Industrial designer Kickie Chudikova joins us for this week's Friday Five, sharing her love of fashion, combining creative disciplines, a favorite possession + more.

Some people are born knowing they want to be makers, creatives interested in contributing to a better designed world. “I have a strong visual perception, am very observant, and see when things can be improved,” says Kickie Chudikova, an industrial designer creating products, objects, furniture, and lighting in Brooklyn. “It fascinates me to create objects for people to use, as this interaction shapes the way we live,” she adds. “Design can have a huge impact on how we go about our days and influences how we feel and what we do. So, in a way, designers are responsible for shaping the way we live now and in the future. I find that thrilling.” Chudikova grew up in a post-Soviet country, where access to well-designed objects and furniture was scarce. In fact, there wasn’t much to buy at all, so pieces were primarily constructed to survive. She says her parents’ house is still decorated as it was in the 1970s, but everything still looks good because things were made to be timeless. Chudikova believes this played a part in shaping her aesthetic and design perspective, favoring longevity as an approach to sustainability.
Kickie Chudikova
Her experience studying design at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna also played a big role in shaping her current caree...