday objects around him. Here, Guillaume shares a day in his life, his favorite projects to work on, and how he gets those creative juices flowing.
A STRAIGHT-OUT-OF-SCHOOL OPPORTUNITY
Since joining Native Union a year and a half ago, I’ve been involved in the first steps of the product design process, where we brainstorm and plan new concepts. It’s been really fun to always be working on new designs and I’m glad to have found this opportunity straight out of school. I also work on 3D visualization and animations to showcase some of our products, which you might’ve seen on our social media!
MAKING AN IMPACT ON EVERYDAY LIVES
Every time I see something, I always think “how would I do this myself?”
I got into design because I really like building and crafting things – every time I see something, I always think “how would I do this myself?” When I was younger, I didn’t know that you could turn building things into a career, but I grew more familiar with Product and Industrial Design in high school and I’ve wanted to do it ever since.
I think what pushes me the most now is that I can create something new everyday and that these things can have an impact on people’s everyday lives, making it more productive or simply more enjoyable.
KEEPING IT DYNAMIC AND INTERACTIVE
Working at Native Union is very flexible, no day feels the same. But I do have routines to help stay productive. I usually start my day by checking my mailbox and scrolling through my favorite design, architecture, and tech websites to stay in the loop, which is important with such dynamic industry trends. The rest of my mornings are mostly spent on execution tasks like 3D work, tech packs, and more.
The afternoon is more collaborative. I work closely with Fab, our Creative Director, and Martin, our Senior Product Design Manager, to exchange ideas and discuss ongoing projects.
Sometimes, we spend hours discussing a very specific detail! When I started as an intern, it took us a while to work on the Sling Tech Pouch, mainly because it was a new technique. We spent a long time on just the edges of the pouch – we did several mockups to adjust the details, improve the quality, and pick the right material.
CLEAN DESK, CLEAR MIND
I loved how the Snap 2-in-1 could streamline my setup, so I made my own MagSafe case.
I like to keep things clean and uncluttered to stay focused, so I use our Snap 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger as my charger for a simplified desk space, which also turns my phone into a convenient Spotify control. The right music and a clean space really set the tone for my day.
Actually, when the Snap first came out, I had an iPhone SE which isn’t MagSafe compatible, but I loved how the charger could streamline my setup, so I made my own MagSafe case. I took a piece of leather I found at home and stuck it to my phone with a magnet in between. It worked!
FINDING INSPIRATION EVERYWHERE
If you look closely, you learn something from everything around you.
The MagSafe range was interesting to work on as it challenged us to come up with a lot of different ideas for how we can take such a “tech-y” innovation and turn it into something that’s feels inherently Native Union.
For our Snap 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Chargers, we drew our inspiration from everyday objects, like lamps, hangers, and mirrors. They may seem mundane, but if you look closely, you learn something from everything around you.
THE BEAUTY OF TRUE CRAFTSMANSHIP
It fascinates me how people can master a material and make beautiful creations with such precision and detail.
To stay inspired, I like to look at craftsmanship techniques. It fascinates me how people can master a material and make beautiful creations with such precision and detail.
One of my favorites is woodworking, which sounds super classic but that’s what I like – clean, minimal wooden furniture with nice details or smart assembly that make all the difference. Even just an everyday object like a table that’s done skillfully, I love it. I’m actually building a wooden speaker, it’s a work in progress but it’s a fun way to learn about these techniques on a deeper level.
Classic, clean design is part of what drew me to the design ethos of Native Union and I think is probably what differentiates us the most in the tech accessory market.
A STROLL AROUND LE SENTIER, THE EPICENTER OF PARISIAN ART
We’re lucky to have our design studio in the center of Paris, which is a creative core. In a city with so many shops, brands, and exhibitions, we’re constantly surrounded by amazing design. To mirror the city’s inspiring and creative atmosphere, we incorporate Parisian design elements into our office through the objects we’re surrounded by, but we also channel that inspiration into the objects we design.
That’s why a lot of our products, like our MagSafe range, draw inspiration from the interior design and architecture that’s so prevalent here in Paris.
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL
One of the most important things I’ve learned, and continue to learn, is the importance of attention to detail. As I said, we can spend hours working on a specific part of a product, but we know it’s necessary and plays a bigger part in the overall design of the product.
We hope this effort shines through in our launches.
