Slow & Considered Design
The enforced time of pause and reflection has sparked a reawakening for many people and it’s having a profound influence on how we shop and the brands we are sharing our allegiances with.
EVERYDAY ESSENTIALISM
The global pandemic has fundamentally changed our outlook and is leading us to shop very differently.
In many ways, you could describe this as a move towards essentialism as we all find ourselves asking ‘what do we really need?’
The ‘less is more’ philosophy made famous by Mies van der Rohe feels strangely apt for today as so many of us are developing a new found appreciation for quality over quantity.
After years of fast fashion we now wish to simplify and slow down, taking time to pause and appreciate a product of quality. We’re now drawn to thoughtful design and looking at craftsmanship and detail.
We’re also taking the long-view, making choices based on our own personal taste rather than being influenced by a passing trend or fad. It’s now ‘in with the old’, and if it’s new it must be enduring.
This is fundamentally altering how we’re choosing to style our homes and the clothing we are opting for with each new season.
THE SHIFT TO SLOW
This change in consumer sentiment is sparking a significant move towards slow and considered design that is the very opposite of the ‘throwaway’ culture of old.
Slow design is described by Carolyn F. Strauss and Alastair Fuad-Luke as a process that is deeply conscious of the lifespan of its end product, delivering new values for design, and contributing to the shift towards sustainability.
They suggest that slow design is ‘a unique and vital form of creative activism that offers an opportunity to find fresh qualities in design research, ideation, process and outcomes — and ideally slow down the metabolism of people, resources and flow.’
In embracing this ‘shift to slow’ a growing number of companies are not only adjusting the type of products they offer, but also reappraising and changing the way they design and produce them too.
Here we take a look at the brands and retailers who are leading the way in this push towards slow, considered design.
SLOW SHOPPING
One of the most fundamental and far-reaching impacts of the pandemic lies in the fashion industry.
The fast-fashion trends that have dominated the industry for decades are turning to a slow-fashion agenda as we head towards a more sustainable future.
A growing number of brands, particularly in the luxury sector, are aligning with a slow fashion approach by upending the traditional fashion calendar and reducing collections.
On May 12, in an initiative led by Belgian designer Dries Van Noten, an open letter to the fashion industry calling for drastic change was published online. In an acknowledgement of the ramifications of Covid-19, and the systemic shortcomings it has brought to light within the industry at large, designers including Gabriela Hearst, Tory Burch and Erdem Moralioglu rallied together to push for greater sustainability measures and changes to the sales calendar.
According to Vogue Business, the open letter called for a shift in the deliveries of clothing in stores, to motivate full-priced sales and curb discounting that may be harmful to designers and retailers, as well as an adjustment of the current autumn/winter and spring/summer seasons, whereby clothes will now be available for purchase during the season for which they are made.
The first to sign up were Liberty in London, Bergdorf Goodman in New York and Lane Crawford and Joyce in Hong Kong and China. Resonating with this new approach to fashion, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour shared her thoughts with CNBC, saying the pandemic has provided an opportunity for the fashion industry to have a rethink, and “to slow down and produce less.”
A growing number of brands are now adopting this radical new approach. One early adopter to announce their new directive was Gucci. The Italian brand intends to go seasonless and reduce the number of fashion shows it holds each year from five to two. In addition the brand has launched Gucci Circular Lines, which aims to use regenerated materials that are recycled and sustainable
“The fashion industry had got bloated and ridiculous - too many clothes being produced and being constantly discounted.”
Paul Smith, The Daily Telegraph
Although this change was sparked by the global pandemic, consumer sentiment, especially among younger generations, suggests that this shift to slow is here to stay.
As a growing number of us adopt spending habits and values that embrace anti-excess principles and conscious consumption there is a shared understanding and belief that slower fashion will lead to less waste, which in turn will lead to less pollution.
The Slow Fashion movement promises to be the opposite of the fast fashion trend by delivering sustainably procured and produced clothing to mindful consumers. Instead of never-ending sale offerings due to rapidly changing trends, slow fashion items are designed to be sustainable, functional, durable and stylish.
And so, as a growing number of fashion brands are repositioning for the long-term, naturally they are also considering how the overall retail experience and levels of customer service must evolve to suit this very different mindset.
CASE STUDY: UNSUBSCRIBED, EAST HAMPTON, US
American Eagle Outfitters recently unveiled a new concept named Unsubscribed in New York’s East Hampton.
Offering consciously-made products that are designed to be worn and treasured forever, the brand is largely driven by a slow fashion concept. This means fewer deliveries, elevated quality and beautiful design.
Currently existing only as an in-store experience, Unsubscribed features its own private label collection as well as a carefully curated selection of third-party brands which reflect its “less is more” philosophy. The term, made famous by architect Mies van der Rohe, was originally connected to design and aesthetics, but Unsubscribed has extended this to a lifestyle.
It’s not just about the fashion process slowing down, but also the entire retail experience.
WHAT IF? Stores were purposefully designed to slow the pace down; encouraging people to take their time and helping them to make carefully considered choices?
DOING ONE THING WELL
“We make jeans. That’s it. Nothing else. No distractions. Nothing to steal our focus. No kidding ourselves that we can be good at everything. No trying to conquer the whole world. We just do our best to conquer our bit of it. So each day we come in and make the best jeans we know how. Use the best quality denims. Cut them with an expert eye. And then let our ‘Grand Masters’ behind the sewing machines do the rest.
There is a great deal of satisfaction to be gained from making something well, of such superior quality that you know it is going to stand the test of time. It makes the hard work and the obsessing over each and every detail worth all the effort. That’s our reward. That’s why we stick to just making jeans. Yup, we just make jeans. That’s all folks.”
David Hieatt, Hiut Denim
ENLIGHTENED EXPERIENCES
Even before the pandemic took hold, we had begun to note an evolution towards a new breed of slow and considered brand experiences.
Rather than focusing on the creation of ‘instagram-ready’ spaces, perfectly designed to fit neatly within a little square on our social media feed, we had begun to note the emergence of more enlightened and introspective brand experiences designed to purposefully slow the pace down. Encouraging people to switch off from digital distractions and enjoy the experience in the here-and-now.
From a designers’ perspective, this approach opens up a whole host of new ideas as they focus on evoking an emotional connection and telling brand stories by engaging all of the senses.
At The Future Collective, it’s our belief that the dramatic changes we have seen in 2020 will further support the transition towards slower and more fulfilling types of brand experiences.
The restrictions in place as a result of the threat of COVID-19 have shown us new ways to blend digital and physical to create more meaningful experiences.
With festivals, fairs and exhibitions cancelled or only accessible to small groups during the global pandemic, organisers have been quick to digitise their offering. But while this has naturally increased the reach of such events, it has also reduced their immersive qualities and ability to build interpersonal relationships.
One of the most fundamental challenges this has posed is how physical and digital experiences can enhance rather than compete with each other.
As the first large scale design festival to go ahead in 2020, the London Design Festival (LDF), which ran from September 12-20, employed a new hybrid way of bringing the festival to life. The blended format combined virtual events alongside physical ones, served to democratise the event, giving more people the ability to attend than ever before.
CASE STUDY: TOM DIXON OCTAGON, LDF 2020
After successfully launching OCTAGON in Shanghai in June, Tom Dixon introduced the concept to the UK for LDF, representing the versatility of the global brand.
The Coal Office was divided into eight spaces, with each area celebrating a narrative of the extraordinary brand.
The open exhibition invited visitors to immerse themselves in the designer’s universe and was accessible both virtually and physically.
LDF 2020 was the brand’s biggest exhibition to date in terms of global reach, as events, activations and talks were broadcasted internationally to all markets.
The virtual component played a significant role, emphasising the message that the brand is reinventing itself in multiple ways, despite a global pandemic.
Tom Dixon plans to compress and reshape OCTAGON as a piece of small travelling architecture, with 8 facets of our hyperactive, constantly evolving brand, that we will travel to various cities and towns in the future.
WHAT IF? The brand experience becomes the perfect blend of analogue and digital, designed to tell your brand stories through all of the senses?
MADE WITH CARE AND BUILT TO LAST
“Good design inspires, enriches and endures and makes a better world. We should think carefully about what we buy, consider the consequences of our consumption and take note of each purchases real worth – the inspiration and intent, craft and innovation present in its material and make-up. Its usefulness and beauty. Its humour and honesty.”
Selfridges, Project Earth edit
CRAFTSMANSHIP & DETAIL
Our eyes have grown tired of identical high streets and homogenous products and we’re naturally drawn towards thoughtful, desirable and enduring design.
Crafts have long been part of the British landscape and craftsmanship, detail and the story behind the creation of the design are growing in importance as people of all ages share a growing appreciation of quality and materiality.
This perspective is particularly true of Gen Z - a generation who are reprioritising what they value.
‘More than 25 million handcrafted objects were sold in the UK in 2019, with seven out of 10 adults buying something solid, beautiful, unique and timeless.’
Crafts Council, May 2020
As one of the last independent global fashion houses in the world, the eponymous Vivienne Westwood brand champions this approach. At the very heart of this is the intention to make clothes with greater care. Facing into the dilemma of ‘quality verses quantity’ they use their brand voice to raise awareness of the environmental impact of overconsumption. Urging people to buy less and buy better quality clothes that meet this standard.
As an ardent supporter and longtime champion of craftsmanship and heritage, traditional British textiles and Savile Row tailoring traditions have informed and influenced Vivienne’s work since the 1980s. Vivienne has always partnered with local industries and artisans as well as, later in her career, larger Italian factories.
2020 marks the dawn of a new era where artisan skills are valued and cherished. Yet, in many ways, this isn’t so much a new way as a return to the way things used to be.
In the fashion industry we’re witnessing a return to the creation of bespoke, made-to-order collections - reviving an approach that up until the 1940s was the norm. Not only as a way of elevating the level of craftsmanship, but as a way of naturally reducing unnecessary waste.
CASE STUDY: BENTLEY X NAIM AUDIO
A stunning example of this return to craftsmanship can be found in a recent product launch borne out of a long-standing partnership between Bentley x Naim Audio. The British high-end manufacturer that is responsible for the systems that go into Bentley’s beautifully appointed automobiles recently created ‘The Focal Radiance’ headphones and a Bentley special edition Mu-so, emulating the rarefied privacy and comfort enjoyed in a Bentley cabin.
Taking the Bentley experience out of the cars was a welcome exploration for Naim Audio and many parallels can be drawn from the design and styling of the Bentley car. The laser-cut diamond pattern on both Mu-so and the headphones is also a direct nod to Bentley interior design.
WHAT IF? We used the most imaginative forms of brand storytelling to reveal the craftsmanship and care behind the product design; sharing the heart and mind of the maker?
TAKING THE LONG VIEW
“VYN was from the outset an idea to create a sneaker that would carry you through your life for a long time. It took us over three years to develop the repairable sole unit and design a sneaker that looks modern but is built in a traditional way.
We incorporated the replaceable top piece and the cork insole from a traditionally bench made shoe to get the long-term comfort and make repairs possible. Both the lining and upper materials need to be of great quality to create the shell that will let your feet breath and let you go through life in great style and comfort.
The last piece of the puzzle was to give the customer the tools to care for their sneakers with a pair of shoetrees and a care set that is putting the care in the customers hands and represents our philosophy of ‘wear, care, repair’.”
Stefan Mathys, Co- founder VYN
HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS
For everyone, everywhere in the world, life at home has been transformed in 2020. Documenting what they describe as “the big home reboot” IKEA’s latest report suggests that 2020 has been a year like no other, having a huge impact on many areas of life, including on our relationship with home.
Against the turbulence of the outside world, their report notes that 78% of us globally agree that home was our sanctuary during the 2020 pandemic restrictions.
Confined within our four walls all across the world, many of us have come to a realisation: we want something different from our lives at home. With new priorities emerging everywhere, and at the same time, the way we will live in the future looks dramatically different.
There is an overwhelming sense that this is only the beginning. In the future, we can expect heavy scrutiny and investment in the ways our homes are created.
In a world that seems increasingly chaotic, one place we can retain some level of control is within our homes.
“Home has become a place to raise your spirits and to take time to appreciate art and design pieces.”
Elle Decoration
With home truly at the heart of our lives, research suggests that our approach to decorating and furnishing our homes is changing.
In a study they commissioned to analyse the impact of the lockdown on peoples decorating habits, Graham & Brown found that 94% of those who redecorated their homes during this unique period think it was good for their mental health and wellbeing.
Welcoming the positive effects of change, it seems that we’re beginning to make bolder and braver choices, and truly embracing colour, pattern and print.
Equally, spending more time in our homes than ever before has sparked a new connection with the items that we surround ourselves with.
It has brought home how beautifully crafted products can really bring joy to a space. Particularly at a time when so many of us crave touch and tactility, handmade and carefully crafted items have high appeal.
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever, and in this pandemic year, the craftsman’s skills are more in demand than ever before’.”
Jessica Slater, The Daily Telegraph
These investments may even become future heirlooms passed down through the generations.
CASE STUDY: GRAHAM & BROWN
For nearly eight decades, Graham & Brown have inspired people to think differently about their walls through continuous innovation, creativity, and craftsmanship. Although undeniably famous for wallpaper, they have also developed a paint range to partner perfectly with our wallpaper patterns.
In 2020 they’ve noted a shift towards much bolder choices in paint colours. With more people buying their dark green ‘Adeline’ colour of the year 2020 than white and grey.
They’ve also witnessed a rise in sales of their wallpapers along with noting 49% more searches for wallpaper than paint online.
The artisan skills they use to create their artworks clearly set the brand apart.
Artworks are lovingly hand-drawn or hand-painted in their studio by a team of multi-talented surface pattern artists. These artworks can take several days to create, and every creation is carefully archived so it can be drawn upon as inspiration in the future. Completed artworks are then digitised and separated into layers that allow for recolours based on extensive trend forecasting by their stylists, before moving to the proofing stage.
WHAT IF? We celebrated and shared the skills of the designers, makers and artisans with glimpses behind-the-scenes?
GOOD DESIGN FOR BETTER
In many way this move towards slow and considered design feels reminiscent of Dieter Ram’s infamous manifesto about the 10 principles of ‘Good design’. It’s strange to see how we’re able to draw such clear parallels today to a theory that was developed over 50 years ago.
Perhaps what we’re witnessing today isn’t so much a new way of thinking as a realisation of what we’ve known to be true all along.
10 Principles of Good Design by Dieter Rams
DESIGN FOR BETTER
We’re witnessing the dawn of a new era where design has become a powerful force for positive change. The tremendous challenges of the climate emergency, coupled with severe economic strain triggered by the global pandemic, are marking the launch of a new era in design.
On a global scale, our perception of the value and potential of design has completely altered.When the lockdown began earlier this year we saw how design innovation could help and protect us in the most fundamental ways, and the speed of this innovation was incredible.
Looking back in history, it’s perhaps no coincidence that many of the previous design movements were sparked by events of significant adversity. For example, the Bauhaus movement was borne out of war and driven to build a better world emerging from the debris of WW2.
Today the ‘New Abnormal’ world we find ourselves in is sparking fundamental and significant change. It’s a time for a new beginning.
A NEW WAY OF THINKING
When we design with the long-view in mind, a whole host of new and more complex considerations come into play.
Slow design calls for a different approach to research, ideation and creation that is altogether more thoughtful. Combining Design Thinking and Futures Thinking, with an understanding of the real needs of people at the very core.
ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
Perhaps one of the greatest challenges we face is how to build the levels of care and consideration into products, services and experiences that people can afford.
The investment shouldn’t be beyond reach. and must be accessible to all. As designers and creators, at The Future Collective one of our founding principles is to make remarkable design accessible.
