Statement of Purpose
My fascination grew towards the modular furniture industry in the early stages of my career. Since the 2nd term in B. Design, I have worked in the industry as a professional modular kitchen and wardrobe designer and salesperson. My curiosity and passion towards this field have always led me to develop new concepts.
M. Design opened my perspective towards research-based design. During the last semester of my Masters in 2021, I opted to work in the industry again and practice my freshly learned skillset in a more professional approach. Apart from my daily objectives and dealing with clients as a senior designer, I thoroughly researched, planned, designed and executed a premium modular furniture experience centre along with my colleagues and directors. The project witnessed some astonishing features and innovative concepts which were likely appreciated in the local market after execution and then I realised the importance and benefits of research-based designing. I also created a 116-page documentation of the same project which was presented as my final thesis project for the degree. We, as a team always had this exciting feeling to create, innovate and give something new to the modular furniture industry. Along the way, I picked up a lot of insights from my clients and directors and also my personal observations stating the introduction of arts in the kitchen space and its importance.
I also studied, 'Crafts in Interior Architecture' during my M. Design. It was one of my most acknowledged subjects and I was genuinely curious to explore it. This course cast upon me a light of knowledge about the Indian handicraft industry and a project report was prepared to discuss the conceptual development of any selected craft. I studied that there are many indigenous and tribal crafts communities in India and the rest of the world who required support to face the adverse effects of the pandemic, industrialization and technology-driven markets today. Although, we only prepared a design concept and a report for the course requirements so we couldn't cast any further support to the handicraft sector. The idea of not actually helping the sector struck hard and made a stepping stone for the topic to brainstorm about.
Soon, both the passionate urges; innovation in modular furniture and the uplifting of any handicraft sector, began their fusion in my mind and came up to create a bright and creative business concept. All this happened inside my thoughts and imagination at first. I later started researching the topics and creating a record of the findings. I observed that there are various fashion designers and kitchen manufacturers out there who are experimenting and collaborating to create stunning kitchen design ideas. Dolce & Gabbana X Smeg, Valcucine & Gucci are a few examples. I made up my purpose strong and decided upon my contribution to the industry. The main aim of this project is to amalgamate Indigenous craft practice - with luxury modular furniture - under a fashion brand value. I believe I have the passion and confidence to take this idea to a business level. I can design a strategy to generate a line of hand-crafted products and market them into the premium modular furniture segment without losing their cultural ethnicity and value.
I realised that this project holds the potential to be a business start-up whilst creating support and funding for craft communities, creating new trade and adding up a contribution to the economy, satisfying university requirements for research and contributing to the luxury modular interior design industry altogether.
Although, I require a professional approach to create a bridge between 3 different industries. Strategic Design and Management at The New School is perfectly sound to suit my purpose to strategically carve out a global innovation and support a social challenge and help me build this entrepreneurship altogether. I discovered more about the course details only to find the cherry on my cheesecake!
Rhea Alexander, Assistant Professor and faculty of Strategic Design and Management has more than 25 years of experience working with NGOs, SMEs and artisans across 16 countries to help develop and curate to bring a transition in designs. Her research interests suggest that she could be the perfect mentor for my research and start-up goals. Services like ELAB and real-world relevance feature another step toward my success. Being at Parsons - The New School will be like a blessed opportunity to develop this idea into a global business along with support and funding opportunities provided for graduate research and successfully blooming in the heart of NYC.Holt Educational Consultant - / 14,430 
4691 The essay is too heavy in terms of your academic biography and research experience. That disqualifies the first half of this essay from being a true statement of purpose. What you focused on should have actually just been mere mentions to help indicate a related academic and experience background. It does not qualify as an integral and considerable part of the purpose. The revised version of this essay should better highlight the later part. The idea for your business and how that idea came to be. That is the true purpose for your higher study. To further yourself as a budding entrepreneur and furniture designer.
Develop paragraphs 4,5, and 6 as the actual statement of purpose. Expand on these interests and career goals as being related to your college background and experiences. Avoid going into another memoir type of presentation for those parts. Just mention these in summary form as they connect with your purpose. Integrate, do not separate.
The reasons you choose to attend Parsons should not be summarized in a manner that makes it look like you just cut and paste it from the internet sites. There also needs to be specific academic and personal purposes for these choices. By these choices I mean the masters course, the university, and the learning experience. These are the information the screeners will consider in addition to your personal reasons for wishing to attend their university. You can begin this discussion development after the current paragraph 6. It would make for a more solid explanation overall.
@Holt
My fascination grew towards the modular furniture industry in the early stages of my career. I have worked in the industry as a professional modular kitchen and wardrobe designer and salesperson for the last 5 to 6 years. My curiosity and passion towards this field have always led me to develop new concepts.
M. Design opened my perspective towards research-based design. I thoroughly researched, planned, designed and executed a premium modular furniture experience centre along with my colleagues and directors. I also prepared a 116-page thesis on this project. We, as a team always had this exciting feeling to create, innovate and give something new to the modular furniture industry.
I also studied, 'Crafts in Interior Architecture' during my M. Design with utmost curiosity. I learned that there are many indigenous and tribal crafts communities who required support to face the adverse effects of the pandemic, industrialization and technology-driven markets today. As a designer, our main aim is to intervene in the craft practice and develop new conceptual products to help and uplift the artisans and the market. Although we only prepared a design concept and a report for the course requirements, so we couldn't cast any further support to the handicraft sector. The idea of not actually helping the sector struck hard and made a stepping stone for the topic to brainstorm about.
After some research, I found various fashion designers and kitchen manufacturers out there experimenting and collaborating to create stunning concepts in kitchen design which are enjoying great public response and ticket sizes. Dolce & Gabbana X Smeg, Valcucine, Studio Celiberti & Gucci are a few examples. Although, I couldn't find any genuine kitchen work in collaboration with artisans in the need for a ray of sunshine. I made up my purpose strong to help such artisans and decided upon my contribution to the industry.
Soon, both the passionate urges; innovation in modular furniture and the uplifting of any handicraft sector, began their fusion in my thoughts and imagination. The idea of introducing certain surface narrative crafts on the elements of kitchen furniture and appliances became a prominent part of this research. This will create new business opportunities, uplift the craft practice, and unique concepts in modular kitchens and add up to the economies.
Although, I require a professional approach to create a bridge between these different industries. Strategic Design and Management at The New School is perfectly sound to suit my purpose. Learning the fundamentals of this program may directly help me strategically carve out a road map to this global innovation, support a social challenge and help me build this entrepreneurship altogether.
I acknowledge that achieving my aim also requires critical design thinking, prototyping, industrial exposure and business management strategies which I may practice at Parsons in a cutting-edge fashion. I look forward to initially researching and documenting certain surface narrative crafts in the studio under the rightful guidance and collaborations with teachers and fellows. Having peers and friends from all around the world makes it similar to having a bunch of global reviewers always with you to give feedback on the findings. Further, develop concepts without losing the cultural ethnicity of the craft and keep a focus on the global market. At Parsons, I can also learn and use the opportunity to engage with industrial partners and required organizations to propose this business in a much more ethical approach. Having exposure to ELAB and its facilities may undoubtedly take my knowledge to the next level. Practising among design researchers and sharing interdisciplinary knowledge has always been one of my dreams. Collaborating and prototyping under panel reviews and mentorship may create a strong foundation for moulding my ambitions and products before bringing them in front of the future market.
I found the cherry on my cheesecake, to have discovered that Professor Rhea Alexander has so much relevance and expertise with the topics of my interest. Her remarkable contribution to the global market and the skills of working along with artisans, NGOs and SMEs to bring a transition in designs to suggest that she could be the perfect mentor for my research and start-up goals.
Altogether, I imagine having a wonderful experience at The New School and passionately look forward to gaining this highly valuable knowledge in the heart of NYC. It is a blessing to have an opportunity to learn and practice some best skills from industry-leading faculties which I may require to direct my career to my maximum potential.