studentsineurope

Interview with design guru Tag Christof

Today, I bring you an interview with my good friend Tag Christof, design guru, world traveler and recent study abroad postgraduate. He recently finished his M.A. as an international student at a design program in Florence.

You live in Italy and were studying in Florence. Tell us a little bit about why you are there.

I had been dying to escape the US for a while after graduating from university. I found an interesting grad school opportunity in Firenze, and the rest is history!

I know you also studied abroad in France a few years ago. What was that like?

I was a raging Francophile during most of my early college years, and so learned French really well quickly. I had been to France several times before I studied there, and even have distant family who live around Lille in the north. Thankfully, I didn’t live in Paris, but in the exponentially more livable Lyon (big city in the eastern Rhône-Alpes region) where the accent is perfectly neutral and the Beaujolais flows in the streets. My best friends (as seems to happen everywhere) were Scandinavian kids, and the year altogether was the classic study abroad—meaning the “study” part was merely a side note to a bunch of really good parties. I actually took an American history class at my university in a grand scheme to minimize my study hours.

My spoken French is, as a consequence of the more social nature of my stay, impeccable. But even with excellent language skills, the French can be hard to crack into and so France can feel a bit isolating or intimidating at times. Nevertheless, once you make French friends, they’re some of the most incredibly loyal you can ever hope to make.

Insofar as I’m concerned, France is one of the most all-around livable and pleasant places on earth to be. And, if you seriously intend to pursue a career in the arts, design, film or fashion, a genuine grasp of French (something which is actually quite rare) is invaluable.

Tell us a bit about your M.A. program in Florence.
I was studying at the Istituto Europeo di Design. It was a sort of hybrid inside an Italian design school, mixing theory and practice for the management of fashion, luxury and other creative companies.

Would you recommend this course to other students seeking to study abroad?
If you are seriously passionate about the field, international experience in one or more of the key design countries is mandatory: Italy, France, UK, Japan, Sweden, etc. My career bias is towards design and its applications, so I was disappointed that the program concentrated so myopically on the fashion system. The truth is, however, that Italy is a manufacturing country whose economy relies heavily on the fashion industry. So, the lessons in textiles, supply chains, business cases and the overarching exposure to the unique Made In Italy system were extremely useful. In terms of usability the program was stellar – I learned a hundred times more in real-world terms in one year than I learned in 5 years of undergrad.

Since my field of interest doesn’t necessarily involve gorgeous leather handbags, I would have probably been better served by studying in Turin. Still, for others interested in more fashion heavy programs, Florence is not just ideal, it’s paradise.

What, to you, are the biggest differences between studying in the U.S. and in Italy?
Americans are accustomed to good customer service and no-nonsense business relationships. Be warned that in these respects, Italy could well be the single most frustrating thing you’ve ever dealt with. Procedural formalities are always tentative and subject to change, things move slowly and sometimes the only way to get anything done is to have a connection in some higher position.

What advice would you give to someone that is considering a study abroad program in Italy?
Italy for several well-known reasons is a dream destination – temperate, full of beautiful landscapes and divine food, and the single most important centre of early modern art on the planet. Accordingly, it’s a sort of novice-level country to begin your world travels if you’re inexperienced, which is both a blessing and a curse: since it’s easy, it’s packed with other tourists, most conspicuously Americans who are on their dream vacations away from the suburbs for the first time. Since the point of studying abroad is, of course, to be outside of your established comfort zones, you may want to look elsewhere if your key aim is to expand your horizons. On the other hand, if art is your scene, Italy can be a great place for a head start.

Where is your favorite European destination and why?
I am in love with Scandinavia and Spain, but the single best trip I’ve ever taken was a pan-Ireland road trip I went on at the very beginning of 2008. Nothing can top Guinness, making music and breathtaking scenery.

What is the most recent European excursion you’ve taken?
Most recently at the start of 2010, I went to Zürich for the first time. I’m obsessed with slightly under-the-radar cities known for their design scenes. Great galleries, good food and a place I would love to spend more time.

What are your favorite aspects about living in Europe?
Eating dinner around a table with friends and good conversation. Excellent fashion consciousness. The general appreciation for art and good design. Multiculturalism. Multilingualism. Being a foreigner. High quality food, even in inexpensive supermarkets. No high-fructose corn syrup. Hot chocolate for breakfast. Salad after meals. Summer festivals. No Republicans. Real chocolate. Real martinis. Excellent inexpensive wine.

Can you give us one insider tip about travel in Italy?

Pasta in restaurants is a ripoff. Make friends with Italians and accept their invitations to dinner, instead!

To keep up with Tag, you can check out his website, tagchristof.org or follow him on Twitter @tagchristof.