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Design Tangents

Arts & Culture Podcasts

Hosted by COOL HUNTING founders Evan Orensten and Josh Rubin, Design Tangents takes listeners on a journey into the minds of artists, designers, musicians, tech pioneers and visionaries. The podcast explores the creative processes and inspirations that drive these changemakers and offers behind-the-scenes insights into their careers, challenges and philosophies.

Location:

United States

Description:

Hosted by COOL HUNTING founders Evan Orensten and Josh Rubin, Design Tangents takes listeners on a journey into the minds of artists, designers, musicians, tech pioneers and visionaries. The podcast explores the creative processes and inspirations that drive these changemakers and offers behind-the-scenes insights into their careers, challenges and philosophies.

Language:

English


Episodes
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Katie Longmyer: Wrangler of Misfits

4/16/2024
A pioneering creative and life-long culture maker, Katie Longmyer is also a talented operator. Known by many as “Good Peoples,” a label given to her during her early club-kid days, that’s exactly the type of person she attracts and it eventually became the name of her events and experiences agency. In this episode Evan and Josh talk to Longmyer about the arc of her career, Co-founding and being the CEO of Proto, community building, Shibari, the future of social media and more. katielongmyer.com instagram.com/goodpeoples Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte with editing assistance from Hannah Viti. Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.

Duration:00:54:00

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meriko borogove: designer, engineer, director and photographer

4/2/2024
During her 22 years at Apple meriko borogove worked on some of the most interesting and transformative products the company has made. If you’ve ever used a camera on an Apple device, then you’re already familiar with some of her work, as she led the camera team for years. A designer, engineer, director and photographer who one colleague labeled a “unicorn” given her epic levels of intelligence, creativity, logic and humanitarianism, she is now leading a future where technology and entertainment increasingly collaborate. In this episode Evan and Josh talk to borogove about the early Apple days, how cameras and photography have evolved, spatial computing, volumetric imaging, live performance and more. Artists and nerds love her and you will too. merikob.com scanlabprojects.co.uk audienceofthefuture.live/projects/dream Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte with editing assistance from Hannah Viti. Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.

Duration:00:56:19

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Willie Williams: Creative alchemist and visual director of live experiences

3/19/2024
Operating behind the scenes and under the radar Willie Williams has been creating some of the most memorable and talked about experiences and live performances for decades. Josh + Evan caught up with the co-founder of London's Treatment Studio in Las Vegas, where the firm designed both U2’s epic residency at The Sphere and Weekends With Adele at Caesars Palace. In this episode we hear about Williams' work with U2 over the last forty years, his creative process, how the modest technical genius integrates cutting-edge innovation into his projects, the power of reading and more. Reference Links: www.Williewilliams.com www.treatmentstudio.com Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte. Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.

Duration:01:25:32

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Jonathan Adler: Potter, designer and philologist

3/5/2024
Jonathan dreamed about being a potter but was thwarted by the advice of others, so after university he started working at a talent agency in NYC, and threw pottery on the side. It didn’t take long for him to listen to his heart and pursue his true calling. Thirty one years later he’s achieved superstar status as a multi-faceted creator and designer with a retail empire and a creative studio that celebrates his unique point of view on living with glamour and style. In this episode Josh and Evan talk to Jonathan about building his eponymous lifestyle brand, the power of yes, flexing vocabulary and keeping it carny. jonathanadler.com Instagram.com/JonathanAdler Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte. Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.

Duration:00:46:30

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Paola Antonelli: Design curator, educator and evangelist

2/20/2024
Growing up in Milan, Paola Antonelli was surrounded by design and became aware of its importance when she noticed things that weren’t well designed. For nearly 30 years Antonelli—an architect, author, editor and podcaster—has been the Design Curator at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art. A long-time inspiration for us at COOL HUNTING, we were excited to sit down with her to talk about her perspective on design, what’s exciting her now, current and future MoMA exhibitions, her Design Emergency podcast and her work running the Research and Development department focusing on discourse around life’s moments. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paola_Antonelli https://www.moma.org/about/senior-staff/paola-antonelli http://momarnd.moma.org/salons/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/design-emergency/id1655108265 Photo by Marton Perkaki Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte. Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.

Duration:00:45:35

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Maximilian Büsser: The punk rock provocateur of Swiss watchmaking

2/6/2024
Maximilian is the founder and Chief Creative Officer of MB&F (Maximilian Büsser & Friends), the most radical watch maker in a very traditional industry. Following his successful career at established brands including Jaeger-LeCoultre and Harry Winston during difficult years in the Swiss watchmaking industry, he set out to create his eponymous timepieces showcasing unabashed innovation, whimsy, craft and the never-been-done-before, challenging his “friends” to do things even they didn’t think they could do. He talks with Evan and Josh about his many inspirations, including his childhood love of cars and science fiction, his passion for making mechanical works of art, how therapy helped ground him and why he has legacy on his mind. Reference links https://www.mbandf.com https://www.instagram.com/mbandf https://coolhunting.com/design/chv-mbf https://coolhunting.com/tag/mbf Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte. Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.

Duration:00:44:50

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Suchi Reddy: Architect, artist, teacher, form follows feeling advocate and neuroaesthetics practitioner

1/23/2024
Suchi is the founder of her eponymous firm, Reddymade. From her large interactive public art works at The Smithsonian, in Times Square and Prospect Park to her range of architectural projects including Google’s first retail store, Suchi has been a passionate thought leader in creating spaces that make us feel. A longtime friend of COOL HUNTING, Evan and Josh are excited to share her point of view on built environments, art, and design justice. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte. Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.

Duration:00:47:09

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Zane Lowe: DJ, producer, host, creative director and head of artist relations at Apple Music

1/9/2024
A master interviewer, Zane Lowe was once called “Pop’s Unofficial Therapist” by the NY Times. He’s Apple Music’s head of artist relations and the lead anchor for Apple Music 1 Radio. Flipping the script and interviewing the interviewer, Josh and Evan chat with Zane about the importance of curiosity, holding space for conversation and finding the balance between diligence and instinct when it comes to preparing for his work. Full of stories and some deep personal moments, this episode is an exploration of how to design an interview and ultimately what we learned was so much more. The Zane Lowe Show The Zane Lowe Interview Series Zane's Instagram Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte. Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.

Duration:01:03:29

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Thandiwe Muriu: Pioneering Photographer [Encore]

12/26/2023
Around the world photography is a male-dominated industry and in Kenya that’s an understatement. Thandiwe Muriu is the country’s first woman commercial photographer and in recent years the first to find her voice as a photographic artist. In this episode Evan and Josh sit with the Nairobi-based creative to hear how she learned the craft, found her artistic self and is unfolding and reinterpreting the visual language of Kenya for a global audience. Her energy, optimism and enthusiasm are immense and you can feel the love, power and creativity from the opening moments all the way through the conversation. Links thandiwemuriu.com instagram.com/thandiwe_muriu Photograph courtesy of Thandiwe Muriu / Institute Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Tangents was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group. Transcripts, show notes, and links for each episode of Design Tangents can be found at surroundpodcasts.com/design-tangents This episode was produced by Rob Schulte.

Duration:00:47:27

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Design Tangents Season 2 Coming January 2024

12/12/2023
Josh and Evan give a sneak peek at a few of the amazing guests that will be featured on the second season of Design Tangents. Be on the lookout for new episodes coming January 2024! Find more podcasts like Design Tangents at SURROUNDpodcasts.com This episode was produced by Rob Schulte

Duration:00:03:24

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Jeff Staple: Creative Visionary and Founder of Reed Art Department and Staple Pigeon [Encore]

11/28/2023
Is it a vibe or is it a discipline? Designing streetwear requires understanding a far-reaching and often unexpected mix of cultural queues. For Jeff Staple, a pioneer in the space, synthesizing these observations is second nature. In this episode Josh and Evan talk to Jeff about his journey of discovering design, disappointing (and then impressing) his parents, mastering product collaborations and more. We also hear some key lessons along the way including a spot-on gumbo metaphor and recognizing the power of 17 year olds. Links: Jeff Staple: jeffstaple.tv Reed Art Department (Creative Agency): reedartdepartment.com Jeff Staple: Not Just Sneakers book with Rizzoli: reedartdepartment.com/shop?rizzoli-jeff-staple-not-just-sneakers Social: @jeffstaple @reedartdepartment Find more podcasts like Design Tangents at SurroundPodcasts.com

Duration:01:03:59

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What Does AI Think About Design Tangents Season 1?

11/16/2023
Josh and Evan reflect on Season 1 by asking ChatGPT to review every episode and extract the common themes that emerged in their interviews with creatives across a range of fields. Tune in to hear them respond to the results. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Tangents was produced and edited by SANDOW DESIGN GROUP.

Duration:00:13:48

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Clever with COOL HUNTING

11/7/2023
COOL HUNTING’S JOSH RUBIN AND EVAN ORENSTEN ON EXPLORING UNCHARTED TERRITORY Josh Rubin and Evan Orensten fell in love at first sight when they met in the office of Razorfish in the 90’s. But before then, Josh grew up straddling Miami and Vermont, where he gained experience navigating different worlds and perspectives. While Evan, growing up in Minneapolis, was bursting with curiosity, learning languages, and pushing to travel as often as possible. Their chemistry and compatibility ultimately led to the founding of COOL HUNTING. Now after 20 years, they are still exploring the edges of art, design, cars, craft, tech and travel, while also leading the charge (custom project with Ferrari blending traditional craft with high-tech luxury) and the conversation (new podcast, Design Tangents) on the design of a meaningful and beautiful future. You can find more episodes of CLEVER at SurroundPodcasts.com

Duration:00:59:17

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Once Upon A Project with COOL HUNTING

10/23/2023
When Josh Rubin and Evan Orensten met twenty-five years ago, did they ever imagine their partnership would result in the inception of the iconic media brand COOL HUNTING? This episode offers a glimpse into their journey of evolution at the intersection of the internet, content, and design—not to mention the twenty-year partnership of the men behind the helm. Explore the captivating world of digital design in our latest episode. This episode was recorded in the NeoCon Podcast Studio, powered by SURROUND and Sponsored by SnapCab. You can find more episodes of Once Upon a Project at SurroundPodcasts.com

Duration:00:53:06

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Matty Benedetto: Inventor, Content Creator and Solo Entrepreneur

6/20/2023
At Unnecessary Inventions Matty designs, builds, documents and shares a new product with his millions of followers each week. Pulled from an endless list of ideas he has for gadgets we don’t need but still might be entertained to have, his fans, talk shows and brand partners can’t get enough of his wit. Josh and Evan visited Matty in his new studio in Burlington, VT to see this self-described “evil genius” madness first hand. With his success he could have a staff working with him, yet he prefers to handle everything himself. He shares how he got here, why he has a need to create, how his unusual process makes sense, and that he may have some ideas in a folder that are NSFW that could someday be revealed. @unnecessaryinventions on all social channels unnecessaryinventions.com (which includes links to all the social channels) Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Tangents was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Rob Schulte, Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager. Transcripts, show notes, and links for each episode of Design Tangents can be found at surroundpodcasts.com/design-tangents

Duration:00:52:35

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Thandiwe Muriu: Pioneering Photographer

6/6/2023
Around the world photography is a male-dominated industry and in Kenya that’s an understatement. Thandiwe Muriu is the country’s first woman commercial photographer and in recent years the first to find her voice as a photographic artist. In this episode Evan and Josh sit with the Nairobi-based creative to hear how she learned the craft, found her artistic self and is unfolding and reinterpreting the visual language of Kenya for a global audience. Her energy, optimism and enthusiasm are immense and you can feel the love, power and creativity from the opening moments all the way through the conversation. Links thandiwemuriu.com instagram.com/thandiwe_muriu Photograph courtesy of Thandiwe Muriu / Institute Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Tangents was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Rob Schulte, Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager. Transcripts, show notes, and links for each episode of Design Tangents can be found at surroundpodcasts.com/design-tangents

Duration:00:46:54

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Luc Donckerwolke and SangYup Lee: Genesis Design Visionaries

5/24/2023
It typically takes five years from imagining a new car to bringing it to market. In about that same amount of time, Genesis has created their brand and introduced all new models. The cars and the design leadership have gotten the attention of just about every automotive award around the world, and the brand has fought hard to create its mark in a challenging and increasingly fast-paced market. This is a team effort led by the collaborative dynamic duo of Luc Donckerwolke and SangYup Lee. Josh and Evan traveled to Seoul to immerse themselves in Korean culture and learn how innovation has been accelerated across a range of businesses, including automotive. In this episode they sit down with the creative duo, who they’ve known for the last decade, to hear how they’ve developed the Genesis brand, built a team, design cars that people desire, and bring the brand to life across the many touch points that people interact with. Feel the love and learn about the power of design. Links: coolhunting.com/genesis genesis.com Genesis Instagram Genesis Twitter Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Tangents was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Rob Schulte, Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager. Transcripts, show notes, and links for each episode of Design Tangents can be found at surroundpodcasts.com/design-tangents

Duration:00:43:12

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Matthew Dear: Musician and Audiovisual Composer

5/9/2023
A multi-hyphenate creative, Matthew Dear is a tech-forward composer and performer, a DJ, digital artist and web3 enthusiast. COOL HUNTING first wrote about him in 2007, and he appeared in our video podcast then, early in his musical career. Over the years Josh and Evan followed his work and developed a friendship. Thinking about creating theme music for Design Tangents Matthew was the first and only person on the list, and it was a no brainer to also have him on as a guest. We went back to Ann Arbor, where we shot our video 15 years ago, to talk about what he’s interested in making today, what went into writing our theme music, and how having children, fishing, technology and the Detroit scene all play a role in his creative process. Links coolhunting.com/culture/matthew-dear-nu coolhunting.com/?s=Matthew dear ghostly.com/artists/matthew-dear www.instagram.com/matthewdear twitter.com/matthewdear Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Tangents was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Rob Schulte, Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager. Transcripts, show notes, and links for each episode of Design Tangents can be found at surroundpodcasts.com/design-tangents

Duration:00:52:29

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Jihan Zencirli: Artist and Philosopher

4/25/2023
Whenever Josh, Evan and Jihan Zencirli get together the energy is high and the tangents are profound. Jihan is an installation artist, big thinker and positive pop culture force. In this episode they cover her early days making balloon sculptures, the pageantry of religion, art cults, Donatella Versace and learnings from her time in web3 working with the Doodles. Links: coolhunting.com/tag/geronimo geronimoinspace.com designtvbysandow.com/programs/jihan-zencirli-geronimo-cool-hunting Social: @Geronimo Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Tangents was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Rob Schulte, Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager. Transcripts, show notes, and links for each episode of Design Tangents can be found at surroundpodcasts.com/design-tangents

Duration:00:38:04

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Jeff Staple: Creative Visionary and Founder of Reed Art Department and Staple Pigeon

4/11/2023
Is it a vibe or is it a discipline? Designing streetwear requires understanding a far-reaching and often unexpected mix of cultural queues. For Jeff Staple, a pioneer in the space, synthesizing these observations is second nature. In this episode Josh and Evan talk to Jeff about his journey of discovering design, disappointing (and then impressing) his parents, mastering product collaborations and more. We also hear some key lessons along the way including a spot-on gumbo metaphor and recognizing the power of 17 year olds. Links: Jeff Staple: jeffstaple.tv Reed Art Department (Creative Agency): reedartdepartment.com Jeff Staple: Not Just Sneakers book with Rizzoli: reedartdepartment.com/shop?rizzoli-jeff-staple-not-just-sneakers Social: @jeffstaple @reedartdepartment

Duration:01:04:27