5 Minutes with RAWROW

by Mike, July 24, 2014

Advocating the principle of less but better, Korean-based brand RAWROW creates carry that is stripped back, functional and understately elegant. RAWROW’s designer Kyu-Hyun Lee, aka Q, shares his insights on the brand’s design motivations and gives us a peek into his EDC…

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What key insights drive your stuff?

‘The bag that is more like a bag’. The essence of a bag is 1) to put something in, 2) to protect (organize), 3) to carry (fasten). Our backpacks are made faithfully to these three principles. As you can see from the brand name, it was designed with a ‘raw’ concept, based on the shape of a classic cradle, and the functions also have ‘Whatever you want’ as a motto, so that usage isn’t restricted to just a bag but rather the user may use it as a backpack or a briefcase according to his or her situation. Also, aging materials were used so that the bag would become your own bag as it acquires the experience of the user with the passage of time.

Who else is doing rad things in the world of carry and why do you think they’re important?

FREITAG. Other than making bags near perfect, the value of recycling is highlighted as a perfect philosophy in product, company, shop, package, image and experience. Sustaining clear objectives and principles, not influenced by trends. The value proposed by them is not only for their own sake, but also for everyone’s sake.