I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a look back at some of the conversations that I feel have shaped my current views of the design industry. Influencers creatives who directly impact the direction of our business. This is Matte Black’s, Cliff Fong.

Last week you heard from Cliff on a panel and this week, I wanted to showcase him exclusively from our conversation back in 2016. Cliff’s ideas about design, taste, style and their direct relationship to the work he does, for whom he does it are inextricably tied together. We speak about him as a design show judge and how that work differs form his views of design in the real world. I would argue these viewpoints are more relevant now than they were then because since the pandemic, haven’t most design professionals become a reality design show in some form or fashion? I would argue that most participate actively in the conversation now as opposed to that in 2016.

One of the other aspects to this that I hope you notice are the things Cliff does around the work, as in, not the work itself but how he thinks about it and you fill find a certain zen state in his approach that has truly influenced the approach I take to my own work. I can still do way better at that, but this really did help me and perhaps it can help you too, if you’re into that sort of thing. Enjoy my conversation with Cliff Fong from 2016, right after this.

Thank you, Cliff. Loved hearing this again. I remember it like it was last week at the Crestron showroom in the Pacific Design Center. I don’t think that showroom is there anymore, but it is here. Thank you to CXD sponsors and partners, ThermaSol, Article Furniture, York Wallcoverings, Moya Living and Franz Viegener for your continued support. Of course, thank you for downloading, subscribing and listening to the show. Thank you for the emails of support and the guest submissions. I love them and it has allowed me to find some amazing talent to showcase. Please remember why you do what you do and for whom you do it. Designers, architects, artists, product designers, showroom managers, publicists, magazine editors, publishers, set decorators and everyone else that makes our industry stronger by the day, this show is for you. That’s why I do it. Thanks for listening. Be well, and take today first.