Early life influences: Creativity born from adversity

Growing up amid the turmoil of two wars in Serbia during the 1990s had a profound impact on my life and creative outlook.

The first conflict began when I was just five years old. I lost many of my toys, and my family couldn’t afford replacements due to the hardships caused by war-induced poverty.

One day, my mother gave me a set of Lego bricks and encouraged me to build anything I imagined — from characters to robots inspired by science fiction movies.

This simple gift ignited a passion for creating and imagining beyond limitations.

Later in the decade, when a second war erupted, my father’s work repairing and selling discarded electronic devices exposed me to the inner workings of various products.

We often customized wooden toys and everyday items together in our garage. These early experiences with making and mending not only nurtured my curiosity but planted the seeds for my future in industrial design.