AETHA® Product Design

Imagine being fresh out of uni and flown into a live war zone to fix your design. That was Tom Parsons’ reality. Not every designer finds themselves in a war zone early in their career. But for Tom, that was just the start. In this week’s episode of WHY DESIGN?, we dive into Tom’s wild career journey—from designing high-end surveillance systems for superyachts to navigating the chaos of a live conflict zone, then shifting gears to mass production at Dyson, and finally, founding his own consultancy, AETHA® Product Design. We talk about: ✅ What designing for extreme environments teaches you about staying calm under pressure ✅ Why moving from bespoke, high-value tech to mass-market products was a game-changer ✅ The reality of running a design consultancy—balancing creativity, business, and client trust ✅ Why "people buy from people" is the best business philosophy he’s learned ✅ How launching his own Kickstarter helped him understand his clients’ struggles firsthand Tom’s story is full of career-defining moments, real talk on design and business, and lessons that apply far beyond the world of product development. So... how does your design origin story compare? Ever been thrown in at the deep end (or a warzone)? Let us know in the comments! 🎧 Episode 4 of Series 2 is out now! Listen on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and Amazon Music. 𝐏𝐒: Don’t an episode—hit subscribe so you’re always in the loop!

1 week home from CES, and now that the jet lag has gone, it’s time to share our thoughts on the show… Year 1 was all about seeing the products I’d judged during the awards process, enjoying the show, and catching up with a few clients. Back for the second time, I made a conscious effort to be more structured: book more meetings and have a clear plan. I quickly learned that this takes much more time— especially if you still want to get around the show. (Spoiler alert: it’s absolutely huge!) This year was bigger than ever, with a new expo hall dedicated to sourcing. Here are some of my highlights: 🚀 Proud to see UK brand Elvie showcasing their brand-new bassinet and catching up with Alex Knox on the Dyson days. ☕ It was great to catch up with Laura Feinstein IRL over a coffee, talk all things Kickstarter, and see their new stand, which highlighted several recent success stories. ⚡ Some really impressive startups stood out, notably Flint’s paper-based, flexible batteries. Not only are they lightweight and flexible, but they also don’t require any rare earth materials. 🤖 AI pets are here to stay. This year, AiMe from TCL was a notable addition—equal parts cute and Black Mirror-esque... ✈️ Flying cars were back again. This time, it was a personal drone designed by XPENG to be carried in the back of a custom EV. Could be a commute cutter if it get's off the ground (sorry couldn't resist). 🎮 The most surprising experience came from Haply Robotics' new 3D mouse. The sensation of using their VR stylus was unlike anything I’ve tried before. I’m intrigued to see if this could one day replace a space mouse for SOLIDWORKS. 🌿 One of my favourite stands had to be Experience Wonder’s, which showcased their Bird Buddy products in a virtual garden. The intersection of tech and nature was a refreshing change of pace. 🎉 It was great to see some of the evening events growing in size, especially Giles Lowe from Spanner’s party at Atomic Liquor. With over 600 people attending, we’ll definitely try to shake off the jet lag next year so we’re there in mind as well as body! 🕶️ Great to meet Mark Bishop from Red Bull to talk sunnies and see his impressive collection of freebies, definitely need some tips for next year... 👋 Also, going half way around the world to bump into Craig Sparkes from Beep! Digital based within a mile of our office back in Poole was a novelty! Top line is that there's much more to CES than the Samsungs/ Sony / LG's of the world...

I love it when a plan comes together... Our business plan for Times eyewear is a simple one, we launch new styles on Kickstarter, use the funds generated from pre-orders to order stock from our manufacturer in Italy. This allows us to not only fulfil our pre-orders but oder enough surplus to restock the website without needing outside investment. A simple one but a proven one. Thanks to everyone that ordered a pair, this week we started shipping pre-orders and re-stocked the website in time for Black Friday and Christmas. #AdventureMore #Kickstarter #Sunglasses #ProductDesign

I can finally talk about it... soooo happy to be judging the 2025 International CES - Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Awards in Las Vegas! Back again and there's a crazy lineup this year with judges from Apple, Google, Amazon... AETHA® Product Design #productdesign #industrialdesign #CES2025

Super proud of this one! From sketch concepts, prototyping and in-field testing to a worldwide sell-out product launch. With VSG/ Notch we have developed the most advanced harness and hydration pack on the market, specifically designed for arborists. Can't wait to get mine for trail running! AETHA® Product Design Stanley Binns Michael O'Driscoll

It’s that time of year again, Aetha’s annual boat party! Always a good reminder of how lucky we are to live and work by the sea. It’s been a busy year in the studio so far, the day gives our team and wider Aetha family a chance to relax and refresh. The weather almost held out! AETHA® Product Design

We’re super excited to welcome Sam into the studio as he completes his well earned placement. Sam won the Design Truth Student Awards with his fresh take on inclusive tech and as part of the award he was given the chance to work with us over a paid placement. Go check out his work and follow to see how he progresses!