Fashioning good design
The mark of a good design revolves around storytelling, curiosity and evoking emotions.
“WHAT makes good design?” is a question of ten bandied about in the f urniture industry.
Although the answer can be ambiguous,part of it lies in being curious,dissatisf ied,and a good storyteller,as shared in a recent talk held in conjunction with the M alaysian International Furniture Fair 2017 .
The talk,entitled “Three M en and Design”,f eatured speakers Philip Yap,chief judge for the M alaysian International Furniture Fair Design Competition 2017 ; Eric Leong, head of interior design at One Academy;and Tommaso M asera, founder of M asera Design based in Italy and China.
Yap,who spoke on the topic “What’s next for M alaysian furniture design?”,said that due to the wealth of information on the Internet today and well-travelled citizens,people see and know a lot more
things these days.
“We live in a very fast-paced world now. If we look at design by just taking references (to trends or colour schemes) it’s not going to work. It will take more than that,” said Yap,adding that designers need to understand their clients before being able to advise what’s suitable for them.
He added that design is about crossovers,where a piece of furniture can be inspired by,say,a Chinese hand f an,or qibao (traditional Chinese costume) or even gems like the ornyx.
“Strategy is the first step in design,” he said. “You need to know yourself too,what you are good at,and you need a dream and direction. It takes design to make your strategy and direction a reality. Good design is about intelligence rather than inspiration.” Yap observed that many established f ashion
brands like Fendi,Ralph Lauren and Armani have ventured into furniture as well,and even hotels.
“Why? Because the winning formula is impression. In creating a brand,competition is tough with the existence of established brands around.
“So create your own identity, which helps create a more competitive line of products. In time, it will become a brand,” he advised.
Good design is also equated with storytelling,added Yap,who has business dealings in China.
“If you can’t compete with an established brand,then tell a dif - ferent story. You have to have a storyline that includes colour schemes,different materials and a certain lif estyle that you want to showcase and which f its. And it’s important to tell a story that consumers can relate to.”
So what’s the future for M alaysian furniture?
Yap believes that M alaysians have an advantage because we are exposed to diverse cultures in this country.
“As we are more exposed to diversity,we stand to innovate better. Forget about designing ‘M alaysian’ f urniture. Instead,tell a story about how to live in an Internet world and stick to keeping it simple,natural and green,” said Yap,adding that the younger generation today cares about the environment.
“In the end,a good brand has lasting impressions,surprises, ref inement and style,” he ended.
Industrial designer M asera said quality is a dynamic concept and designers need to be eager to learn.
“Dynamism and curiosity are two important qualities for a designer. In f act,dissatisf action is a creative energy because it’s the force that spurs you to design new things,” said M asera,who spoke on “Quality Design in Product and Furniture”.
In the end,what does a good designer need to be equipped with?
Among others,material and production knowledge,and the need to understand how to combine materials.
“A good quality design comes from observing daily life and curto rent lifestyles understand the future. Cultivate knowledge and explore through that knowlasera edge,” M said.
Good quality design means more than just longevity of product,he added.
“T here is evident quality and intangible quality,the latter means that the prodstir uct can a user’s emohe tions,” explained.
“With such products,peothrow ple don’t them away even after they stop working because they are nice enough to keep as decorapieces,” tive he said,citing examples like collectors’ watches or well-designed audio systems.
Also at the talk,Leong shared inf ormation about colour and lifestyle trends for 2017 in his talk entitled “Furniture Wonderland”.
Four lifestyle trends he high“N lighted were ew Romanticism”,which f eatures green tones and modern contemurniture porary f pieces; “Shared Individualism”,which is about pale light colours with a bright and airy feel;“The Working Home”,which incorporates vinand tage pieces wooden furni“Considered ture; and Luxury”,a neutral style of pastels which emphasises the small pleasures in lif e.
This year’s Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) took place from March 8 to 11 at the Putra World Trade Centre and the Matrade Exhibition and Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur. Next year’s fair will be held at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre, which is the first component of the 30ha KL Metropolis master development. With the bigger space, MIFF 2018 will be able to accommodate over 600 exhibitors. For more information, go to 2018.miff.com.my, call 03-2176 8788 or e-mail info@miff.