A few weeks ago I attended an event at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum called "Inclusive Design: Myth or Reality?". The event featured talks by John Marshall, design director at MAP, the industrial design firm that created the Sabi bathroom range. Below you see how it is designed to be esthetically pleasing yet practical in the way it is easily assembled and can serve as a support grip.
Scott Summit, founder of Summit ID, a firm specializing and revolutionizing the way prosthetics are made through 3D manufacturing was also there, amongst many other people that have a true passion to innovate in this field. I was glad I went, as it confirmed much of the strong need for innovation in this field, and how much it is appreciated by those who need it. There was a nice mix in the audience of old and young, disabled and non-disabled, and the appreciation of this type of design was very strong - people could not express enough how much this all meant to them. The conversations confirmed much of what I believe in and also want to reflect in my designs as an artist and designer:
- The elderly think they are young, and don't want to be treated as old.
- They don't want us to design with this stigma in mind, that they need to be empowered.
- The main point is to design for the most common issues, without making it obvious: poor sight, reaching and memory.
- Make packaging easy to open and instructions in life-size.
I also met one of the colorful women of the Idiosyncratic Fashionista's, who gave me her business card. I plan to reach out to them in hopes of an interview, as they represent my target audience perfectly in terms of how they carry themselves. My product would only be enjoyed by a person who enjoys art, sculpture and cares about their aesthetic environment.
Although older people don't like to be distinguished in terms of style, there is a certain distinction when it comes to aesthetic preference that is inevitable. Looking through blogs, talking to people and pondering over what this could be, I came to the conclusion that what makes them stand out is a strong inner core that is not afraid to show itself.
Women of that age are confident and therefore more playful - even sculptural - in the way they carry themselves. They are not afraid of death, and therefore not afraid of splashing with color or openly talking about health concerns. However, they feel that they deserve to do so boldly and beautifully.
Judith, another known blogger names herself Style Crone, and uses her style as a form of meditation:
"I am always inspired by diversity and individual expression and find inspiration everywhere! I spent most of my career working as a psychiatric nurse in an emergency setting. I also spent a period of time managing the care of head and spinal cord injuries. Choosing my outfits, which always included a hat, was a way to express myself creatively and as a form of meditation as I approached my day, which usually included extreme and painful stories told by interesting, traumatized people. " - http://stylecrone.com/biography/
The Accidental Icon is a woman that is very inspired by Yohji Yamamoto's fashion and lifestyle, and has a very sophisticated look. Although her aesthetic preference is more modernistic, she still has qualities to her style that make her outfits sculptural.
