{"id":31299,"date":"2017-05-26T12:00:59","date_gmt":"2017-05-26T16:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/?p=31299"},"modified":"2022-09-28T12:27:13","modified_gmt":"2022-09-28T16:27:13","slug":"designer-spotlight-aleksandar-kovacevic-of-akk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/designer-spotlight-aleksandar-kovacevic-of-akk","title":{"rendered":"Designer Spotlight: Aleksandar Kovacevic of AKK"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aleksandar Kovacevic is a fashion designer from Serbia who discovered 3D printing and created AKK (the other K is short for Kiki) and his Poly collection, which looks like <\/em>jewelry from the future<\/em><\/a>. Here Aleksandar talks about the futuristic forms that inspire him and the moment his held the first 3D print of his gold-plated ring design in his hands.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Aleksandar<\/a>

Aleksandar Kovacevic Kiki<\/p><\/div>\n

Tell us a bit about yourself.<\/em><\/strong>
\nI was born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia. I studied fashion design at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts<\/a> in Antwerp, Belgium. I am currently living back in Belgrade and working as a knitwear designer. And I am a keen 3D printing enthusiast.<\/p>\n

And the name Kiki \u2014 where did that come from?
\n<\/em><\/strong>When I was a toddler, I couldn\u2019t talk properly yet. And when people asked me for my name, I had to say something, and since both of my names are too long, I started using Kiki. And it stuck.<\/p>\n

What inspired the Poly collection?
\n<\/em><\/strong>Polygons are at the core of any designed piece ready for 3D printing. So I wanted to start from one single polygon and see where it will take me. “In the beginning was the Polygon…”<\/p>\n

The whole collection should represent the big bang of one polygon and the birth of AKK Jewelry.<\/p>\n

\"AKK<\/a>

Bangles Poly Seven, Poly Eight and Poly Nine<\/p><\/div>\n

Where else do you find design inspiration?
\n<\/em><\/strong>It is an ever-changing process, but I draw a lot from the sci-fi movies that I grew up with: Blade Runner<\/em>, Logan\u2019s Run<\/em>, Dune<\/em>, Star Wars<\/em>, Ghost in the Shell<\/em>, Conan the Barbarian\u2026 Movies about lost worlds, future worlds, fantasies. They’ve all become part of my DNA.<\/p>\n

Also architects from Gaud\u00ed to Frank Gehry, Santiago Calatrava, and the one and only Zaha Hadid. Speaking of artwork, there are sculptors, too: Umberto Boccioni, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Anish Kapoor, Jeff Koons.<\/p>\n

How did you get started with 3D design?
\n<\/em><\/strong>By chance. I had felt the need to express myself creatively beyond my job. When I realized the possibilities of 3D printing technology, I had to try it. 3D printing technology is fascinating, game changing, revolutionary.<\/p>\n

Jewelry was a natural choice, considering my background in fashion \u2014 and the fact that we still can\u2019t really 3D print clothes.<\/p>\n

\"Necklace<\/a>

Necklace Poly Twelve and Ring Poly Six<\/p><\/div>\n

What is your design process?<\/em><\/strong>
\n<\/em><\/strong>I don\u2019t make sketches. Instead, I model the pieces directly in 3ds Max<\/a>. This way, I find that I am not restrained by any initial drawings. Along the way, better ideas may pop up, and it would be a pity to ignore them. I let the idea evolve in real time.<\/p>\n

When I am done with a particular design, I first order the piece to be printed in White Polished Strong & Flexible Plastic<\/a>, as a trial run. Once I receive it, I make additional adjustments if needed, then order the piece in the material I plan to sell it in.<\/p>\n

Have you designed for other 3D printable materials?
\n<\/em><\/strong>No, because from the start I imagined the pieces for the Poly collection as perfectly reflective, with a mirror-like effect. I will never forget the moment the first piece in 18k gold-plated brass arrived, and when I took it out from the black packaging bag, and it shined. My precious\u2026<\/p>\n

It was Ring Poly Two<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"AKK-Jewelry-Ring-Poly-One-Ring-Poly-Two\"<\/a>

Ring Poly Two on the index finger<\/p><\/div>\n

How did you learn to use 3ds Max?
\n<\/em><\/strong>I did a short course and I have watched lots of tutorials online. I still do, actually, because it turns out to be very complex software.<\/p>\n

What is the future of AKK? Are you at work on future collections?
\n<\/em><\/strong>Throughout the history of mankind, people would wear a certain piece of jewelry their whole life. It was something that encapsulated them, who they were, where they came from, which tribe they belonged to\u2026<\/p>\n

Nowadays it\u2019s all about Spring\/Summer \u201917, Autumn\/Winter \u201918,  only to start all over again, and designers don\u2019t have the time to dedicate themselves to the pieces as much as they should.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d like to bring back that feeling from those old times, if only a little, with my future collections.<\/p>\n

You can follow AKK on <\/em>Facebook<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Twitter<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Instagram<\/em><\/a>, and <\/em>Pinterest<\/em><\/a>. Aleksandar sells his jewelry through the <\/em>AKK Jewelry website<\/em><\/a> and his <\/em>Shapeways shop<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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