Interview with Alex Dujet | Futur Neue

Futur Neue is an independent design group based in Geneva. Founded by Alex Dujet, who specializes in art direction, graphic design, and typography, and Dre Constance Delamadeleine, whose expertise lies in socio-historical and visual research, the group focuses on creating innovative projects in the fields of type and graphic design.

Let's have an outlook at Alex Dujet's professional background through the lens of DAFES PROJECTOR 👀

Where did you study? Who of your teachers influenced your professional formation?

Geneva School of Applied Arts (Ecole des Arts Appliqués de Genève). I've obviously been influenced by a very good bunch of teachers during my studies and even by a lot of friends, artists, and graphic designers I’ve been working with. I've learned a lot from each of them. I have to thank, especially, one teacher, Lisa Leuch, who taught me very good principles regarding the typographic plan and the conceptual way of creating things. She was a student of Wolfgang Weingart at the Basel School. At some point, everybody helps to create things. No baker, no banker, no farmer, no need for a logo... Whatever, I don't really like logos.

Do you teach now? What are the three (five) basic pieces of advice you may give to design students and young designers who have just started their professional work?

 Yes, I'm currently teaching graphic design and typography at the same school where I graduated. I think that a young student has to believe in his or her own creation process, which also means listening and learning a lot from their teachers and making their own choices based on their own thoughts. A young professional has to make some choices not to scatter themselves in many fields and focus on one thing to become a specialist. But I think it’s very important to have a lot of knowledge regarding everything in different lifestyles or art fields. Even mainstream things, to frame potential reflexions and not be easily trapped. I also think that a good professional has to analyse everything, like ‘why do I like this movie and why I don't like it’. This is something that I like to say to my students. It should help you establish or define your own way of thinking.

Which projects did your career start with? What were your first steps in the profession after graduation?

 After I graduated, I did an internship with Roger Pfund (Geneva), which was an honour for me to start with and was very productive. After that, I worked with Sacha Itin, who was a very good mentor and a sensitive teacher. We worked on several projects together, but mainly on some brochures for a fashion retailer based in Manhattan, NY. The client was very ambitious, and he had sharp references. To find the best way to complete the project, we had to find plenty of solutions for all the things that we had to do for him, which was a very good mind-opening project that gave me a lot of tools regarding creativity. A kind of revelation: for the first time in my life, I finally pinpointed what kind of things my brain could come up with. I also remember another challenge with this same teacher, which was to redesign all the letters of a logotype for a luxury project. Afterwards, this project helped me to understand my statement in graphic design: a focus on typography.

Do you have any particular methods or practices that help you keep your mind clear, curious, and full of ideas?

I don’t think I really have a particular method. Like everyone else, I obviously do other stuff than work in my life, which helps me to disconnect from my work. I think that every situation that crosses my way could be a starting point for creating things. Okay, I often play the guitar for myself when I have time. Music is an interesting and relaxing hobby, and it probably helps in a way to bring an open mood to create different things. I also love travelling and discovering different stuff, and I also love walking around industrial spots and inside good museums or exhibitions.

What do you start your project with? Do you have a system of brainstorming with your colleagues, or do you need some quiet time away from the office? What may work out as a source of inspiration?

 First, I call my mom to inform her that I have a new project; it makes her proud. But nope, nothing special. I don't have a clear protocol regarding that! If I have to work in a team, maybe discussing creation and application things with each other seems important.

Do you sometimes take a sabbatical for a few months or even longer to get away from the business and projects behind you for a while? Do you sometimes need such breaks in your work?

 Fortunately, I'm not a machine, so I do take breaks. I'm totally fond of graphic design, but I sometimes feel saturated, so I really need to focus on other things. like spending time with all my close people, travelling, making music, and doing crapy projects that make me laugh a lot.

Have you ever felt that your work is turning into a routine? If so, how do you fight this feeling?

 It sometimes happens. This is when I feel better to take a break and try seeing or discovering new stuff to motivate myself, and I go back to my schedule with new inputs.

Do you think design is more conscious or emotional? Is it more of a service (business), art, or both? What’s your personal take on it?

 It's kind of both! But actually, I don't really like to put too much emotion into my work because I learned to be a graphic designer and not an artist. As a designer, I have to answer problems. Even if I have a lot of free projects, I always go back and forth between restrictions and free space. I need that to come up with something that makes sense.

Do you take part in negotiations and presentations for your projects? Do you think that a presentation should be made by the author of the project?

 For sure, I'm here every time to present the projects that I have been working on. I can hardly imagine a designer who would prefer to delegate this to another person. Presenting stuff you are working on with love should always be like a party!

How many projects can you do at the same time? Do you prefer to concentrate on one project or run several projects simultaneously?

 I always work on several creative things, even if they're not always in the field of typography or graphic design. By the way, I sometimes find it difficult to stop myself regarding that. When it's only about graphic stuff, I love having many projects at the same time, which really helps to figure out nice solutions. Let's say that the more I design things I have to tackle, the deeper I get into every possible detail.

What are your personal criteria for success in the profession?

 I can't say my work is that successful, but I always push things until I'm very happy with my work. I respect my clients a lot, but I hate it when the ideas of an expert are diluted by the cheesy thoughts of the ignorant, who knew from the start they would have the last word because they have the money. I'm not here to polish their shoes. Do you discuss the methods or the tools when your dentist has to fix your bridge?

What are you interested in? What turns you on except for design and your profession? Are you, perhaps, a collector? Or are you in need of new impressions of travelling to different countries every two months?

 It's kind of both, actually. I do love to keep things that remind me of a special moment or a period of my life, so I collect a lot of stuff, and I don't even have enough space for it all! However, I also need to be "disoriented" to discover new things. It helps me to flourish.

Do you see any peculiar trends in graphic design nowadays? Is there a certain style of the new century, or, to narrow the question, of the second decade of the new century?

 No, at all! I see nothing! Kidding… I will say that the latest trends are really vivid. But it's not just nowadays; it has been ever since in every creative field (music, fine arts, architecture, and design in a broad sense). Every generation of designers and artists meets this kind of "zeitgeist".

When the client relations are concerned, do you strictly regulate them with the contract, or may the relations be quite informal? May a client be involved in the creative process?

 Yes, clients could be involved in the project if I trust them! And yes, I do my best to be a good administrative guy. But it depends on the client; sometimes things can go in a less formal way.

Have you ever had conflicting situations where you had to quit the project before it was finished? What were the reasons for breaking the cooperation with the client?

 Maybe I'm a lucky designer because I’ve never really faced complicated situations with a client. Occasionally, some of them are more annoying than others, but I never quit a job. To be honest, I try to avoid bad-karma clients.