We were lucky to catch up with Martine Ilana recently and have shared our conversation below.
Martine , so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
I love to travel and have had incredible opportunities, even a very young age, to visit countries overseas and explore very different cultures from my own. These unique experiences have given me a global perspective on how to value both personal and professional resources around one. I found that frequently, those who may have less access to the support one may expect is needed to be successful both personally and professionally, were So positive and productive in their own lives. I often reflect on this dynamic and aim to achieve much more with less. Ultimately these global experiences have really given me the ’super power’ of optimism and creativity.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the Founder and Principal Designer of the Temescal Creative Sustainable Design Agency. I founded Temescal in 2019 as a culmination of my 20+ years working in the global design and manufacturing industries, including industrial design, fashion design, interiors, and architecture. I could not find ‘hands-on’ professional support for sustainable design projects that I personally wanted to get off the ground. Everyone that I encountered was providing theory & research on eco-friendly design, but no firm offered the operational means needed to take a sustainable concept and execute its vision into reality (meaning creating something three-dimensional). I realized quickly that I could start ‘that company’ and help others just as I needed.
With Temescal, I have created an incredible network and team focused on how to approach upcycling or sustainable projects that others may not have the bandwidth to approach. We have the depth of experience, wealth of knowledge, and importantly the drive to keep on moving forward until the best possible solution is sorted out for a client’s benefit and sustainability goals. Inherently sustainable design is a solution to an overage problem and needs to be considered with strategy and patience. This is what we as a company Love to work on – We can ideate, design, create, and develop in order to execute at a higher quality than previously made.
The first focus is a new division of Temescal Creative simply named: ‘Temescal’ ( https://www.temescal.design/ ) that is dedicated to sustainable interior design for vacation rentals and boutique hotels. Often this sector is overlooked, and as guests have ‘snap-shot’ experiences within a space, our goal is to elevate vacation rental and hotel design to capture a healthier environment both with materials and structural applications; for example better air quality and energy efficiencies, all the while giving guests a sense of beauty, calm and happiness as they walk into their vacation spaces.
The Second focus is one that is very close to my heart, as I started my design career in the timepiece industry and now after about 6 years of taking a hiatus, I am going to launch a new sustainable watch brand named ‘La Lune’, which means ‘The Moon’ in French. Soon to be launched on LaLuneLove.com, this collection will be focused on using heathier materials in the packaging and straps such as coffee or plant-based leathers, recycled steel, and natural stones. The watches will all be vintage inspired geared towards ladies’ designs, as often women’s watches are ‘shrunk down’ versions of a man’s watch. The intention is for those who wear La Lune timepieces, is to slow down, move their eyes off their phones, and take a sometime to appreciate their life’s moments.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
– Flexibility – Resilience
– Constant curiosity
With respect to advise for those early in their journey, some advise that I was told was simply: Show up on time, and just begin. Take that first step, whether that is putting your work out into the world, or launching a project. Do not wait for everything to be perfect, often design process keeps on developing and changing even after they are in the world. Others need to experience, what has been created to see reactions to understand faults or successes in your designs / development.
How would you describe your ideal client?
I Love working with client’s who are fluid in their decision-making process, are open to true collaboration, and are looking for thought-partners to support their own business’ growth and relevancy. Temescal’s clients are not strictly in one category or industry, as we are multidisciplinary. Thus we have the ability to cross over ideas from each category that we work on and bring fresh new perspectives that may solve overage problems or even design issues which clients’ have not considered previously. For example, trying to use the left over lumber from a carpentry project and transforming that into a kids’ tree-house, is the same concept at large as taking the overage leather waste from footwear production and upcycling these scraps into new handbags.
Our ideal client understands the intrinsic value and impact of sustainable design on its bottom line, has trust in our experiences and portfolio of work, and subsequently is seeking our support to increase their company’s bandwidth and grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.temescalcreative.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/temescal_creative/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TemescalCreativeDesign/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martineilana/
Image Credits
© Christopher Payne/Esto & © Marta Xochilt Perez Photography
