How To Discover the Latest Design Trends

One of my favorite pastimes is data mining design. It's a labor intensive hobby, but one that I get great enjoyment out of. So, what is data mining design? It's basically scouring the world for new designers and design trends. Do you ever wonder how design blogs come up with so many interesting things to write about? There are generally two ways: A blog develops contacts with multiple contributors from all over the world like this blog or the Core77 blog, or a blog has one writer who just methodically digs in all the right places to discover designs, like my blog Design Crack.

So, where do you dig and how do you dig? The best place to find young emerging talent is at the major design fairs. Invariably, each design fair has a young designers section where students or the newly graduated come to show their stuff. To me it's like a kid in a candy store. Take 100% Design, a fantastic London design fair, as an example. Each year they present 100% futures which debuts dozens of talent that range from strange to ingenious concepts.

For instance, above is the work of Victoria Robinson's Justin Case, a suitcase with legs. It's simple, weird, ingenious design.

A more refined work comes out of this year's winner of the 100% futures top designer which is called the Smart Board. This design has been created with a very small apartment in mind. This sideboard incorporates 4 chairs as well as several drawers into a well integrated piece of furniture.

This was just two of dozens of designers who have exhibited at the 100% future, each of which has contributed something interesting or exciting. It's almost too much. But if you are a retailer or manufacturer of interesting design furniture, for instance, keeping these young designer's email addresses close by can be a economical alternative to hiring or buying from major design houses for future projects.

Comments

[Jennifer]

Good post. I don't do a design blog but in any genre it's tough to stay ahead of the curve and trade shows and other shows for your niche are a good idea. I don't use them nearly as much as I should. Good reminder post.