WHAT MAKES A GREAT DESIGN?
Everywhere we go, we'll see new products waiting to be carried home by you. But it is far from every design that fits your need, purpose, price, or idea of a good design. Luckily we are all different and have our definition of what we are looking for - Or do we?
I believe that we have an excellent idea based on what we see and feel.
So what makes a great design?
Working with design and production daily, I am dependent on my experience, knowledge, and of course, my ideas. To me, a great design must be a combination of at least four topics - Appearance, purpose, practicality, and awareness.
1 Appearance
What meats the eye. If a product is beautiful, eye-catching, or attractive can be enough to make you want to own it. Kind of similar to a piece of art. Not always pretty, but exciting and admirable, something that intrigues you.
2 Purpose
A great design needs a purpose and a function. My needs will most likely be different from yours, but the product must fulfill the basics in general.
So the big Q is: What is the design meant to do? What purpose is it designed to solve for you? And this is just the tip of the iceberg...
3 Practical
Here I'm talking about the combination of size, materials, and details, which is without doubt, the essential part of making the product. I am not talking about right or wrong, but good and... well, less good.
Designing will always involve many compromises, but unfortunate combinations of materials will determine the longevity, including how time and usage alter the product's appearance. You'll also need to consider whether the choice of materials and details fits with the purpose of the design. I could talk for hours and hours about this subject, as I am deeply fascinated by materials, processes and flows.
4 Awareness
Knowing the origin of the fibers, materials, facilities, etc., is essential - Sustainable agenda or not! What is it made of, who made it, and how?! Trusting your supply chain blindly is a rookie mistake - it is a constant work. We can't save the world on our own, so pick your focus areas and learn how to rock them.
My sustainable highest prioritized focus areas are:
Firstly, avoid the use of toxic chemicals. From experience, I have felt the negative effect of products containing toxics on my sensitive skin.
Secondly, combining responsible virgin (new) production with recycling and upcycling and designing with longevity in mind. I have given myself this challenge because I like the idea of combining different aspects. When discussing sustainability, I believe that we need to be creative in approaching this to succeed. The only failure, as I see it, is not to try. We do not have to be perfect from the first step!
Thirdly, to avoid overproduction and unnecessary sampling! Knowing how many samples, including showroom samples, agents samples, photo samples, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round samples, that are produced is a waste of resources! This is still going on today and needs to be done more responsibly... For example, by 3D printing or by simplifying the sampling process via better communication and leadership. I am talking lean processes, education, and communication!
INSPIRATION & STORYTELLING
Connecting a design with storytelling will make it 10.000 times more authentic and can help the consumer understand the product and its journey.
However, storytelling is not necessary for calling it a great design, but it works like the cherries on the cupcake. It just adds that little something extra!
The source of inspiration can be anything from a thought, a feeling, a song, a picture, or an experience, that will feed new ideas. I have multiple sketch books and brainstorm papers with the thousands of ideas that have pop up from different triggers... they are just waiting in line to be executed.
When making my designs and choosing my productions, I always find a balance of meaning and personal touch. Designing it is not about inventing the wheel but simply bringing your personality, concept, and DNA into the products.
So basically, when you buy a piece of Hymness, you'll get a part of my concept, my universe, and what I stand for. I am constantly working on expanding my knowledge on how to improve. It is a constantly evolving topic, and what we knew to be true yesterday is a different story tomorrow.
I build my collections from a state of mind and intuitions. I follow my guts rather than a matrix. You could also look at the statistics, but statistics are information of the past, and when moving forward, this information should only serve as a guideline - not an actual plan!
With Hymness, I wish to prioritize creating great designs, exploring, and striking to improve each day - And it has to be fun, educating, and honest.
...I am Hymness.
