Design with Deep Roots

While developing the tuma collection, I worked with many industrial designers, but I felt a strong urge to create one signature piece with my own hands. I chose to design a metal bookend in the shape of an oak leaf.

The process took me from sketch to industrial prototype, refining the metal shape to be both functional and poetic. It wasn’t just about making a "pretty object," but about solving the engineering challenge of stability and aesthetics.

The symbol isn't random. That same year, I discovered that my surname "Tuma" means "Oak" in the Mordovian language. This object became a personal manifesto—a way to incorporate my heritage into modern industrial design.

Credits

Product Design:
Ilia Tumaikin

Photo:
Vladislav Miagkov