My name is Klara Urban, the illegitimate love child of strategy and creativity, sarcastic and often accused of zoning out of conversations. I am a Social Media Curator, Photographer, Designer, Professional Frequent Flyer and Nomad. I got my degree in International Trade and Marketing back in Czech Republic and Analogue and Digital Photography at Parsons the New School for Design, New York. My hobbies are people watching, photo hoarding, binging on music and driving nowhere in the middle of night.
Tempo: Tell us more about your business/partnership with iStyle and how that came along.
Klara: Once upon a time I was kissed by my muse and came up with random digitally modified images reflecting my observations and feelings ignited by life in Dubai while travelling the world full time. Truth to be told, if it wasn’t for my closest, pushing me into the right direction, those designs would probably still just occupy space on my computer by now. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to co-operate with iStyle and their support for unknown designers; instead of giving preference to big established international brands. My challenge now is to maintain their trust, and ensure the product is measured above average on the ‘cool’ scale always.
Tempo: Where do you get inspiration from in creating these iPhone cover designs?
Klara: My greatest inspiration is no doubt UAE. Dubai has been my beloved home for the past six years, and have no intention changing it. My designs are influenced by my surroundings, cliches, fashion and the attitude of dreaming big and the unique ability to imagine impossible, pretty much on daily basis before breakfast.
Each of the designs is elegant, simple, infused with pop art. The final product is a beautiful matte cover with high quality print that will perfectly fit into your accessories collection.
Tempo: You must be very excited – what are your future plans for your cover designs?
Klara: Excited, anxious and countless of other emotions that make me shiver these days. I am certainly looking into expanding the current collection and also extend the product range for other devices. Apart from the accessories I will most certainly continue in my photography endeavors and also work on self-development as designer be it on field of graphics, digital art and fashion.
Tempo: What is your advice to designers who want to have their work commercialised in the future?
Klara: The world of art and design has changed completely given the new technology, social media and all those free, available to anyone platforms that emerged over the last decade. I have so much to learn myself each and every single day. The lesson I am experiencing at the moment only tells me, that all the creatives in the making need, and must take their lessons from start-up companies and young entrepreneurs. Having any kind of business background as an artist is an invaluable asset, since what we face is a constant hustle. There is a massive gap between coming up with a creative idea and turning it into something tangible.
