With his brand Buster + Punch, Massimo Buster Minale is on a mission to show that design has the power to ‘blow your mind and change your perspectives’.
Please describe the Buster & Punch style
Our style is something which is always evolving and progressing but at our core is our love of working with solid metals and investing in the details.
In terms of references, we don’t follow trends or pay so much attention to what the rest of the design world is doing but draw from the subcultures from our London origins. It can be music, or fashion directions, the pioneers of cuisine, sneakers or cocktail culture… We’re a very fluid brand and have found the best way to engage through our work is to look for opportunities to disrupt everyday design details that you’d never otherwise give a second look to.
We make the ordinary extraordinary
Your business started with the production of architectural hardware, but this year you are expanding into new product areas, tell me about this
We’ve got two new looks in the pipeline, LINEAR and CAST, but also we are expanding our scope so you’ll be able to get entire Buster + Punch spaces, which has been great to explore – kitchens for example. We’re constantly embarking on unexpected projects one would never expect from an interior products company like the capsule collection with American musician Travis Barker launching later in the year. But, as with everything we do, it’s about the details leading the look.
How involved are you with the product design?
My role remains as it’s always been. I’m the founder of the brand and its creative director, so I’m hands-on in every part of our design process, and the development of Buster + Punch on a brand level.
What is your long term plan for the brand?
Our long term plan as a company is to make it easier to get Buster + Punch wherever you are. Which is tricky in our current climate but we’re investing heavily to make it faster and smoother to get our collections. But also at the same time give every customer the kind of experience that lingers in their minds, discovering Buster + Punch, opening our packaging, and using it for the first time is something we want to be extraordinary as well.
In terms of our design, both short and long term, it’s to remain the kind of brand that’s always surprising, inspiring and brings out your individuality. We want to show that design has the power to blow your mind and change your perspectives.
Who is your target customer?
Our collective is formed of individuals from all walks of life but they share a common thread. They want to be able to express themselves and their style with design that’s created with the best materials, with attention to details and quality and an aesthetic that’s unique.
What is your favourite possession?
The smart people know life’s not about possessions, it’s about shared experiences and a life that’s been lived and learned from.
Who inspires you?
Inspiration comes to me from many tangents. Uniqueness and originality, with the passion and drive to use it are probably more inspiring than any one person. Nature, music, inanimate objects, typography, the kid behind the counter in a store, a pioneer… We’ve all got the capacity to use our own unique bodies and minds to inspire.
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