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WITH z e s lt FASHION e a DANCES THE nn ie V W By Gary Inman Age of Technology BOLD BY DESIGN | SUMMER 2021
HOW INTERIOR DESIGN
Historic Perspective
T
he relationship between fashion design and interior design is akin to a Viennese waltz with fashion, more often than not, leading the dance of inspiration and emerging trends. Historically the relationship was very linear, and one could chart the impact of the latest runway shows and editorial coverage as it permeated society. Fashion has always been an astute reflection of the Zeitgeist, or spirit of the age, and an index of cultural anthropology, politics, social mores, and the creative arts. Home furnishings followed the color trends, patterns, finishes, and even silhouettes of its design dance partner creating clearly defined design styles and movements. This has been true for most of my career as a designer and design historian teaching the history of art, decorative arts, and interior design.
Today the story is far less linear and much more multifaceted. Our global connectivity and constant barrage of imagery via Instagram, Pinterest, and other social media platforms, as well as non-stop news channels, has accelerated the speed with which new design concepts, colors, patterns, and philosophies are shared, reshared, and often exhausted at a pace unimaginable even ten years ago. One must question the impact it is having on the cultural appreciation of design and the concept of enduring design achievements. The velocity of visual media is, in many opinions, undermining our ability to evaluate and differential good design from bad.
The loss of connoisseurship is a tremendous threat to the future of design from fashion to interior design and product design. I believe there is value in connoisseurship and that design critiques are fundamental to both design education, something we all
experienced as students, and in the practice of design. If we have no standards, then how can we achieve excellence. Editors have traditionally played a critical role by selecting only projects for publication that represented the highest level of aesthetic achievement. This erudite and informed review process is less evident today and one often sees published works that would have received a failing grade in design school.
Design During the Pandemic The normal cadence of the rise and fall of trends has been interrupted by the pandemic but those of us that follow trends, such as the Style Spotter team at High Point Market, can nevertheless identify both macro and micro trends globally and across different design mediums.
