minor details 35 - Michael Ditullo part 1
Dec 2, 2018
Join industrial designer Michael DiTullo, with over 20 years crafting for Nike and Jordan, as he shares his vibrant journey in the design world. He recalls his early spark of creativity and the challenges faced at RISD. Dive into his transition from freelancing to landing a gig at Nike, complete with anecdotes about working with legends like Michael Jordan. Michael also reflects on his time at Frog Design, emphasizing the importance of empathy in creating impactful designs. Get ready for more engaging stories in the next installment!
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Early Spark From Giugiaro And Sears Catalogs
- Michael discovered industrial design at 14 after seeing Giorgetto Giugiaro in the newspaper and hunted books to learn the craft.
- He used the Sears catalog as a child to sketch futuristic versions of everyday tools and practiced perspective early on.
Geometry Class Led To RISD And A Comeback
- In ninth-grade geometry Michael got reprimanded, which led his teacher to recommend RISD and set his career path.
- He almost got asked to leave RISD but negotiated independent-study projects and graduated with the faculty award.
Ping-Pong Table Studio And Portfolio Grind
- After graduation Michael faced a hiring freeze and spent months rebuilding his portfolio while freelancing.
- He treated the basement ping-pong table as a studio, improving and mailing portfolio books weekly until callbacks came.
