15HMUINTUCTHE SHWUTITCHH … ISON
Remember your first phone? An early ’90s analog brick. Probably about half a kilo, lasted for maybe two hours. I didn’t like it very much. Why choose a Vertu? I believe your phone is your most precious thing. It’s got everything inside it, you touch it all the time, you probably don’t move without it. And if you’ve got to a point in life where you can have things that say something about you and are better than normal, have the better than normal. Are the new colours a change in strategy? It’s targeted to be a more contemporary design, and for a younger and more female audience. Black was always our biggest seller but sales of the raspberry and orange colours are coming up as high. Your favourite design collaborations? We’ve worked with Lapo Elkann, a very interesting character. The Japanese have these living national treasures, these artisans. One whom I met, 80 years old, doing lacquer work, was just awesome. We went out to dinner and he was covered in black resin; he’s a delightful man who lives and breathes his work. In town for the launch of the new Constellation, Vertu’s head of concept creation and design connects with Evanna Ramly. Who is the Vertu woman? Someone who’s made something of herself. Funny, the name Alexa Chung has been bandied around quite a lot at work lately. My designers think she’s hot. Your favourite of all your creations? It’s always the latest one. I’m a geek at heart, so the more technology, the better. Although I do have a soft spot for the second ever phone we made, Ascent. It was a beautiful yin-yang of supple leather and a zirconium alloy called Liquidmetal. What’s the best part of your job? Dreaming things up. I like getting to places early, like airports, and sitting in them, watching people, just having different ideas. And then bugging the heck out of my team when I get back and say, “I’ve thought about this” and they go, “Oh no.” If you weren’t a designer, what would you be? I never wanted to be anything else. I do like welding things together – I’ve got my own welder at home. It’s brilliant fun. If I ever retire, I’m going to make one of those massive clocks you see in town squares where balls roll down things and water sloshes. I’m going to put it in the garden and annoy everyone.