S01: Design, Storytelling, and The Pursuit of Emotion with Irma Hardjakusumah

Irma Hardjakusumah is the founder of Studio Left, a design studio that she recently launched out of the success of her career. Irma is an award-winning designer with a wide range of design vocabulary and over 15 years of experience in Multidisciplinary Design marked with achievements in all fields related: Exhibit Design, Event Design, Experiential Marketing, Retail/Interior Design and Furniture Design. She is a well-rounded design professional who not only is capable of driving the design process from a macro perspective but is also skilled, knowledgeable and detail oriented to be intimately involved in every step of execution. Naturally talented in both creative and technical sides of design, Irma is able to take a project from its first phase of ideation, through engineering and all the way to its final phase of production.

Irma has designed environments for clients such as Sequoia Productions (The Oscar’s Governors Ball, The Emmy Awards Governors Ball), Havas Luxe Events (Swarovski, Audemars Piguet), Jumpline Group (Costume Designers Guild Awards), James Beard Foundation, Hollywood Wax Museum, Hollywood Guinness World of Records Museum, The New York Times, USC Pacific Asia Museum, LACMA, SKYY Vodka, Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace, Nine West, Starwood hotels, Wolfgang Puck, Chrysler, Bentley, Audi, Patek Philippe, LG, Walmart, MTV, Google, Universal, Hearst Publications, Saks Fifth Avenue, LA Music Center, and many more.

Irma is all about putting herself in other peoples shoes. That’s her job after all. When people walk through one of Irma’s exhibits or event environments, she wants them to feel something deeply. That feeling is an emotion, which creates a sense of wonder or amazement. Irma is clearly really good at delivering those emotions in people, because she is constantly asked back to do it again. But emotions just don't happen, and provoking them can be incredibly difficult. Through storytelling Irma is able to bring people into a moment or a succession of moments that create these emotions. Just like a director does with a film, she does with design. People never forget her immersive experiences because people never forget when an emotion has shifted them so deeply. 

Find Irma and Studio Left Online:

Pinterest - @irmahardjakusumah

Instagram - @studio_left

Twitter - @IHardjakusumah

Some Questions I Ask:

• What triggered your passion for design?
• Is there a different feeling you get when designing something temporary vs. permanent?
• How important is it for you to move on from what you’ve done last time vs. learn from what you’ve done last time?
• Have you become a better storyteller over the years, and how have you become better?
• Have you ever had to sacrifice creative control on a project because other people think they know better than you?

In This Episode, You Will Learn About:

• Taking a destructive moment and making it reusable 
• Formulas are the death of creativity 
• Becoming one with your work
• Learning how to put yourself in your customers shoes
• The importance of constantly pushing boundaries  

Music Composed by John Zarcone