home illustration
THE ROLE OF GRAPHIC DESIGN IN RETAILING HOMEWARES...
by brighid ghysen
V
isit any retail store and the relationship between the products displayed and graphic illustration is clearly evident. From fashion to textiles, stationary, kitchenwear, or homewares there is certainly a growing trend toward illustrated merchandise. This is particularly apparent in the homewares category, which has seen considerable growth in recent times, thus the demand for licenced illustrations and graphic design skills is seeing parallel progression in this segment.
IBIS World documented the growth in the homewares industry at +0.3% ($1.5 billion) from 2009-2014 with a prediction for this to increase by +2.4% in the coming year (International Business Council 2013). The revival of this industry is largely in response to the popularity of DIY/ renovation TV programs that are trending across various networks. With the continuation of such programs in line with a stable economy IBIS World anticipates double digit growth for homewares in the next 5 years. Given the correlation between the predicted retail progress and the increase in illustrated merchandise, this presents an exciting opportunity for graphic designers and illustrators. As with most industries Retail experiences trends and fads. One trend that is evident across the industry is the move towards authentic, bespoke, handmade products. The same can be said across the platforms of both graphic design and homewares. With modern technology dominating every aspect of our daily lives, understandably it has conditioned people to consume 24 hours a day in an online, virtual realm. These faceless, non-tactile transactions however do not satisfy our innate dispositions as human beings to connect. This handmade and illustrated trend evokes a sense of nostalgia, capitalising on the fondness of yesteryear while manufacturing products that are of a high quality which can not be matched
by those created in industrial factories. This return to incorporate traditional craft methods is similar to that of the Arts and Craft Movement during 1880-1910s which saw a rebellion away from industrial manufacturing. This trend is now being revived today. As we move away from mass produced merchandise towards bespoke products, the question of how designers can make their work accessible without compromising its artisan qualities arises. Here we must address both the manufacturing processes and sales mediums. A major factor in this trend is to encompass handmade elements. While this does result in designers taking a step back from the computer and incorporating traditional manufacturing methods it is important to recognise that to eliminate digital aspects altogether would be naive. The combination of both digital and traditional methods allows for greater production outputs and reach with regards to accessing customers. For designers, in terms of the manufacturing process, there is a need to develop and hone more traditional skills such as hand lettering, embossing, embroidery, carving, concreting, painting, screen printing, paper craft, drawing and many more. These skills not only need to be learned but shared. Unlike mass production which has the proficiencies to yield huge volumes of products, one challenge of the bespoke movement is the restricted output quantities. By sharing knowledge and upskilling other designers this will increase output capabilities to meet demand while remaining true to the artisan qualities of the products. Websites such as Etsy, who are focused on ‘reimagin[ing] commerce in ways that build a more fulfilling and lasting world’ (Etsy 2015) by creating a community catalogue of handmade and vintage goods, provide an ideal digital platform to market and sell these products particularly
each item is managed by the sites themselves with a percentage of each sale being paid to the designer. As a customer the attraction of these sites is that they represent a tremendous catalogue of designers and their artwork that caters to a wide variety of individual and niche tastes. Additionally as this merchandise is manufactured on a made to order basis it limits the number of items produced and in circulation meaning customers get a more exclusive product as opposed to mass produced items that are readily available to a multitude of people.
due to its vast global audience. It does however limit the physical interaction that customers can have with these commodities. Traditional brick and mortar stores allow tactile interaction with merchandise and the demand for niche operators stocking local wares is increasing. Boutique stores embody a number of the same qualities found when looking at the characteristics of the handmade trend. They ‘provide consumers with a sensory experience that allows them to touch and feel products, immerse in brand experiences, and engage with sales associates who provide tips and reaffirm shopper enthusiasm for their new purchases’ (Small Business Trends 2014). While these approaches focus on retaining the handmade qualities of the products and involving the customer in the brand storey, there are new platforms available that also allow customers to access unique, local products by designers and illustrators on a made to order basis. Society6, BucketFeet, Kess InHouse and Spoonflower are all websites that allow creatives to upload their designs that are then sold and printed across a range of homeware products including cushions, bed linen, shower curtains, rugs, clocks, canvases & prints, tableware, and fabric, as well as clothing and even shoes to name a few. The sale, manufacturing and shipping of
As a designer these sites provide an excellent opportunity to explore the world of retail without having to set up manufacturing and sales processes or incurring the costs associated with this. The compromise however is that graphic illustrators do need to digitise their artwork using programs such as Adobe Photoshop and/or Illustrator. Although this step could be considered a step away from the handmade, bespoke trend it can also result in amazing collaborative pieces that would otherwise be unachievable by using a singular artistic methodology. While the sharing of knowledge and skills amongst peers is an excellent way to broaden personal aptitudes in relation to translating designs from handmade to digital, online tutorials via sites such as Lynda.com also present another opportunity for designers to further their personal development and growth. The combination of both digital and traditional design methods will increase the opportunities for designers to enter into the world of retailing homewares therefore it is critical that designers embrace and incorporate characteristics of the authentic, bespoke trend across both mediums to capitalise on this movement. The demand clearly exists for local, honest and authentic designs and products for customers to incorporate into not only their homes but their daily lives. It is our responsibility as conscious designers to ensure that this is delivered upon. REFERENCES: International Business Council. 2013. Australia Home & Housewares Market Overview, 1 September 2013 (accessed 17 October 2015). Small Business Trends. 2014. Study Shows Consumers Prefer Shopping in a Store, Not Online, 20 August 2014 (accessed 19 October 2015). Etsy. 2015. Etsy About, October 2015 (accessed 17 October 2015). Images: Arro Home. 2015. Home and Lifestyle Images. Available: http:/www. arrohome.com/