The designer doesn’t have a style,
he doesn’t have a personal style.
He shouldn’t have a personal style.
I humbly suggest that a designer shouldn’t have a personal style.

Because he gives a style to a product.

— Bruno Munari (1992) University lesson in Venice, italian language

This is something really difficult to do, because it means putting aside one’s own ideas and use instead the best style possible for that project, even if it’s different.

The shortcoming of operating with a style is that the object, the manifest, the announcement made with a style recalls the author but not the product.

The problem is that often a designer is chosen also for his or her style. That’s the first thing that the client will see. And if the client loves a designer and wants him or her, it’s also for his or her style. While of course it’s impossible to avoid one own’s style completely, it should be the aim of any designer working with a specific product.

Bruno Munari was a great designer, one of the rare 360° designers, and I think today he’s mostly neglected. He’s greatness wasn’t just expressed in his stunning ideas and works, but also in his design teachings for children. Dig deeper, you’ll find a lot of surprises.