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The Rise of Design Culture

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  • Faust
    kitsch killer
    • Sep 2006
    • 37852

    The Rise of Design Culture

    So, I have a question. What gave rise to the current fascination with design on a scale never even remotely seen before? Whereas before it was the elite that paid attention to design, these days there is an explosion of design, from egg cups to architecture. Is it because the people in the capitalist contries have gotten wealthier over time? Is it because the marketing and media industries have gotten better at pushing products? Is there something innate in all of us that wants a quality product? Are people just keeping up with the Jonses or is design culture a sign of world progress? What do you guys think?
    Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

    StyleZeitgeist Magazine
  • peanut
    Junior Member
    • Nov 2006
    • 17

    #2
    Re: The Rise of Design Culture

    Wealth

    Comment

    • djrajio
      Senior Member
      • Sep 2006
      • 143

      #3
      Re: The Rise of Design Culture

      Wow. What a great question. I really like questions like this pop up on this board. Anyways I think its two influences (my theories are very rooted in economics, so bear with me): Broadly speaking globalization and economies of scale. With the rise of technology, pretty much everything is becoming cheaper, faster, easier to make, and better quality and with the availability of all information concerning everything you could buy and sell, trading and commerce has globalized. Globalization has contributed to increased wealth as a result, so buyers will always find a seller, vis a vis, assuming effcient markets. What does that have to do design? Basically, everything is becoming commoditized. From toasters, to mp3 players, to cars. So, in order to build value to those with money, companies are pushing design/asethetics. Design has always been a huge influence IMO, just look at product design from the 60s and 70s. I think the difference in marketing today is that design is pushed with greater emphasis in bridging a certain lifestyle and creating products across a whole spectrum of activities that associates with this certain type of lifestyle (think luxury car with i-pod adapter). I don't think its necessarily a keeping up with the Jonses phemonena since many highly regarded, well designed products, aim for the mass market but I do believe that design is now more than ever is a commodity in and of itself and companies are using design to fit a lifestyle as a distinction to set themselves apart.

      Comment

      • peanut
        Junior Member
        • Nov 2006
        • 17

        #4
        Re: The Rise of Design Culture



        "...buyers will always find a seller, vis a vis, assuming effcient markets.
        What does that have to do design? Basically, everything is becoming
        commoditized. From toasters, to mp3 players, to cars. So, in order to
        build value to those with money, companies are pushing
        design/asethetics."
        </p>

        Brilliantly put djrajio. Exactly what I would have said if I had known how.
        </p>

        Comment

        • Avantster
          ¤¤¤
          • Sep 2006
          • 1983

          #5
          Re: The Rise of Design Culture



          Great topic, Faust.
          </p>Well said djrajio.
          I might add it&#39;s also become cheaper, easier, and faster for companies to gather information about their customers (preferences, buying habits) and process it into something meaningful on a massive scale. This is used to innovate their products to add value to their customers.
          I think there is a kind of &#39;keeping up with the Jonses&#39; factor here - but on the company&#39;s side! Companies simply cannot afford to overlook design as an important factor anymore.

          IMO the fascination with and explosion in design is mostly about companies giving customers what they want. Or is it giving customers what they are made to think they want...
          </p>
          let us raise a toast to ancient cotton, rotten voile, gloomy silk, slick carf, decayed goat, inflamed ram, sooty nelton, stifling silk, lazy sheep, bone-dry broad & skinny baffalo.

          Comment

          • Honey~Blade
            Senior Member
            • Sep 2006
            • 118

            #6
            Re: The Rise of Design Culture

            Also companies that do not take design seriously get left behind. Consumers are always hungry for the next thing, to give their life more meaning. If companies wish to survive and make the buckos, they have to constantly innovate and surprise, so as to convince consumers to buy what they don&#39;t need. Not always a bad thing.If everything looks cool, there&#39;s no excuse for crap.

            Comment

            • djrajio
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2006
              • 143

              #7
              Re: The Rise of Design Culture

              [quote user=&quot;Honey~Blade&quot;]If everything looks cool, there&#39;s no excuse for crap.[/quote]Zune.[+o(]

              Comment

              • minomni
                Senior Member
                • Oct 2006
                • 167

                #8
                Re: The Rise of Design Culture



                i think today more than ever and on a much greater scale, there is an underlaying notion that design is expressive of individuality. the development of communication technologies, the collective media and the ease at which these ideas are exchanged not only breed knowledge and general awareness, but also allows for each individual to make a clear distinction through their choices and tastes. those choices in turn drive the economy to appease accordingly and perhaps in some cases to innovate and improve, further developing the spectrum of design and creating a cycle of forward progress.
                </p>

                Comment

                • Faust
                  kitsch killer
                  • Sep 2006
                  • 37852

                  #9
                  Re: The Rise of Design Culture



                  [quote user=&quot;djrajio&quot;]Zune.[+o(][/quote]</p>

                  I KNOW!!! What the fuck were they thinking? Microsoft is becoming the new Ford.</p>
                  Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

                  StyleZeitgeist Magazine

                  Comment

                  • Servo2000
                    Senior Member
                    • Oct 2006
                    • 2183

                    #10
                    Re: The Rise of Design Culture

                    The thing about the zune is that in its current iteration it&#39;s absolutely a waste. However, remember, it&#39;s version 1.0. Now, examine what the device has: A sizeable screen, compatibility with all microsoft products, wireless, a fairly sizeable screen, etc... While most discerning geeks look at it now with shame, I can barely even imagine the possibilities of said device. Even if microsoft doesn&#39;t do anything with it, the Open Source community will have a fucking field day with this things wireless capabilities. For one, and I doubt this interests many of us, compatibility with XBox 360 and the &quot;Live&quot; marketplace, which may eventually translate to wireless music downloads, videos, etc... Hopefully it will be more than that eventually, but that&#39;s just my take on it.<div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder" /></div><div>I still won&#39;t be getting one, however, I&#39;m an Apple Addict all the way. The only reason I use a PC is because my new computer can run dual operating systems.</div><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder" /></div><div>Anyway, that was a little off topic, but please continue. Fascinating topic.</div>
                    WTB: Rick Owens Padded MA-1 Bomber XS (LIMO / MOUNTAIN)

                    Comment

                    • goethe
                      Member
                      • Oct 2006
                      • 47

                      #11
                      Re: The Rise of Design Culture

                      i agree with djrajio. i also feel that this phenomena works around a persons sense of belonging. with the rise of ikea, target, etc., everyone and their mom can own &quot;designer items&quot;, allowing people to almost equate themselves with this specific, elite group. everyone wants to be &quot;in the know&quot; and what a better way to prove you are by owning high design/concept products.

                      Comment

                      • Faust
                        kitsch killer
                        • Sep 2006
                        • 37852

                        #12
                        Re: The Rise of Design Culture



                        [quote user=&quot;goethe&quot;]i agree with djrajio. i also feel that this phenomena works around a persons sense of belonging. with the rise of ikea, target, etc., everyone and their mom can own &quot;designer items&quot;, allowing people to almost equate themselves with this specific, elite group. everyone wants to be &quot;in the know&quot; and what a better way to prove you are by owning high design/concept products.[/quote]</p>

                        All-inclusive exclusive circle! I can totally see that part of design culture. It used to be celebrities were stuff that noone else could, and thus set themselves apart. These days they wear (and then sell!) what everyone else can.</p>
                        Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

                        StyleZeitgeist Magazine

                        Comment

                        • butbeautiful
                          Junior Member
                          • Sep 2006
                          • 22

                          #13
                          Re: The Rise of Design Culture

                          sometimes i always thought that is a good design a really good design?

                          like you see a piece of clothing that you like alot. it appeals to you and that is counted a good design already, winning consumer&#39;s heart. but you wanted it so much and you get it and the next time you see something new. you forget about the something you wanted so much before and started liking over the new something you have just seen.

                          so how does this goes about?

                          Comment

                          • Faust
                            kitsch killer
                            • Sep 2006
                            • 37852

                            #14
                            Re: The Rise of Design Culture



                            [quote user=&quot;butbeautiful&quot;]sometimes i always thought that is a good design a really good design?

                            like you see a piece of clothing that you like alot. it appeals to you and that is counted a good design already, winning consumer&#39;s heart. but you wanted it so much and you get it and the next time you see something new. you forget about the something you wanted so much before and started liking over the new something you have just seen.

                            so how does this goes about?
                            [/quote]</p>

                            The value judgement you place on an object is based on the sum-total of your experience at the current moment. It doesn&#39;t make it timeless - new things come out, and you move on as your expirience is enriched. Some things last more than others, just look at your own closet. I have things that I&#39;ve been wearing for 6-7 years and I absolutely love them, others, not so much. </p>
                            Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months - Oscar Wilde

                            StyleZeitgeist Magazine

                            Comment

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