Most designers are keen to get their names out there. Not Italian designer Roberto Palomba, though.

He would rather let his works speak for themselves.

Still, he admits fame has its uses. The 47-year-old says: 'It is easier for others to invest in you.'

In town recently on the invitation of Swiss bathroom equipment brand Laufen to give a talk to local architects, the designer has made his mark working on countless products for renowned furnishing brands such as Cappellini, Boffi, Poltrana Frau and Zanotta.

Beds, chairs and tables are in his portfolio. He has been designing for Laufen since 2004, and says that 'every seven minutes, one piece of mine is produced'. He also takes pride in the fact that since he started designing in 1992, 'not one of my products has been out of production'.

After all, good design in his book is 'eternal and survives the passing of time'.

'There is a lot of design out there, but not much good design,' he adds, citing the La Chaise and the Wire Chair by famous American designer couple Charles and Ray Eames as well-designed pieces.

The iconic chairs were manufactured in 1948 and 1951 respectively and are still popular.

Like Charles Eames, who worked with his wife Ray, Palomba runs the firm Palomba Serafini Associati with his wife of 18 years, Ludovica.

Asked if they are the Italian Eameses, he replies, with a laugh, that he and his wife would like to be. 'Like them, we both have an industrial attitude with a sensual touch.'

More than sensual, he adds that the Palomba design philosophy is 'emotional'.

'I don't want to shock, but to surprise.'

He finds inspiration in subtle places - a tape recorder, a leaf or even a tear drop. Each product he creates is a part of his life, so much so that he finds it difficult to decide which are his favourite designs. But after a thoughtful pause, he names two.

The first is the Washbasin 01 from Laufen's Palomba collection. The 1.6m-long

basin has a flat plane, with a thumb-shaped dent in the middle.

'The user can enjoy the feel of the ceramic. And when the tap is turned on, the stream of water is a small waterfall, with the dent becoming like a deep pool dug into the sink by the plunging water,' he says.

The other is the Grand Plie sofa for Italian brand Driade. Calling the sofa a 'democratic object', he explains that the plastic seven-seater is roomy but can still be made into an intimate space for fewer people.

These days, Palomba, who also lectures in industrial design at the University of Milan, finds that young designers 'are more interested in being stars than designers'.

His advice to them is to 'start from the beginning, and be experimental'.

He is tough on divas: 'Don't expect all doors to open for you just because you graduated from design school.'

Source : The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Reprinted with permission.