AOW recently connected with Alex Bates, founder of the design consultancy Flint & Kent. Alex's lifework is about designing goods for good. She is one of the most talented product designers that I know and I'm honored to share some of her insight with readers of AOW. Alex was kind enough to take the time to share the top 5 things that inspire and influence her work.
Alex states, "I strongly believe we are in the era of celebrating the individual both in fashion and in our homes. Technology and social media have sped up trends and given us access to so much globally that no one is at a loss to be able to express themselves. The dizzying speed of these trends, society's shallow celebrity-driven marketing mania, and fast fashion's devastating effect on our environment has reinforced to me the importance of slowing things down and taking a different more considered approach to design."
1. TRAVEL, always, is my first answer to what inspires me. It takes you out of yourself and forces you to live in the now, especially in new places well outside of one’s comfort zone. I have been fortunate to have a career that has taken me to so many interesting and unexpected places.
India—Jaipur specifically—ranks at the top of my list. I have been so many times it feels like home. It's such a sensorial place with the food, smells, and sights; your senses are bombarded upon landing, both in a good and bad way. It is a land of juxtapositions, the cacophony and chaos of the street with the serene, jasmine-scented gardens behind high walls, the conveniences of high-tech speed vs. slow, methodical handmade work. Master craftsmen are held in high regard here. The artisans that I have been lucky to work with take an open and optimistic approach toward working together and the shared goal of making something beautiful and accessible, as opposed to placing an emphasis on cost-driven, high-volume fast fashion products.
I have experienced this same high level of skill and openness in Morocco with its rich depth of materials and capabilities. Morocco is next on my list to dig into deeper, and I am also looking forward to visiting Africa for the first time in the fall, specifically Kenya and Tanzania. It is part personal, to visit my daughter on her semester abroad, but I also hope to explore and meet up with artisans in West Africa.
It is exciting to witness the start of a shift in the zeitgeist to a “less is more” consumer attitude of more considered purchases. It brings a strong appreciation of the hand crafted and small batch production, and a much-needed respect for our environmental impact and responsibly made, healthy products in our lives. Brands and designers like Patagonia and Eileen Fisher are helping lead the way in products (and their related stories) that are responsibly sourced and designed to be used for many years and then passed on or up-cycled. Designing with a simple, timeless ethos contributes to the endurance of these products.
If you want more information on this movement, I highly recommend watching Riverblue, a new documentary on the fast fashion consumer’s true cost and impact on the world.