Designer interview with Daniel To & Emma Aiston

On a cool autumn day in Adelaide, JAU staff member Madoka cycled into the city over to JamFactory, a non-profit arts institution in the middle of town. On this particular visit, she was meeting with JamFactory's then Creative Directors, Daniel and Emma.

Daniel To and Emma Aiston are the Adelaide-based design duo behind DANIEL - EMMA. Working across the lines of product, space and industrial design, their portfolio boasts collaborations with international brands COS and HAY and iconic local Aussie brands like Coopers Brewery.

After meeting the pair, Madoka brought a piece of the DANIEL - EMMA world back to Tokyo, and we’re excited to share it with you! Read on to discover the story behind the duo and our newest additions to the JAU shop.

Daniel and Emma’s Beginnings

Daniel and Emma’s passion for design started with a shared love for everyday objects, a perspective shaped largely by their upbringing.

Both growing up in hardworking families without any background in the creative industry, their early exposure to design came from the functional items around them. Though they didn't come from artistic backgrounds, their natural curiosity and a love for art class brought them together at the University of South Australia where they both studied Industrial Design.

Reflecting on their journey into the design field, the pair view their non-artistic background as a real strength: "We came to design with an open mind and without too many preconceptions about what a designer should be."

This open-minded approach is what came to define their collaborative practice and after founding DANIEL - EMMA in 2010, they have continued to evolve through various roles as creative directors, exhibiting artists, and brand collaborators.

Design Philosophy

Reading articles interviewing the design duo, the same phrase kept popping up: “just nice.” As Daniel and Emma explain, their ideology has always been to create pieces that fit this description, "simple and approachable, but with something unexpected about them."

While ‘nice’ is an abstract concept that means something different to everyone, Daniel and Emma have found a way to define it into their own distinct visual language. It sounds simple on the surface but actually requires a delicate balance of contrasts; rigid geometry meets soft, mottled fabrics, and everyday functionality is paired with unexpected playfulness.

The ethos expresses itself everywhere in their work, such as ‘Soft Chair’, which features a hard, tubular frame coated in a sweet cotton candy pink, or ‘Turtle Time Wall Clock’ featuring a sunbathing turtle masquerading as an everyday wall clock.

Inspiration

For Daniel and Emma, partners in both life and work, design inspiration is woven into their daily lives.

“Our lives and our practice are intertwined, so it can happen anywhere and at any time. We might be having a conversation over dinner, travelling somewhere, or doing something completely mundane like the grocery shopping, and one of us will notice something that sparks an idea” the pair explains.

Many of these "aha" moments occur while travelling, where they collect inspiration along the way like souvenirs. You’ll find subtle traces of everyday Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in their work, whether it be the bold graphics on a supermarket sliced cheese package or the organic swirl of a McDonald's ice cream cone (specifically, a limited-edition Hello Kitty strawberry flavour).

Back home inspiration finds them just as easily, specifically in Adelaide, the city they call home. Comparable in size to Hiroshima, it's a small but diverse city and strolling down the streets of cafes and wineries you feel a deep sense of community right away. 

Daniel and Emma find inspiration in the mix of people that make up Adelaide, enjoying the collaborative process of creating alongside the local design community. While the pair have lived abroad, as well as continue to work with people all over the world, it's this close-knit local collaboration that they value most.

"We have an exceptional network of manufacturers and craftspeople here in Adelaide, and being able to work closely with them is an important part of our practice. It’s nice that our work can be made here in Adelaide but end up all over the world."

Lucky Charms by DANIEL - EMMA

Our first DANIEL - EMMA addition to the JAU shop is their Lucky Charms range. These handcrafted key rings were born out of the pair's fascination with everyday symbols and the personal meaning we attach to them.

“Charms and talismans have such a long history of representing good fortune, protection, love, and luck,” they explain. “We liked the idea of taking something that holds personal or sentimental meaning and turning it into a small, everyday object you can wear, collect, give to someone, or simply carry with you.”

We have several unique design combinations available exclusively at the JAU shop. Come visit us at the JAU shop or send us a message to find your own lucky charm to protect you on your journeys!