Meet Jose Figueroa | Design Director

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

Hi Jose, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
We (Jose and Cristina) have decades of experience designing and developing consumer products with a unique point of view, the result of having worked with design-forward and quality-focused brands like Diesel, Misfit Wearables, Cult Gaia, Skagen, Tory Burch, North (acquired by Google) and Karl Lagerfeld, among others. We often found ourselves pushing the envelope in terms of materials, form and technology. At the same time we had a strong focus on the intersection of brands and their customers. This combined experience led us to create our own company with one focus over 2 goals: create impact by designing “the inusual” for (1) clients and (2) within our own studio projects.

We always toyed with the idea of creating our own products or brands, but it wasn’t until we both found ourselves freelancing that the opportunity became a serious conversation. Combining our experience in industrial design, fashion design, technology, product development and branding allows us to cover more ground and offer clients a wide and unique point of view, while also creating a branded space to work on our own ideas. So in 2024 Inusual was born, driven by our mission to design with purpose, emphasize empathy, and celebrate innovation.

We are small but mighty – we work with companies and startups, and can provide strategic guidance, design services and development to create physical products (and phygital experiences) that innovate through function, form, material and color. Our internal projects range from 3D printed footwear to household items and consumer electronics designed with our inusual point of view.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Inusual is a Los Angeles-based design studio founded in 2024 by Jose Figueroa and Cristina Payne. A clever blend of “unusual” and its Spanish counterpart “inusual,” our name embodies our commitment to crafting products and experiences that transcend the ordinary.

​We differ from other agencies and studios in that we place a great deal of importance and focus on authenticity and innovation – ensuring branding is genuine, and the products that stem from it are a faithful representation of brand values and push design forward. There’s enough “stuff” in the world, so we don’t want to make disposable experiences. We want to create objects that maintain value over time and feel special.

The studio is still young – not even a year in – but we are excited about things to come, especially our own projects. Part of our goal is to create inusual objects and share our journey designing and prototyping them, and hopefully commercializing them. It allows us to push our own boundaries and instill a little cleverness in the design of everyday things. On the docket are 3D printed shoes which we plan to prototype within the month.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We love inspiring locations, from art to nature. Some standouts:
– LACMA, MOCA, MAF and The Broad
– Galleries like Jeffrey Deitch, ICA, Houser & Wirth
– Huntington Library and Botanical gardens
– Riding bikes from Sta Monica beach to Venice
– Trails like Los Liones, Sandstone, Griffith park and of course, Runyon

Good food, drinks and ambiance (too many to list):
– Mozza, Jon & Vinny’s for italian
– Loreto, Holbox and our neighborhood street taco stand for mexican
– Gigis, Mr T, Mother Tongue, Here’s looking at you
– The Petit Trois burger
– Anajak for Thai
– Laya, Bavel for mediterranean
– Quarters KBBQ is always a great time followed by karaoke
– Morihiro for sushi
– The Grove farmers market for lunch

For fun and dance:
– Breakroom 86
– Normandie bar
– The Spotlight

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?
We are a product of our experiences, so we would firstly like to thank all the people and teams we have worked with in the span of our careers. We’ve learned so much from our corporate and startup positions, and so many former coworkers have become lifelong friends. We have greatly expanded our view of business and products beyond design thanks to these people, and our professional network has helped us land new clients.

Also, we recommend the book by Tony Fadell – “Build”.

Website: https://www.theinusual.com

Instagram: @inusualdesignstudio

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theinusual

Image Credits
Perfume bottle and clutch: from Cult Gaia
Earrings: from Lili Claspe