Design Precedent



A precedent may motivate a particular intention in a design process, drive a desire to deviate from norms, or challenge the convention of garment functions. These are precursors to design ideas, for long lasting innovations that change forever we consider the medium of fashion. Often introduced to mixed and sceptical reviews, these precedents hold significance for several decades of fashion; their true influence is never blatantly obvious in the commercial world, but seeps into the culture of fashion academies to inspire future designers.

The impact is far more profound and compelling than a passing style fascination, but alters the way design is understood. Communication of these designs is often through publications that celebrate design ingenuity. In libraries throughout the world, books documenting these innovations show the wear and tear of hundreds of followers who have pored over these quintessential moments transmitting a complex network of inspiration and translation.
1Didactic panel from The Endless Garment: The New Craft of Machine Knitting, RMIT Gallery, Melbourne, 2010

Precedent is an interesting phenomenon in graphic design—while we may strive to be different at every turn, there is no escaping the fact that your idea has probably been used hundreds of times before. As a result, it feels as though there is little room for true innovation. Think of the impact the modernist works of Josef Müller Brockmann or Jan Tschichold have had on graphic artists over the past century, and is becomes apparent that modernist minimalism has become little more than a style to be replicated with little regard to the content of the work. And though design studios like Experimental Jetset have created truly interesting works that push the boundaries of both the style and of graphic design itself, there is a vast horde of work that simply seeks to replicate that which has gone before it.

It's interesting that we don't see as much replication of the deconstructivist style within design. It may be too soon for such a movement to truly appear, but, for me, looking at the works present within many 1990's textbooks creates a feeling of true revulsion.2Have a look at Ellen Lupton's excellent Mixing Messages for a stronger idea of the sort of design I'm talking about. This is not a reaction against the theories put forward by some of the works presented, but against their particular style. The designer is often told that they should have a process not a style, and yet most of the stuff that we find attractive or interesting is based purely upon the dominant style.

If we are creators of visual language we need to be aware of style as much as substance—it's style that gets the attention, after all. That stylistic design could be much more powerful if it is backed with great substance is not in doubt—the successes and failures of the modernist project were based not upon its style but its goals.

Having talked with people over the last few days, I think it's possible that rather than moving on to the next grand idea, there is a back-swing agains post-modernist style. I'm sceptical that any new movement will spring from the ideas of the Altermodern—it seems as though it's post-modernism for the internet savvy. This is doubly true for designers, whose concerns are perhaps broader than those of artists. Instead, I think we will see designers attempt to find a balance between style and substance—that is, create work with lasting, positive and measurable impact that also embraces the fractured nature of contemporary aesthetics.

Finally, I want to ask why is it that we keep looking for the next revelatory manifesto? It might be part of human nature, but this constant waiting for a post-post-modernism seems a little pathetic. Have we really considered that this might be it? One of the most poetic parts of atheist thought, at least for me, is the acceptance of finality. To quote Richard Dawkins, "...when you say, "Is this it?" How much more do you want? I mean this is wonderful."3Q And A, ABC TV, 09.03.2009, transcript available at http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s2831712.htm?show=transcript or by simply clicking this reference number Surely, as designers, artists, et al., we can learn from this. Maybe post-modernism is all that there is. And that's pretty good.
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