The Crit

Disegno
  • 5.0 (18)
  • DESIGN
  • UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY

The Crit invites designers to review their own careers, picking out their highlights, lowlights and ambitions for the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 3 FEB

    James Melia

    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.

    45 min

  2. 20 JAN

    Liliana Ovalle

    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.

    51 min

  3. 6 JAN

    Jon Marshall

    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.

    51 min

  4. 22/12/2025

    Charlene Prempeh

    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.

    57 min

  5. 09/12/2025

    Spandana Gopal

    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.

    42 min

  6. 25/11/2025

    Ab Rogers

    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.

    46 min

  7. 11/11/2025

    Ori Orisun Merhav

    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.

    43 min

  8. 28/10/2025

    Samuel Ross

    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.

    47 min
See All (32)

5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

The Crit invites designers to review their own careers, picking out their highlights, lowlights and ambitions for the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Disegno
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Disegno
  • Show Website
    The Crit

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