Design philosophy

It's always interesting to get an insight into how a designers head works. I'm constantly educated, suprised and inspired by the people I talk to on a daily basis, and sometimes disgusted and outright opposed to their viewpoint.
At the moment I feel like a designer in conflict. In conflict between the market forces which keep my business afloat and the intrinsic artist in me whose strongest desire is to create according to my own core values.

Conflict...

The thing I love about what I do is the constant challenge of each individul project. The excitement of inspiration, provided by the client and their ideas and tastes, through the designing process, hunting through shops for suitable fabrics and trims and then....finally....to have it finished and be proud at my acheivement. The cherry on the cake is when my client loves it as much as I do. I adore it, and I adore them for seeking me out.

The idea of commerciality seems quite a foreign concept to me - and one I battle with constantly. In words it all sounds very simple...to mind a market, find out what it wants and then give it to them. (I'm actually wincing as I type this so much is it against my passion) But as an artist it just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I find that the problem with this type of designing for a specific market is actually really offensive. It assumes that rather than individuals, you're serving a type of person and producing products with that in mind. It relies on a kind of unconsious type of consuming, and a contrived and insidious design and marketing mechanism with the only intent of stripping money out of people. But is that actually the reality? It could be the reality of a consuming culture, but not the intent of an artist. Good work has vision, intent, passion and always creates reacion, an emotional or conceptual shock. A really good piece of art is an innovation, a pure expression of an artist which is admired or treated with derision

That's where I want to be.

In this business climate it will be interesting to see which side must win out in the end.