soft goods designer Archives

Design History Series N. 018

Dava Newman and the MIT BioSuit™

In our Design History Series we highlight iconic women in design history and their innovative work. The historic contributions of women to design are many, and we aim to increase the awareness of these contributions in order to counteract a general trend of underrepresentation. In this issue we celebrate Dava Newman, an American aerospace engineer, director of the MIT Media Lab, and former NASA deputy director. Newman was instrumental in designing a spacesuit specifically tailored for female astronauts, addressing long-standing issues of ill-fitting suits for women.

Smart Start

Dava Newman, born in Montana in 1964, developed a deep fascination with space exploration and engineering from a young age. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 1986, followed by a Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1989 and a Ph.D. in aerospace biomedical engineering in 1992. She’s been a professor of aeronautics and astronautics (the science and construction of space vehicles) at MIT since the 90s and became the director of the prestigious MIT Media Lab in 2021. Impressed yet?

The MIT BioSuit™

Throughout her career, Newman has been a trailblazer, developing innovative technologies that advance the field of space exploration. One of her most significant contributions is the development of the MIT BioSuit™, a spacesuit concept designed to revolutionize extravehicular activities (EVAs) for astronauts. Unlike traditional bulky spacesuits, the BioSuit™ acts like a second skin, enhancing mobility and reducing fatigue, offering astronauts greater flexibility during space missions.

In 2019, NASA’s cancellation of the first all-women spacewalk due to ill-fitting spacesuits highlighted a critical issue: the outdated design of spacesuits. NASA’s Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs) dated back to 1978, and their maintenance costs limited the availability of suits, particularly in smaller sizes. This poses significant challenges for smaller astronauts, especially women, affecting their mobility and comfort during space missions. Newman recognized the need for innovation in spacesuit technology to address these limitations and was already leading a research team that was tackling them head-on.

The development of the BioSuit™ represents a collaborative effort involving engineers, designers, textile specialists, and students from various disciplines. By leveraging expertise from diverse fields and incorporating cutting-edge materials and design principles, Newman’s team aims to revolutionize spacesuit technology. The BioSuit™ prototype is a lightweight, stretchy, 3D knit garment that is customized to each astronaut. These “second-skin” spacesuits incorporate small, spring-like coils made from a shape-memory alloy (SMA) that contract in response to heat, essentially shrink-wrapping the garment around the astronaut’s body. Controlling contraction and expansion with heat was a key innovation to solving the problem of how to get in and out of a skintight suit.

The key breakthrough in the design lies in the application of mechanical counterpressure, which directly applies pressure to the skin, eliminating the need for the traditional gas-pressurized suits. Made from elastic and active fabrics and designed to provide the pressure necessary to inhabit space (equivalent to one-third of sea level atmospheric pressure), the suit achieves the same pressurization as traditional spacesuits while enhancing mobility and reducing the overall weight. This approach supports astronauts in the vacuum of space while providing them with unprecedented freedom of movement during planetary exploration.

Newman’s vision for the future of spacesuits aligns with NASA’s goal of maximizing efficiency and mobility for astronauts on long-duration space missions. The suit has been improving steadily since the early 2000s, incorporating more and increasingly sophisticated technology (an accelerometer, gyroscope, and on-board machine learning algorithms, among others), and has been featured in a wide range of international exhibitions, including the Museum of Modern Art. The latest iteration of the suit was presented at the 2022 Mars conference. Newman’s work represents a significant advancement in spacesuit technology with potential applications for future Mars exploration missions, a particular interest of hers. With continued research and development, these “second-skin” spacesuits could revolutionize space exploration, enabling astronauts to explore distant planets with greater ease and agility. Newman’s life and work exemplify the transformative power of engineering in advancing space exploration and human understanding of the universe.

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Decoding Color Forecasting: The Art and Science of Predicting Color Trends

We use color forecasts for nearly every project at Interwoven because we know that product designers ignore them at their own peril. Color is a powerful aspect of product design, and we’ve all had the experience of making a purchase (or deciding not to make a purchase) based on color. While easy to dismiss for those who don’t know the research and analytics behind these forecasts, color trends are big, big business, and they are important commercial tools precisely because they successfully anticipate the desires, especially the future desires, of consumers. Research conducted by yarn and textile manufacturers, fiber producers, retail groups, and trade fairs consistently demonstrates that the first response from customers, whether textile buyers or retail shoppers, is to color. This Insight article will dig into what color forecasting is, what goes into generating a color forecast, the value color forecasts have to offer, and how we can use them in the design process.

What is a Color Forecast?

Color is a potent language of expression and emotion, and the best designers learn to speak this language to elevate their work. Color forecasting is a multifaceted process that blends artistry and analytics to anticipate the hues that will shape the future of fashion and design. Anchored in strategic research and cultural insight, color forecasting is indispensable for designers and retailers seeking to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly dynamic commercial landscape.

Color forecasting involves predicting which colors will be popular in the future, enabling proactive decision-making in creating collections that resonate with consumer preferences. The process involves delving into current trends, cultural influences, and the psychology of color, all while considering the seasonal and environmental dynamics that shape color preferences. A forecast typically reflects a specific area of the market, and has a time horizon that aligns with that market. For example, a women’s athletic wear color forecast might look a year ahead while a forecast for sport utility vehicles might look 2-3 years ahead to accommodate a longer production schedule. Prominent color forecasting services include Worth Global Style Network [WGSN], the International Color Institute [ICA], and the Pantone Color Institute. Access to the forecasts requires a membership and fees, reflecting the value of such services.

designer points to color on swatch card — image via iStock

More Than a Sales Pitch

Skeptics of color forecasting argue that it primarily serves as a mechanism to reignite consumer interest in fashion and products on a seasonal basis, ultimately increasing sales. While color forecasting definitely holds significance in retail and manufacturing, the rationale behind the selection of specific colors often transcends commercial motivations.

Long before the formalization of color forecasting as a discipline, individuals selected and created colors for various applications, ranging from clothing to décor. Early color trends emerged as a result of innovative dyeing techniques and societal preferences rather than strategic marketing. For instance, in the post-War era, Americans gravitated towards cheerful pastel tones as a departure from the somber hues prevalent during wartime. These soft colors symbolized a renewed sense of optimism and vitality, reflecting broader societal sentiments of the time.

Developments in Technicolor in the 1930s revolutionized color trends, popularizing vibrant and vivid hues in cinema and beyond. This technological innovation allowed luminous costumes worn by iconic figures like Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly to captivate audiences in full color for the first time, sparking a cultural fascination with bold and dynamic palettes.

Currently, color trends increasingly serve as reflections of broader societal, cultural, and even political movements. During the pandemic, consumers exhibited a preference for earthy and calming colors over the previously favored ultra-bright and neon hues, reflecting a collective desire for solace and grounding in uncertain times.

As the influence of color on consumer behavior continues to evolve, the color forecasting industry integrates insights from history, psychology, and societal dynamics to anticipate future trends. Color forecasters offer retailers strategic guidance on selecting colors that resonate with consumers’ emotional and cultural sensibilities.

Navigating the Color Forecasting Process

As with so many skills in the realm of design, color forecasting is as much a technical skill as it is an art. The journey begins with thorough research into the current color landscape, identifying patterns and trends that serve as the foundation for future predictions. The process unfolds in a systematic manner, guided by research, analysis, and intuition:

Research: The process begins with an exploration of current color trends across fashion, art, and design landscapes. By dissecting the prevailing hues and identifying emerging patterns, forecasters lay the groundwork for informed predictions.
Analysis: Armed with a wealth of data, forecasters analyze current trends, seeking patterns and shifts in color preferences. By discerning the nuances of consumer behavior and cultural influences, forecasters gain insights into the evolving color landscape.
Forecast: Drawing upon their research and analysis, forecasters venture into the realm of prediction, envisioning the colors that will dominate future seasons. By considering seasonal dynamics, historical trends, and emerging influences, forecasters craft palettes that reflect what’s to come.
Test and Adjust: The predictions undergo scrutiny as forecasters test them against real-world applications, from fashion shows to editorial spreads. Any necessary adjustments are made based on feedback and emerging trends, ensuring the accuracy and relevance of the forecasts.

The Value of Color Forecasting

The scope of color forecasting extends beyond clothing to encompass accessories, footwear, jewelry, cosmetics, and beyond. Each category presents unique trends and color palettes, requiring tailored forecasts to meet consumer demands. By accurately predicting future color trends, designers and retailers can create collections that resonate across diverse product categories, driving consumer engagement and market success. Here are a few reasons designers and retailers find color forecasts so valuable.

Staying Ahead of Trends: By anticipating future color trends, designers and retailers can stay ahead of the curve, creating collections that resonate with consumers’ evolving preferences.
Enhancing Brand Identity: Strategic alignment with forecasted colors strengthens brand identity and fosters consumer engagement, distinguishing brands in a competitive market landscape.
Optimizing Production Processes: Accurate forecasting streamlines production processes, minimizing waste and optimizing resource allocation, enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability.
Driving Economic Growth: As a driver of consumer demand and market trends, color forecasting fuels innovation and economic growth, shaping the trajectory of the fashion industry.

Using a Color Forecast

Color forecasting involves selecting ranges of colors predicted for a particular product or market at a specific time in the future. Many color forecasts are tailored to specific product ranges (men’s knitwear, sport utility vehicles), but most will display three color groupings — lights, mediums, and darks. These groups typically include several colors known as classics (colors accepted over a long period, such as camel, navy, bottle green, and black). As consumers don’t constantly replace everything, color ranges for a specific season must consider previous season’s colors as well as new ‘fashion’ colors. Any color palette typically includes some of the previous season’s fashion colors, the new season’s fashion colors, and some classics within its lights, mediums, and darks.

Designers take the same approach, reviewing the color forecasts that are relevant for their product category and that have a timeline that aligns with their desired product launch date. Often, a designer will review their product category as well as tangential or related product categories to get a broader sense of the trends across an industry. These color candidates are assessed for relevance and suitability to the project, and a selection of them become part of a shortlist for the final palette, typically with a selection of light, medium, and dark tones, just like the forecast itself. Building a color palette is like putting together a puzzle, finding just the right combination of tones for the project at hand. The shortlist is rearranged and tweaked in various combinations as many times as needed to reach a final palette, often with mockups and material selection influencing the decision.

A Colorful Horizon

Numerous factors influence a consumer’s color choices. With increasing consumer awareness regarding color use, it is crucial for companies to comprehend these factors and their impact on their specific market. Marketers must understand how color affects consumers and color forecasting to provide appropriate colors for their market. Even a slight difference in shade from what the consumer expects can be disastrous for the manufacturer. Color forecasting is an indispensable tool in the arsenal of designers and retailers, guiding them through the dynamic landscape of design. By deciphering the language of color, forecasters illuminate the path forward, enabling proactive decision-making and creative innovation.

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Crafting Comfort: Exploring the Footwear Design Process

The footwear design industry stands out for its blend of creativity and technical precision. Unlike many other design fields, it requires a deep understanding of both aesthetic appeal and functional considerations. Footwear designers are up against unique challenges, needing to meet ergonomic and visual needs while creating a product with a notoriously hard (and, consequently, often short) life ahead. As consumers, we want shoes that look great, speak to our personal style, serve our needs, and feel comfortable. Ideally, we want shoes that do all of this regardless of the category or use case, and we’ve all encountered shoes that don’t quite hit the mark. In this Insight article we will share some key considerations of footwear design and outline the footwear design process from concept to creation.

Top view of shoemaker making shoe on the table in workshop. — A designer adds design details to a footwear prototype. Photo via iStock.

Key Considerations in Footwear Design

Footwear design encompasses various essential factors that merge both artistic and technical elements. Like clothing design, it involves shaping, texturing, coloring, and balancing proportions. However, it also delves into intricate engineering aspects. Here’s a breakdown of the key components of good footwear design:

Functionality and Comfort: Achieving the right balance between function and comfort is paramount. This involves tailoring the design to suit different occasions—be it formal, casual, or athletic wear—while ensuring ergonomic support and wearability.
Fit and Anatomy: Central to footwear design is considering diverse foot sizes, shapes, arch support needs, and biomechanics. Utilizing tools like 3D molds helps designers to craft designs that accommodate varied anatomical features and movement patterns.
Material Selection: Choosing suitable materials for different parts of the shoe is crucial for both aesthetics and durability. This includes decisions regarding the lining, insole, outsole, padding, and upper portions, with options ranging from leather and fabric to mesh and suede. The material selection also plays a large part in the sustainability of a footwear design.
Construction Techniques: Determining the appropriate construction methods—such as stitching, bonding, and molding—is vital for ensuring structural integrity and longevity based on the design’s requirements. As the construction techniques available are constantly evolving as new technologies are developed, this is an exciting area for innovation in footwear design.
Aesthetic Appeal and Style: Crafting visually appealing designs that resonate with fashion trends and brand identity is a core aspect of footwear design. This involves conceptualizing and refining sketches, prototypes, and design elements such as color, texture, shape, and detailing.
Ethical and Sustainable Practices: With increasing emphasis on environmental consciousness, integrating ethical and sustainable practices into footwear design is critical. This includes using eco-friendly and recycled materials, adhering to ethical labor and manufacturing standards, and exploring cruelty-free options like vegan materials.

The Footwear Design Process

Designing footwear is a multifaceted process that merges creativity with technical expertise. A team of specialists come together to bring the concept to life. Drawing from the insights of seasoned designers, let’s explore the journey of a shoe design from concept to creation.

A designer marks a last. Photo via iStock.

Step 1. Inspiration and Research: Before diving into the design process, it’s crucial to draw inspiration from various sources and conduct thorough research. Whether it’s personal experiences, emerging materials, or market trends, this stage sets the foundation for unique and innovative designs. We like to look for inspiration on Pinterest, Instagram, and Directive Collective. As shoes are tightly aligned with fashion, we also review WGSN for trends and forecasting in fashion, determining the desired launch date for the shoe and confirming the most promising trend directions for our project. It is also common to review trends in car design to inform footwear.

Step 2. Conceptualization and Definition: Once inspired, designers define the concept that will guide the entire design process. This concept serves as a reference point for every aspect of the footwear collection, ensuring a cohesive aesthetic and mood. This typically involves narrowing down the major category of footwear. On the spectrum of lifestyle to performance, where does it land? Is it for men, women, children, or is it unisex? Does it target a niche user, like being designed for a specific sport? All of these questions help to determine the purpose of the shoe and where it will be situated in the market.

Step 3. Style and Selection: With the concept in place, designers identify the style and characteristics of the footwear, considering factors such as form, design details, and production techniques. Selections are made regarding shoe shapes, materials, and design elements to align with the defined concept. This part of the process likely involves narrowing down the potential directions discovered in the trends and forecasting research. While there are a broad range of style and color trends active at any moment, choosing a specific palette and style direction helps to keep a design or collection cohesive. Often this step involves creating a mood board that will unite the design team in the vision for the design.

Step 4. Design Development: Building upon the chosen style, designers translate conceptual ideas into tangible designs. Sketches and technical drawings are created to visualize every detail of the shoe, ensuring consistency and coherence within the collection. We generate an abundance of ideas and edit them to identify the concepts that most closely align with the goals outlined in steps 2 and 3.

Step 5. Pattern Making and Cutting: Highly skilled artisans meticulously create patterns based on design drawings, taking into account factors like material properties and measurements. Patterns are then cut from selected materials, with attention to detail to optimize material usage and quality. A last – a mechanical form shaped like a human foot – is finalized. This is the template of the foot that will be used for the design going forward, and the quality of the last used will make or break the success of the shoe.

Step 6. Assembly and Prototyping: Pattern pieces are assembled by skilled craftsmen, stitching them together to form the full upper of the shoe. This assembled upper is combined with components like toe and heel stiffeners, insoles, and outsoles to create the prototype shoe.

Step 7. Prototype Assessment and Adjustment: The prototype undergoes thorough assessment by designers and artisans to evaluate its visual and technical aspects. Adjustments are made as necessary to ensure the prototype aligns with the original concept and meets quality standards. Variations might be created to finalize decisions around design details and test color combinations.

Step 8. Iterative Refinement: If adjustments are required (and they often are), the prototype is remade to incorporate agreed-upon changes. This iterative refinement process continues until the shoe meets expectations in terms of aesthetics, comfort, and functionality.

Step 9. Finalization and Production: Once the prototype is approved, the shoe is ready for mass production. Patterns are scaled for each required size, ensuring consistency across the range. With the technicalities ironed out and designs finalized, the shoes are ready to be brought to market.

Step 10. Brand Identity and Storytelling: Throughout the design process, a strong concept and cohesive vision contribute to the development of a brand identity. The relationship between designer and artisan, as well as the technical expertise applied, imbues the final product with stories and conversations that resonate with consumers. While the concept defining in steps 2 and 3 is powerful for a consistent internal understanding of the design, the storytelling step is about translating that vision for the consumer.

Footwear designers must navigate a complex process that involves concept development, material selection, prototyping, and production, all while keeping abreast of market trends and technological advancements. The industry’s focus on sustainability and ethical practices is increasingly becoming a defining feature, influencing everything from material choices to production methods. Overall, the footwear design industry is characterized by its innovative spirit, attention to detail, and the ability to merge artistry with practicality to create products that not only look good but also perform well. The footwear design process involves a blend of creativity, research, technical skill, and iterative refinement. From initial inspiration to final production, designers navigate a complex journey to bring their vision to life, creating shoes that not only look beautiful but also tell compelling stories to those who wear them.

A Q&A with Footwear Designer Charlotte Logeais

Spotlight articles shine a light on designers and design materials we admire. Our founder and principal designer Rebeccah Pailes-Friedman has met many wonderful designers as an educator and career designer, and in our Spotlight interviews we ask them about their work and their design journey. In this interview we spoke with senior footwear designer and art director Charlotte Logeais. Charlotte has been a designer at Nike* for over two years. She began in the kids division and is currently a senior designer on the Women’s Lifestyle team. To her, design has always been about storytelling and problem solving. With a bachelor’s degree in industrial design from Pratt Institute and a Master’s degree from USC integrating design, business, and technology, she is well versed in the power of design as well as the power of style. Her experience as a professional ballet dancer gave her an athlete’s mindset, and she knows the value of performance footwear firsthand. We asked her about the challenges of footwear design, emerging trends in the footwear industry, and what makes a great shoe.

Portrait of footwear designer Charlotte Logeais

Q: What is inspiring you at the moment?

A: The biggest thing that’s inspiring me at the moment are fashion week runway shows. I love seeing all the runway collections and how each designer creates their own world while still aligning with the history of the brand. I also enjoy seeing how the runway trickles down into street style.

Q: Could you tell us about your role at Nike? How do you fit into your team there?

A: I work on the Nike kids design team. I’m technically on the performance side, but the cool thing about the kids team—especially for me, being newer to the footwear industry—is that you get to work on a broad range of products. I’ve been able to work on lifestyle shoes, like the Air Max 1, and on performance product as well, like running. It’s been great to get to work on such a wide range of products and it’s helped me discover what I’m most passionate about. It’s been a great team to first start on at Nike.

On the kids team you can push the boundaries a little bit more and really have fun with the design. Kids love bright colors, they love shoes that are playful and energetic. They get super excited about designs that are colorful and vibrant – it’s the first thing they notice about a shoe.

In footwear, we work two years out. The process is kicked off by a brief and then the design team begins pulling inspiration and sketching. Various priorities in the product brief will inspire the visual direction of the design. If it’s a shoe that needs to emphasize comfort, it’s probably going to be a more rounded form language. If it needs to emphasize speed, maybe it’s more angular. Those notes help us determine the visual language.

My favorite part of the product creation process is when the team comes together to sketch together on a new project. It’s the most creative time we have each season. We go find a room—the whole kids team—and we sketch together all day for a couple of weeks on the projects of the season. Then each project lead will take all of those sketches, identify the common threads, and bring it to the finish line.

Once the design has been finalized, we send out a tech pack and get our first samples back to revise.

Q: What drew you to footwear design?

A: I kind of stumbled upon it, which is funny considering I grew up in Portland, Nike’s backyard. When I was at Pratt doing my undergrad degree, I applied to a footwear design internship at Adidas and interned with them for six months. I’d never really sketched sneakers before and fell in love with it during that internship. I’ve always loved fashion and sport, and did classical ballet for 10 years, culminating in one year professionally before going to Pratt. In ballet, your feet are your main tool, but pointe shoes have barely evolved since the 19th century. So it’s rewarding for me to be able to bring innovation to athletes through footwear design.

Q: Of the skills that you learned at Pratt, which do you find most valuable in your work?

A: Design thinking is a big one, and the design process overall. In footwear, we’re given a product brief by our marketing team. That brief tells us who the consumer is, what they’re looking for, and what the priorities of the product need to be. Then it’s the designer’s job to take that information and create a design. At Pratt it was definitely drilled into us that you get your brief, you find inspiration, you sketch, you refine your idea, you present it, and then begin the development process.

Q: Footwear is an industry known for inspiring cult followings. What are your main challenges as a footwear designer?

A: Being on the kids team is definitely a design challenge for me. I’m not the target consumer, and I think it’s a big challenge to design for someone who isn’t you while still wanting to imbue the project with your personal aesthetic and sensibility. It’s a good challenge: to keep the consumer at the center of the product while still being able to bring in my perspective. Whenever we get to interact directly with the consumer it helps us to understand what they want from a product. As the kids team covers toddler through grade school, it’s a pretty large range and we have to tailor each design to what the specific age group needs.

Q: From a personal standpoint, what makes a great shoe? One you’re excited to wear?

A: For me, comfort is a huge thing. I want a shoe that I can wear all day long and it will be super comfortable. Also, a shoe that feels versatile and can transition between working all day at the office to going out for a drink or going to a pilates class. Having a shoe that can move with you throughout the day and keep you comfortable the whole day is the biggest thing for me. Beyond that, I like having some sort of icon on the shoe, a hero aspect of the shoe.

The shoes that I’ve been wearing the most right now are the Vomero 5s, they’re an old school running shoe that have now pivoted into lifestyle.

Q: How does sustainability factor into design and production at Nike?

A: Sustainability is definitely a big priority. As a designer, I partner with material and color designers, and materials are usually the biggest sustainability play. We’ll often make sure to prioritize materials that have a certain percentage of recycled content to try to reduce the amount of new materials being brought in and reuse as much as possible. That’s a big priority, especially in the kids business. I think we’re one of the teams that is making the biggest effort with that. The youngest consumer really does care about the environment and about what their future is going to look like, so sustainability is especially important for them, and knowing that we also care.

Q: What do you see as interesting emerging trends in the footwear industry today?

A: Some of the biggest trends are new digital tools. AI has been a huge one, getting to input a prompt and have ideas generated for you, often ideas that you couldn’t imagine or that are just super out there. AI is a powerful initial ideation tool for brainstorming and creating concepts. Midjourney is one of my favorites right now, I actually discovered it while pursuing my master’s at USC.

In the past, I’d just go on Pinterest and scroll for aesthetically pleasing imagery to create a mood board, but now you can create your own imagery for that mood board through AI. It makes each mood board a bit more unique, and you have the control to create the imagery that you want to work with. Now I do a bit of a combination of both, searching for inspiration images as well as generating them myself. I still do love Pinterest though… and I have so many boards.

Q: Are there other areas of design you would like to explore?

A: I purchased an apartment last May and have spent the last seven months renovating it. It’s in a hundred-year-old loft building in downtown Portland and it was a blank canvas, so I did all the interior design for it, working with the contractor and everything. That’s been a journey! But, It’s super rewarding to see it come together. The results of interior design are so physical. Whatever decision you make, you’re going to see it in real life. That has so much impact. Interior design is something that I’ve discovered I really enjoy doing, and I would love to do more projects like this.

Being in footwear, I’ve realized that lines are so important to me, when things align and how they are offset from each other. I think I’m driving my contractor a little bit insane, making sure everything is perfectly aligned and organized. Design to me is seeing how forms have relationships and fit together.

Footwear designers look at trends and forecasting. We are tied to the fashion world, so part of the job is keeping up with that, seeing what people are drawn to, whether that’s in person or through social media. On the performance side, we follow the different sporting events. In the NBA, there’s an interesting intersection of style and sport every time the athletes walk down the tunnel onto the court. Following influencers on Instagram is another good way to keep up with global fashion trends. Maybe I like their style or the way that they combine different clothing items in unexpected ways. Following those creators helps me stay connected to fashion and innovation. When I lived in New York, I could just go for a walk and see amazing street style everywhere. Living in Portland that’s a bit more difficult, so I rely on travel and Instagram.

Q: What do you see for yourself as a designer and for your career going forward?

A: I feel like I’m just getting started in footwear but I see a long future for myself in the industry. I’d love to work on more adult performance product.

I also value having my own design pursuits on the side, like interior design. I used to paint a lot and that’s fallen off in the past couple of years. I think it’s important to find the time to keep yourself fulfilled, to have those external pursuits that don’t involve the pressure to perform as much as your day-to-day work. The renovation project has been taking all of my energy so I think, once that is finished, I can find time to paint again. I also used to meditate every morning and I haven’t done that in a while. For me, finding the time for mindfulness and sport helps me stay balanced.

*Views are her own and do not reflect those of her employer.

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Appeal vs. Responsibility

In today’s design landscape, creators have moved beyond crafting products to shaping immersive product experiences. In this expanded field, narratives unfold through each curve and contour, blending aesthetics and emotions, and transforming designs into compelling and immersive stories designed to entice consumers. Welcome to the world of seductive design. This article will discuss appeal vs. responsibility in the work of the designer.

Seduction Redefined: A Deeper Dive

As important as functionality is, consumers today expect products to deliver more than function alone. They want products that they can connect to emotionally and that bring them joy. This is the definition of emotional design. We see designers trying to meet this demand across product categories. Take, for example, outdoor and sports products that exude a sense of speed and power, highlighting the sensations your body will experience during product use. The sleek design of a high-performance bicycle features an aerodynamic frame and vibrant colors not only to convey speed and power but also to emphasize the exhilarating feeling cyclists can expect when riding the bike.

Storytelling is a key component in creating a connection between a consumer and the product. The story connects the physical object to the consumer’s emotions. These emotional responses can be powerful, creating a bond between the consumer and the product as well as, crucially, cultivating brand loyalty. Packaging, in particular, has evolved to become part of the product experience, as demonstrated by the plethora of unboxing videos on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

Both technology and the beauty businesses use packaging to define their brands. It is not just a container but an integral part of the overall seductive experience. Think of the similarities between your iPhone and a bottle of perfume; both promise the consumer an experience and are purchased as a part of a lifestyle the consumer desires as much as they are purchased for function. Consider the iPhone’s sleek, minimalist packaging, which resonates with the product’s promise of sophistication and innovation. Similarly, a bottle of perfume, adorned with carefully chosen materials and design elements, becomes a tangible embodiment of the sensorial journey it offers. Both purchases transcend functionality, entangling the consumer’s lifestyle aspirations with the allure of a unique experience.

The Role of Emotional Design

As consumer expectations evolve, emotional design emerges as the driving force behind product desirability, transcending the fulfillment of needs to nurture a profound connection. This shift toward emotional resonance elevates the functionality of products and establishes a deeper bond, transforming them into vessels that embody and reflect the users’ aspirations and sentiments.

Users perceive more aesthetically pleasing designs as easier to use and more effective. Beauty and usability are intertwined. Clean lines, intuitive interfaces, and straightforward user journeys contribute to the overall appeal of a product. The aesthetics of a product influence consumers’ expectations, fostering the perception that it will be easy to use and that it is superior to its competitors.

Two key questions about the significance of emotional design arise. The first is methodological: How does one effectively infuse products with emotional resonance? The second question is ethical: Given the potential extremes of emotional design, what is the designer’s responsibility to balance allure with transparent and conscientious design and manufacturing practices?

Engaging More Than the Eyes

How do designers go beyond surface-level aesthetics to create meaningful and captivating interactions? Designers can appeal to multiple senses to create an immersive and engaging experience. This might include tactile elements, sound design, or even scent. Material, color, and form are part of the overall product narrative and can be used to create an immersive and emotionally resonant experience.

Designing with an empathetic approach can also increase the emotional resonance of products. Products for new parents can connect emotionally to their ethos on child rearing. Lea Stewart, senior manager of design at Newell Brands, uses these emotional drivers to differentiate between brands like Graco and Baby Jogger, which she oversees. Stewart notes that “a product like a stroller can convey that you are the type of parent who believes the best thing for a child is for the adult to keep their adult life and bring the child along. That way, they get to experience more and see good modeling. The aesthetics then cater to that by appealing more to an adult sensibility: looking easy to take on the go and not impeding life. On the other hand, a different parent may believe that the family should center on the child and togetherness, so you, therefore, embed that in the product aesthetics to evoke security, comfort, and parent/child connection. This is all subconscious to the user when they purchase the product, which is the seduction.”

Another path to creating a connection is to infuse products with nature-inspired elements that evoke emotional connections. For instance, a packaging designer for a skincare brand might incorporate botanical illustrations, earthy textures, or eco-friendly materials to align the product with natural goodness and trigger a sense of tranquility and well-being in the consumer.

Customization is one tried-and-true way to connect the consumer to a product. Products that allow consumers to personalize or customize elements based on their preferences, experiences, or memories create an emotional bond. A furniture designer, for example, may offer customizable fabrics, colors, or engraved details, enabling customers to imbue the product with personal meaning and emotional significance.

Inclusivity is a particularly powerful catalyst in emotional design, transcending visual appeal to provide aesthetics and thoughtful, universal functionality. By embracing diverse perspectives and considering the needs of a broad audience, designers not only create universally appealing product experiences but also weave a narrative of allure that resonates on a profound and inclusive level, captivating users from all walks of life.

If you’re interested in going deeper, consider Don Norman’s Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things and Designing Design by Kenya Hara. Norman explores the emotional impact of design on user experiences, delving into how aesthetics, usability, and emotional connections shape our perceptions of products, a perspective directly relevant to the nuanced realm of seductive design. Hara’s book is relevant to the broader topic of design, including elements of seductive design. While the book is more philosophical, exploring the mindset and principles of design, it provides valuable insights
into the foundational aspects of creating compelling and aesthetically pleasing designs.

The Ethics of Seduction

While strategies for creating seductive products abound, the ethical question of the designer’s responsibility hovers over all of them. Given the impact of technology and evolving consumer expectations on the field of industrial design, it is only natural to question how the use of multiple senses
in crafting seductive product experiences might lead to unwanted outcomes—think doom scrolling on any social media platform.

As designers, we need to examine the potential unintended consequences of crafting seductive product experiences. It raises a fundamental question: In whose best interest is it really to design an experience that immerses the consumer to an extreme, and possibly addictive, extent? Awareness of potential pitfalls is essential to creating products that enhance well-being and, at the very least, do no harm.

The shadow of ethical concern looms large over the art of crafting seductive products. The relentless pursuit of engagement and immersion may inadvertently lead to the exploitation of human vulnerabilities and the perpetuation of unhealthy behaviors. As designers, we must navigate the delicate balance between captivating our audience and respecting their autonomy and well-being. In an era dominated by evolving consumer expectations and technological advancements, the use of multiple senses to create captivating experiences raises profound questions about responsibility and accountability. This calls for a nuanced approach that acknowledges the power dynamics inherent in design and prioritizes the ethical imperative of fostering positive and empowering experiences.

We must confront the potential ramifications of immersing users in seductive experiences by considering the fine line between engagement and exploitation. Only by conscientiously weighing the ethical implications of our design decisions can we ensure that seductive products enrich the lives of users without compromising their dignity or agency. It is incumbent upon designers to adopt a proactive stance, diligently examining the unintended consequences of their creations and prioritizing the well-being and autonomy of users above all else. This heightened awareness of ethical considerations underscores the imperative to design products that not only captivate but also uplift and enrich the lives of individuals in a responsible and sustainable manner.

Advocate and Enabler

In the dynamic field of design, the shift from crafting products to shaping immersive experiences marks a transformative moment wherein aesthetics and emotions are consciously intertwined. As we navigate this seductive landscape, emotional design emerges as the linchpin, propelling product desirability beyond functional utility. The narrative unfolds through sleek packaging and glossy campaigns, transforming purchases into sensorial journeys that resonate with consumers’ aspirations.

The increasingly savvy incorporation of multiple senses in product design—the intersection of allure and functionality—beckons an ethical inquiry, prompting designers to balance the immersive experience with transparency and conscientious practices. Methodologies such as empathetic design, nature-inspired elements, and customization serve as tools for creating emotionally connected products. Inclusivity becomes the heartbeat, ensuring universal appeal, while heightened awareness becomes the compass, guiding designers to navigate the potential extremes of seductive experiences and prioritize the well-being of consumers. The world of design evolves, inviting creators to transcend boundaries and shape not just products but profound and inclusive narratives that captivate the diverse tapestry of human experience.

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