Season 8 Episode 6 : Is Design Ever Truly Original
If there was ever a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, I believe originality would be the content! In a design world that thrives on bespoke offerings, customisation and tailored living how easy is it then to remain truly original in a time where inspiration is being poured faster than a keg at a uni party?
In this episode of Design Banter, we explore whether the concept of original design even exists anymore. From the temptation of social media to the clients that digest them, we are seeing more and more a ‘overlap’ of ideas even from designers in high places!
There are even accounts designed to OUT the copy cat designers themselves - it’s one of those hard not to watch type things, because in times past we would never have thought those riding the waves of huge success would have an unoriginal bone in their bodies.
At first it’s shocking - truly so [ insert Kelly Wearstler here ] as this new handle took to leaving no designer stone unturned. @designwithincopy documents industry knock-offs one day at a time has now amassed 34k followers (at the time of publishing).
But aside from enjoying the entertainment value, this all leaves the issue of originality even harder to comprehend.
Playing devil’s advocate too, as designers yourselves, you are at the mercy of your client. Where that client gained their inspiration is a huge factor as to how that design concept will unfold. There will be interior trend driven Pinterest boards for you to digest, multiple Instagram accounts saved, possibly many magazine (do people still buy magazines?) pages ripped out and kept as tear sheets to keep the juices flowing, but can it ever be ‘unique’?
For those who thrive on authentic design - there’s also a fabulous Australian account called Authentic Design Alliance who having been shut down once (reported by disgruntled peeps) they are back and surging better than ever. The ADA is on a mission to protect Australian Design, and you can get on board by becoming a member.
As we round out 2021, our Perth podcast ‘lending an ear to good design in WA’ is always keen to hear your thoughts now and for future episodes. We’d love your input into 2022 and you are ALL encouraged to get in touch if you’d like to guest on Design Banter. Until then.
Deb xx