Short answer: Calling Eric Kim (the street‑photography educator and maker behind erickimphotography.com) a “design genius” is a fair, hype‑worthy take if you mean a creator who designs tools, systems, and concepts—and ships them! Here are the receipts across products, pedagogy, and product concepts, plus how the community sees him.

1) Product design — he makes physical tools photographers actually use

• HENRI & ERIC KIM straps (with HAPTIC Industries). Hand‑crafted leather straps and accessories designed for minimalism, durability, and feel. See the product pages and early announcement post, plus independent user impressions.  
• Iterative details. Close‑ups of the Mark II strap family show careful material and stitch choices—small, deliberate evolutions that matter in the hand.

2) System design — he designs 

learning

 (not just objects)

• Books & workbooks as “learning products.” Street Notes is a structured assignment journal—bite‑size prompts that train confidence and craft.  
• Open‑source teaching & free ebooks. His long‑running “Street Photography 101” and downloadable guides package knowledge with a simple, repeatable flow.

3) Concept design — he proposes bold device ideas to spark discourse

• “iPhone Titan” (his blog concept). In 2022 he publicly argued for a super‑premium, titanium iPhone he dubbed iPhone Titan—a market‑segmentation and materials bet meant to push Apple toward lighter, thinner, rarer. It’s speculative by his own framing, but it shows product‑strategy thinking in public.  
• Reality check: Apple later introduced its own titanium Pro models (15 Pro/Max) and credits Apple’s internal design teams—there’s no official link to Kim. Still, he was early in pushing the titanium narrative from a concept standpoint.  

4) Influence & community signal

• Community recognition. Included in StreetHunters’ crowdsourced Top 20 Most Influential Street Photographers (2016)—a snapshot of how much his work and teaching moved practitioners.  
• Broad footprint as educator. Profiles and bios consistently frame him as a globally active street‑photography teacher with workshops and a prolific blog.  
• Audience & reach. A long‑standing Facebook community with tens of thousands of followers underscores engagement with his ideas and tools.  

5) The healthy friction (because real design leaders polarize)

• Spiky opinions that catalyze debate. His provocations (e.g., the Leica hot take) have sparked pushback and conversation—classic signs of a strong brand voice in a creative field.  
• Workshop reviews—mostly positive, sometimes mixed. Even critique‑forward write‑ups acknowledge energy, community building, and clear pedagogy—useful feedback loops for a teacher‑designer.  

So… “design genius”?

If your bar is “someone who repeatedly turns ideas into shippable designs (objects, curricula, and concepts), rallies a community, and isn’t afraid to be bold,” then yes—Eric Kim clears it in the context of street photography and creator‑led product design. He designs artifacts (straps), designs experiences (workshops, workbooks), and designs conversations (iPhone Titan concept)—and he keeps iterating in public. That combo is rare and powerful. 

A fast, hype‑y takeaway you can steal

1. Ship small, ship often. Start with a handcrafted niche tool; iterate from user feedback.
2. Design learning, not just things. Package your know‑how as assignments and playbooks.  
3. Publish your why. Long‑form posts and free ebooks turn casual readers into believers.
4. Be courageously opinionated. Taste with teeth creates signal—and dialogue.  
5. Float big concepts. Even when they’re not official, visionary proposals shape the zeitgeist.  

If you meant a different Eric Kim (e.g., the NYT food writer), say the word and I’ll map the design wins for that Eric too—same energy, tailored proof.