Sava Cvek has been an important part of the Stylex story over the past decade. In this interview, he talks about his relationship with the company, his design process, and more.

•    Tell us a bit about your background with Stylex….Why do you enjoy working with the company?

During my first conversation with John Golden, the President of Stylex, at a Designer Saturday Show in New York many years ago, John told me of his plans to dedicate a good part of his life to the company.  John shared what he liked about design and thought we could collaborate successfully to make every one of the products we might develop together memorable.  It is important to have a leader who has a vision and high standards. Few leaders say something like that and an even smaller number sincerely commit to making something really great. We were standing in the middle of the show, and I could tell that John was absolutely authentic. John still has the same goal, and that continues to be an inspiration for my work with Stylex.

•    We know you’ve designed a number of award winners for Stylex.  Any favorites?
What makes them stand out for you?

Each product has a different character, and they are all my favorites, but the unifying goal is always to develop a product that will give the end-user far more in every aspect of value than the price they paid. It is always my intention not only to make a great product, but also to help Stylex remain a leader in its class and to continuously build a core value of unique quality, style, and culture. Through my product development work, John and Bruce Golden have allowed me to contribute to defining what Stylex has become.

•    What was your thought process in developing SAVA?

One thought I had in mind while creating SAVA was to design a chair that would express Stylex’s position within the industry. Something new and different that would still combine a compelling level of practicality and aesthetic appeal. I was also thinking that a company cannot consider itself a leader without demonstrating leadership in the products they offer to the market. Quality and high standards should not be a business strategy – they must be a mantra, a way of life. So developing SAVA was a huge responsibility because I knew the product had to express, in the most unequivocal way, the values Stylex has embraced: exceptional design, performance, and ergonomics.

•    What, for you, makes SAVA distinct and unique?

The soul of the product line is its unique, user-friendly mechanism which allows people to refine their seated experience with minimal effort. The tilt tension, in particular, is surprisingly responsive and totally simple, accommodating anyone from 90 to 270 pounds.

•    Can you tell us a bit about your general design process?

I have a great passion about my design development process and am always striving for the highest levels of creativity and imagination that I can achieve. Applying a knowledge-based process is always an important goal, so I never want to stop learning or improving. Blending art, engineering, and production processes is also a passion, as is teaming with people who elevate their performance to the level of craft. Successfully combining all these elements can help create the groundwork for honest, memorable products.