DE51GN

Guest editor Anil Mangalat of Samuel Creations and member of the IFI09 World Interior Design Congress Organising Committee writes about the blurred boundaries in various design disciplines and the significant role it plays in our lives.

Throughout history trends and inspirations have never really been confined within one creative field. It was not uncommon for a fashionable fabric pattern in the 18th century to find its way into the upholstery of an early Fauteuil. Now, more than ever, they effortlessly permeate the different realms of design. No more can one design discipline remain insulated, immune to the influences of the others. Trend spotting has overnight turned into a very real and reliable profession. Design today thrives on the very existence of this creative cross pollination. It is no longer alien to see the letters of the Prada insignia boldly imprinted on an LG mobile phone or a Zaha Hadid designed Louis Vuitton handbag on display.

Zaha Hadid’s Icone bag for Louis Vuitton

LG PRADA II Cell phone

Manufacturers too have zeroed in on this phenomenon and have realized the importance of creating flexible products. Swarovski, the crystal giant had some years back made the move from only creating crystal ware to manufacturing full-fledged light fittings and fashion accessories. Today the company has forayed into the architecture and interior industry with a whole new range of products from wall coverings to ceiling panels. So the minute the trend spotters report that ‘Bling’ is in, they would be ready with their repertoire.

Light Sock by architects Diller Scofidio + Renfroat at the Swarovski Crystal Palace exhibition

Veil by Paul Cocksedge

Honeycomb Latticework by Swarovski

Charles Eames, who many hail as the father of modern chair design once said “Eventually everything connects - people, ideas, objects.” Must we, then, as design professionals limit ourselves to the area of expertise that we have been trained in? The word “designer” however non-specific and imprecise, holds within it a great potential to unite creative professionals under one proverbial umbrella. It renders one the ability to use his/her creative faculties for a wide range of services. Irrespective of the line of work, does not the quintessential designer create and innovate based on an acute understanding of aesthetics and function? Then is it not logical to assume that a designer might work across boundaries? The lines that divide the various fields of design are blurring. Industrial, Interior, Graphic and even Fashion Design today are practiced by the same group of people today. There have certainly been precedents. Architectural legends Le Corbusier and Mies Van De Rohe both went on to create iconic pieces of furniture like the hugely popular Chaise Longue and the timeless Barcelona chair respectively. Ingo Maurer, who started his career in the field of graphic design, is to date one of the most celebrated lighting designers of our time. Philippe Starck, perhaps the most famous interior designer today, is an industrial designer by profession.

Barcelona Chair by Mies Van der Rohe

B306 Chaise Longue by Charlotte Perriand, Le Corbusier, Edouard Jeanneret

St. Martins Lane Hotel by Philippe Starck

Ingo Maurer’s Porca Miseria

In the ever-changing world of design, never before has such a phenomenal mix of creative professionals co-existed. From time immemorial, experimentation has been integral to the process of design. Today individuals with varied skill sets are working across fields challenging norms and traditional interpretation, thereby enriching the quality of design. If this is the now, what then is the shape of things to come? Is it too farfetched to imagine the emergence of ‘full package designers’- professionals that step across boundaries and delve into all facets of an undertaking? Adopting such a holistic approach to design helps set apart the designer and marks every project with an unmistakable and distinctive signature. With the surfacing of an increasingly demanding clientele, designers are slowly choosing to create bespoke designs – solutions / products tailor-made to suit the end user. Marketing wizards have for ages used the ‘limited edition’ concept to increase sales. Such ideas appeal to the individuality of the customer, whetting his almost insatiable appetite for exclusivity. In a market which feeds off branding in the most mundane of products, the commercial viability of design must rest on a similar line of thought. It is exactly this that a full package design is capable of bringing to the table. Even today, there exist a handful of designers in our midst that can boast of imparting such a complete design service - One that produces a high level of innovation in all aspects of a project. Perhaps then, this future is not too far off.