We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Ayse Kirimli about their original and creative Breakfast Knife design work. Ayse Kirimli is an award-winning industrial designer, that makes our world a better place with their original breakfast knife works.
Ayse Kirimli ("AK") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Berfend Breakfast Knife. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
AK : 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.
AK : 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.
AK : I would like to see my design produced and spreaded worldwide with my name AYSE KIRIMLI.
AK : 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.
AK : 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.
AK : I didn’t get any help from anybody or anything while designing.
AK : 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.
AK : My design is a new type of tableware combining spoon and knife together in one product.
AK : The name ‘BERFEND’ comes from the Ottoman Turkish Language. It means deep and beautiful space.
AK : Without any mechanism, the unique form of the Berfend Knife solves a problem which the consumer confronts every morning.
AK : 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.
AK : 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.
AK : 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.
