Meet Zilan Zhou | Industrial Designer for Toy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zilan Zhou and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zilan, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I pursued a career in creativity because I demonstrated a strong inclination for hands-on activities since childhood. Every year, I would personally craft birthday or holiday gifts for my parents. I would design dynamic pieces, such as cards with rotating small accessories or paper spiders that crawled out of gift boxes. Initially, I wasn’t aware of my deep interest in design. It wasn’t until recently when I saw some of the small design gifts I made for my parents during my childhood, and reminisced about my penchant for exploring the internal structures of various products and my enthusiasm for assembling furniture. Therefore, after graduating from high school, I naturally chose industrial design as my major in college. It has been the best decision I have made so far. I have always been captivated by clever designs, interesting structures, and dynamic creations. I enjoy understanding the structure and operating principles of products, with kinetic design becoming the primary driving force behind my continued pursuit of a career in design. I have a passion for fun products that bring joy and surprise to people. Toy design embodies these characteristics, so after graduation, I joined a toy design company.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I graduated from SCAD at the end of 2022 and immediately joined the Choon’s Design team, designing kid’s craft toy for brand Rainbow Loom. One of the biggest challenges I faced initially was my lack of understanding of the North American toy market and what handcrafted toys specific age groups of children preferred. Additionally, some of the theories I learned in school didn’t directly translate into practical application, especially when it came to toys sold in retail environments, where they are directly marketed to children. For children, what attracts them is very straightforward: something visually appealing, enjoyable, and trendy.

In the past, we often tried to emphasize the benefits of toys for children in school design projects. However, children might not care much about those benefits, and they may not purchase a product just because it’s beneficial if it doesn’t catch their interest. One valuable lesson I learned from this experience is that while designing toys with beneficial play patterns is important, it’s crucial to first capture children’s interest in the product. Nevertheless, the research methods I learned in school helped me better understand trends among specific demographics and gain insights into children’s behavior patterns.

Over the past year, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the industry. Besides designing functional products, I’ve realized the importance of ensuring that children can easily understand and use them. This is where my love for studying product structures comes into play, as it has greatly assisted me in my work. I can quickly figure out how to solve structural issues in a product, which helps the design team implement various engineering functionalities.

Reflecting on my journey, it hasn’t been easy, but overcoming these challenges has been incredibly rewarding. I’m proud of my growth and adaptability in navigating the dynamic world of toy design. Moving forward, I aim to continue creating innovative and engaging products that bring joy to children while staying true to my passion for understanding and enhancing product structures. I am glad to be a toy designer, which is a very fun and enjoyable job.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As someone who has lived in Savannah for almost three years and frequently commutes to Atlanta during this time, I have to say that while Atlanta boasts many fancy places and delicious foods, I still have a soft spot for Savannah’s laid-back vibe and cozy atmosphere. River Street is my absolute favorite spot, and whenever I feel weary, I always find myself strolling there. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I visit at least once a week. I love the sunsets, the beautiful streets, the bustling crowds of tourists, and the leisurely atmosphere that permeates the air.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Absolutely! I’d like to give a special shoutout to my boyfriend, Charles. Before I met him, I wasn’t particularly confident in my own design abilities. However, he always encouraged me, telling me that my designs were excellent and pushing me to enter design competitions. It turns out I wasn’t as bad as I thought. During my time in college, I won several design awards, including the A’ Design Award and IDA Design Award, among others. So, thanks to his unwavering support, I’ve been able to navigate the field of design with greater courage and confidence.

Website: https://zoeyzhou.design/

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/zilan-zoey-zhou-5596331a2