Philipp Hermes and Dustin Jessen began collaborating as undergraduates at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany. After a hiatus in which they both pursued graduate work, they formed Hermes/Jessen Industrial Design (HJID). As designers, they believe in the power of parameters—a product should evolve naturally from the nature of its materials, the manufacturing demands, and, above all, user needs.
Says Dustin, “The best results emerge from working with rather against constraints. You’re much more likely to create something that has meaning for the user.”