Reiko Kaneko is a young lass from England, most known for her Soldier Egg Cup holder, and her mischievous, surreal product design. Reiko graduated in 2005, and is already a mover and shaker. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of her in the years to come.

Reiko Kaneko
www.reikokaneko.co.uk/

image via NOTCOT

Where did you go to school, for what, and when did you graduate?

I went to Central Saint Martins, and graduated in 2005.

How did you transition from design school into the world of manufacturing and selling objects?

The real starting point for me was being approached by Beyond the Valley, a London boutique store promoting offbeat and graduate designs. They took my handmade products on – notably the Egg soldier cup. I used to line up the little soldiers and nearly poison myself with the resin fumes to put them together at home.

To my huge surprise, they sold well which got me thinking; perhaps I could do this whole manufacturing and selling business. Finding manufacturers was the hardest thing but steady part time work kept me going.

I met you at ICFF this year, where you had a table in the Designboom Mart. How did coming to NY for the show benefit you?

The mart was a great experience – there was a real buzz about that little area of the trade show. It was beneficial in terms of retail contacts as well as meeting great people whose work I’ve always admired.

How has the Internet helped you, as an indie designer?

It’s a massive help. Selling directly to individual customers is great. Online blogs also up your web presence, work as a public portfolio, and put great retailers in touch.

What are three pieces of advice you would give to new designers looking to start manufacturing and selling their products?

Stick with it if you decide to go the whole hog. Start small and don’t overstock. And don’t watch TV.