Advertise on podcast: The Crit

James Melia, founder and creative director of London-based design agency Blond, joins the podcast for a conversation about packaging, brand names, and greater attention towards design in medical tech. James's picks for his crit were: Best design: Fussy refillable deodorant   Worst design: A desk he designed for his final project at university Most successful design: An upcoming packaging design for a US brand  Most impactful feedback: His colleague Dana Salmanzadeh asking why James is the only person in the studio who pitches and presents projects to clients Dream design: A catheter The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Designer and researcher Liliana Ovalle visits the studio to discuss exploring different making cultures, learning the limitations of working with craft processes, and her dream of making altars for the home. Liliana’s picks for her crit were: Best design: Sinkhole Vessels  Worst design: Encuentros bar set  Most successful design: Fragment of a Staircase  Most impactful feedback: Curator Jennifer Dunlop Fletcher saying she creates designs that look playful but are actually quite serious, similar to the work of designer Shiro Kuramata The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Marshall, industrial designer and partner at Pentagram, visits the studio to discuss the importance of trusting the process, the experience of moving from a designer to a creative director role, and the pleasures of seemingly intractable design problems. Jon's picks for his crit were: Best design: Honda. A Great Journey Worst design: Exhibition design for UNIQLO Most successful design: Yoto Most impactful feedback: Daniel Weil telling him to trust the process (and all feedback from his wife) Dream design: A range of cookware inspired by Richard Sapper’s La Cintura di Orione for Alessi The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlene Prempeh, founder of A Vibe Called Tech, joins The Crit for our 2025 holiday episode, examining the pleasures and importance of “good enough” work; the porous barrier between commercial and artistic practice; and answering a series of festive questions about redesigning the holidays!. Charlene's picks for her crit were: Best design: Now You See Me: 100 Years of Black Design Worst design: A project with a beauty brand during Black History Month (Best holiday gift: An advent calendar) Most successful design: We Are All They (Best holiday decoration: A wooden star, made by her son) Most impactful feedback: Non-existent feedback, teaching her to listen to her instincts when something feels wrong Dream design: The Golden Stool (Dream design change for the holidays: Food design) The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spandana Gopal, founder and creative director of the Tiipoi homeware brand, visits the studio to discuss rejecting exoticised portraits of India's design and craft traditions; the need to prioritise ethical, community-focused production; and the challenges of translating global sales of local craft into a thriving domestic market. Spandana's picks for her crit were: Best design: General Items Worst design: “Silly candles” Most successful design: Tiipoi, thriving as a business and abiding by its principles Most impactful feedback: Mentorship by Simon Alderson, cofounder of twentytwentyone Dream design: Rice cooking equipment for Alessi The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ab Rogers, creative director of the Ab Rogers Design studio, joins the podcast for a discussion focused on the architecture of healthcare, the horrors of wackiness, the need to welcome new people into architecture and design, and the creative potential for delight in everyday spaces. Ab's picks for his crit were: Best design: Maggie’s at The Royal Marsden Worst design: Waiting room at the Charing Cross Hospital breast unit Most successful design: Tate Modern Public Concourses or Comme des Garçons Paris Most impactful feedback: Aric Chen describing his work as “wacky” Dream design: A culture-centred health hub The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Material researcher and designer Ori Orisun Merhav sits her crit, exploring the ethos, experimentation and commitment to bio-inclusive co-creation that underpin her creations with lac, a natural polymer produced by insects. Ori's picks for her crit were: Best design: Something yet to come within Made by Insects Worst design: The daily failures of material research Most successful design: Lac chandelier for Design Sediments Most impactful feedback: Nacho Carbonell’s advice to “Become the insect” Dream design: A space and mindset to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration in material research The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Designer and artist Samuel Ross, founder of fashion brand A-Cold-Wall*and design studio SR_A, visits the studio to discuss the challenges of working as an innovator within internal teams, the influence of architecture on his work, and creating designs that speak to a particular generation of British culture. Samuel's picks for his crit were: Best design: Partnership with Nike Group Worst design: Designs where Ross’s team hasn’t managed to convince the client to adopt new processes Most successful design: SR_A Hublot Tourbillons Most impactful feedback: Provocative feedback from Kohler toilet Dream design: Ethical and accessible garment production or creating public communal spaces through urban planning The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Futures designer Nick Foster sits his crit to mark the launch of his new book Could Should Might Don't, exploring the limitations of futurism, and the need for more mundane, rounded design thinking within the realm of the tech giants. Nick's picks for his crit were: Best design: Google’s Selfish Ledger Worst design: Early-career, “thirsty could” design work Most successful design: Projects that have left stakeholders with a better understanding of the breadth of what design is Most impactful feedback: “Are you sure?” Dream design: Black Mirror The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danish designer Lise Vester visits the studio to discuss the impact of neuroaesthetics, hospices and CBT therapy on her work, as well as the role that designed sensory experience can have on improving people's everyday wellbeing. Lise's picks for her crit were: Best design: Dream View Bench Worst design: Silhouette Cutlery Most successful design: Idea Generator Chandelier  Most impactful feedback: Receiving feedback about how her Dream View collection changed people’s mindset Dream design: Working within healthcare facilities The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Benjamin Hubert, founder and creative director of Layer, joins The Crit to discuss moving beyond personality-driven aesthetics, creating objects for pets, his relationship with the media, and his desire to do more pro bono design work. Benjamin's picks for his crit were: Best design: Layer Worst design: Diamond Chair Most successful design: Dog toys for Earth Rated Most impactful feedback: A Financial Times article Dream design: Pro bono design work for charities, NGOs or community groups The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tomoko Azumi, founder of TNA Design Studio, visits the studio to talk about designing furniture for small spaces, the differences between the design industry in Japan and the UK, creating a space for the UK Supreme Court, and the importance of making models by hand. Tomoko's picks for her crit were: Best design: Flow Chair for Ercol and a trolley for the UK Supreme Court Worst design: Chairs for the UK Supreme Court Most successful design: LEM stool for La Palma Most impactful feedback: The V&A and the Crafts Council putting pieces from her graduation show in their permanent collections Dream design: DIY kits for paper modelling The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jo Barnard, founder and creative director of Morrama, a London-based design agency, joins the podcast to discuss customer feedback, failed shelving, the formation of a studio, and product design's social and environmental responsibilities. More information about Morrama's new book, From people to planet; lessons from a design agency, can be found here. Jo's picks for her crit were: Best design: Morrama Worst design: A flat-packed shelving unit made while at secondary school Most successful design: Angle razor Most impactful feedback: Customer reviews for Wild refillable deodorant Dream design: A waste system The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam Bates, design director of consumer tech company Nothing, visits the studio to discuss the difficulties of innovating in the smartphone category, the perils of spec creep, the joy of design references from the past, and the importance of carving out your own niche. Adam's picks for his crit were: Best design: Headphone (1) Worst design: A vacuum cleaner for the Japanese market Most successful design: Dyson Supersonic and Phone (1) Most impactful feedback: “Carve your niche” and “You look like you're having too much fun” Dream design: A camera The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Designer and artist Paul Cocksedge joins The Crit for a conversation about communicating through coal, financing an art practice, engendering material wonder in diverse audiences, and the case for redesigning London's streets. Paul's picks for his crit were: Best design: Coalescence Worst design: Manuscript Most successful design: Please Be Seated Most impactful feedback: Ingo Maurer saying he believed in Paul Dream design: Redesigning London The Crit Graphics: Leonhard Rothmoser Music: Yuri Suzuki and Team Suzuki This episode of The Crit was recorded at KEF Music Gallery, London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.