Seral Tan: “My designs resemble a rainbow that contains several colors. The emotions of excitement, joy and happiness that we feel when we see the rainbow are the emotions I want people to feel when they see Sodd products
Seral Tan, who personifies his childhood with her designs, is the guest of the issue. In February 2020, she founded her brand, Sodd Design, which she prefers calling ‘childish’. Stating that she designs products of unusual styles, colors, fun, original and complementary to the greater decoration, Tan tells us about her brand and design journey.
To begin with, let’s hear about you. Who is Seral Tan?
I am a person who loves colors, listens to the voice of her heart, and tries to protect her childish spirit. Secondly, I am an industrial designer and entrepreneur. After graduating from Doğuş University, Department of Industrial Design in 2011, I gained experience in different sectors such as furniture, museums, theme parks and corporate design consultancy. I have always loved to dream. February 2020 was the milestone when I took initial steps to realize my dream of a brand of my own; something that I had always wanted to do since university, and eventually I founded ‘Sodd Design’.
How did your design career begin? Can you tell us about your brand and designs?
I have the feeling that Sodd Design and my personal story are intertwined. Because Sodd is the combination of plenty of images and moments of experience that I have observed since the day I started to know my inner self. I am an industrial product designer and my determination on this profession dates back to my secondary school years when my dream was to be an interior designer. Over time, that very dream turned into reality as a product designer. At the university and now, I see I made the right decision and the steps I took were solid and accurate. It has always been a learning process for me and at times, I learned the truth the hard way, by making mistakes. Sodd Design was founded with rich experience I had gained by working in different sectors and pursued dreams that were never given up.
What does Sodd mean?
The name, ‘Sodd’ actually stems from the soul of my designs. It’s the combination of the initial letter ‘S’ of ‘Seral’ and the word, ‘odd’, symbolizing courage in itself. Bold, colorful and weird equals ‘SODD Design’. In short, it is a brand that designs colorful, fun, original and complementary furniture, the first seeds of which were planted in February 2020.
What are the highlights when designing your products?
Sodd’s creative spirit is to go beyond the ordinary by using soft forms as opposed to simple forms. Naturally, the form of the product as well as the function of it should facilitate the use of that certain product. Colors are also an important part of the design. Vivid and bright colors form the basis of the Sodd Design brand. Sodd is powered by colors which take us to the 80s, 60s and Pop Art. I also get inspired by those times. But I think Sodd Design has a unique style. I’ve been trying to create exciting and encouraging designs. Because courage, excitement and joy are the core values at Sodd Design.
Sodd resembles a rainbow that contains several colors. The emotions of excitement, joy and happiness that one feels when one sees the rainbow are the emotions I want people to feel when they see Sodd products.
Which movements and artists were you particularly influenced by while at the university? Besides colors in my designs, my main source of inspiration is the Memphis Movement and Karim Rashid, which I got to know and was influenced by during my university years. We already see the Memphis effect in Karim Rashid’s products. The most important reason for their influence and inspiration for me was that -besides their designs- they bravely put forward their own styles, without stepping back from the way they believed. I’m still encouraged by them.
The main motto behind my design language is to help people express themselves better by coloring their living spaces, which allow them to be more positive, brave and committed individuals. This “motive” forms the vision of the brand.
This vision is being inspired by children and the inner child in us; those moods of having fun, smiling and colorful. Over time, we lose the courage of the colorful world we lived in when we were kids. I aim not to lose our inner child. Sodd Design is a combination of children’s brave and cheerful moods and our adult mind. May the child in us always exist with courage and become inspiration to others.
What do you suggest regarding the function of furniture in decoration?
Our living spaces are a reflection of our characters and lifestyles. Furniture, accessories, materials, colors all shape the details of a whole. It is necessary that we choose and combine those details according to what our souls need. I’m more interested in how furniture makes you feel, rather than its function. If the ambience makes you feel good, you can spend time and enjoy living there.
At times, our lives can be tiring and gray enough. The fact that the environment we live in creates itsy bitsy happiness moments on a daily basis with small touches, forms and colors without making us weary will give us the courage to move on. I suggest that our priority should be to find what is good for our souls, which will value our lives. What we feel and what we have deep inside will show us the right path.
How would you conclude your comments?
“Turning inwards, embracing the voice of your heart” are statements mostly used by people who are interested in yoga or psychology. Before I founded Sodd Design, I had realized that I was stuck because I had been considering things from a logical point of view. Only after I focused on my feelings and my heart, did things turn completely the other way round. The essence of the job is to embrace what is inside and to communicate with and listen to the inner child in us. That’s when way more precise and satisfactory outputs emerge at whatever we do. What I’m trying to say is that Sodd Design is an encouraging brand that emerged from hearts; our hearts that are ultimately brave and childish spirited…
