Embracing Slow Design: Choosing Purpose Over Pressure

At Safomasi, we believe there’s real value in slowing down, especially in a world that moves fast, always excited by the next new thing. Like many brands, we started out following the usual industry schedule, doing what we thought we should do. But over time, we realised that designing thoughtfully and sustainably means doing things differently. This is what slow design means to us.

When we first started Safomasi, we followed the typical schedule - two collections a year, which is fairly standard in interiors and retail. Larger brands often do more, and in fashion, especially now with fast fashion, it’s even more.

We didn’t follow seasonal trends, our designs have always been rooted in personal stories and inspired by places we’ve been. But even so, we found ourselves caught in a cycle of constant design, production and marketing. As soon as one collection was finished, we were already onto the next. Stores, press, and customers all wanted - and expected - something new.

And the truth is, newness works. It helps drive sales. And we genuinely love the process of designing, it’s at the heart of why we do what we do. But it was a lot! Time in between each launch felt shorter and shorter, and we realised that keeping up that schedule just wasn’t sustainable, creatively or practically.

So we slowed things down to one collection a year. And for a while now, we’ve been working even more slowly. Designing at our own pace, and releasing new pieces when they are ready, not just to stay on (someone else’s) schedule. 

In a world that’s constantly chasing ‘what’s new’ and next, it’s not always easy to go against the flow. There’s a lot of pressure to always have something new to share. But for us, slowing down is the only way to run a sustainable business, even though in some ways it might not make the most commercial sense.

Our approach to slow interiors is about intention, designing with care, and creating pieces that are made to last and be loved for years to come. Fabric is hand screen printed in small batches, then almost all products are made to order, which means we use materials efficiently, only producing what’s needed.

We hope our designs will still feel just as special years from now. And it’s exciting to know there are still so many people who’ve yet to discover them. What’s ‘old’ is ‘new’ to someone else - and that’s the beauty of timeless, thoughtful design.