︎bgarbus@risd.edu

Ben Garbus is a designer focused on fabricating compelling yet timeless objects. His experience ranges from designing products for gift company Kikkerland’s mainline and luxury leather bag company Brahmin to studying traditional crafts in Jaipur, India.


I have always been drawn to the interaction between process, material and form to create objects that defy the sum of their parts. This interaction can manifest as an unexpected transformation, an uncommon material choice, or a reinterpretation of an everyday function. In addition to imagination, my product design thrives through understanding material limitations as inspirations rather than setbacks. I am fascinated by the capabilities of manufacturing, and have strived to learn how to use as many machines as I can in my four years of undergraduate education. The work I have created speaks to themes of unconventional desirability, challenging mass-produced aesthetics, and functional forms. I believe that the objects we surround ourselves with are simultaneously influenced by us and influencing us, and that by pushing the boundaries of what qualities an object can possess, there is a reciprocal push to question the world we have built.

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Currently pursuing a degree in Industrial Design at Rhode Island School of Design.
Searching for opportunities post-graduation in the summer of 2025.