DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
: I realized the need for this type of product. Then I came up with combining two daily-use products in one design. This was the main idea.
DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
: I mainly focused on solving a specific problem and making life easier by reducing the number of tableware in
use. We have spoon for liquids and knife for spreading liquid-like foods (honey,jam,etc.). But if we want to get
the liquid food and spread it on a slice of bread, we either use a spoon besides a knife or try to get the liquid with
knife and spin it not to pour the liquid out. I combined knife and spoon together in one product so that consumers
can easily eat liquid foods with a single product.
DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
: I would like to see my design produced and spreaded worldwide with my name AYSE KIRIMLI.
DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
: I always make observations in daily life to come up with solutions for people having difficulties. I observed
people having difficulties eating liquid foods like honey, jam etc. That was my start point of my design and
inspired me in my designing process a lot.
DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
: My design haven’t been used by any company and I haven’t sell or lease the production rights. I would love to
see it produced and I’m open to make collaborations for my design.
DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
: I didn’t get any help from anybody or anything while designing.
DI: Who is the target customer for his design?
: I target people who eat liquid foods in breakfast or anytime in a day. I think this product will get attention from
people especially who loves having breakfast.
DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
: My design is a new type of tableware combining spoon and knife together in one product.
DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
: The name ‘BERFEND’ comes from the Ottoman Turkish Language. It means deep and beautiful space.
DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
: Without any mechanism, the unique form of the Berfend Knife solves a problem which the consumer confronts
every morning.
DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
: Yes, After I came up with the idea of my design, I needed to have the very first prototype to see if it works and how. For making the prototype I got help from my friend who works at metal firm. I bought a metal knife and gave it to my friend to make the knife bended as my design. This is how I got the first prototype and had chance to test my designed product. Also I got the overviews from the employees in that metal firm and metal knife producers that my design can be produced very easily.
DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?
: At first, I submitted my design to very well-known design competition IMMIB in Turkey. I got the 1st prize and
IMMIB supported me to attend international design competitions. I researched and submit my design to this
competition.
DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?
: At first, I learnt to be resolute and believe in my ideas. Here is the story behind; I have designed the Berfend
knife when I was a student in college. After graduation, I had patented my design and presented it to the
company that I was working for. The owner of the company hesitated to produce it. After leaving that job, I
attended IMMIB design competition and won the 1st prize. And now, I have my international award of A design
which increadibly motivates me. Sometimes you may believe your idea or your work but when people don’t get
enthusiastic as you do, it demotivates you. But this design made me learn to be always strict about what you trust
in. The awards made me more self-confident and made me gain different perspectives.