on wednesday, went to see Karim Rashid at SCAD talk about design, our society, and funny lil' anecdotes of his travels.
his main assertion was that designers and people in general should be living in the present, not constantly referring back to the "old days"
one example he gave: most suite jackets have buttons on the side, why?
because the calvary used to wipe their noses on their sleeves. in an effort to stop this, designers fashioned jackets with buttons to prompt better hygiene. we no longer have a calvary, yet we still have buttons.
he also cited a study that was done on 100 people for 10yrs. keeping track of their thoughts and activities. while most people start out drawing as kids, very very few continue in their adult years. also at the end of the study, 79 people were thinking of the past or someplace they were not, instead of being engaged in the present moment.
so, he's definitely a nostolgia hater, but looking at his designs, they remind me of the 1960's styles. even some op-art.
without the past, we wouldn't have any reference for the present, so i can't agree with him on most fronts. but i do respect his tenaciousness and pure passion for what he does. he's really looking ahead and trying to find ways to progress our society.
one idea that did get boos was a bathroom he designed. when you go up to the mirror, it tells you your weight and blood pressure. the audience went "ummm, nnnn"
to which he replied "don't you wanna be healthy?"
see for yourself at:
karimrashin.com
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