Graham Pullin’s “Design Meets Disability”
I found this reading extremely interesting because I had never given much thought to how applicable design (in terms of fashion not just functionality) is thought of in specialist products. To me, it seemed intuitive to focus on functionality as opposed to aesthetics when talking in context of disability. However, now that I’ve read this, it makes so much sense to me that fashion should be an integral part of a good design as it truly does explore freedoms beyond the constraints society may hold. Moreover, I strongly agreed with the authors point that discretion in such things just means we are ashamed of them, which should not be the case, e.g. the example of eyewear. I think functionality is of course very important but aesthetics are key too. Many specialist products are extremely intimate to their owners and are part of their identity and experiences.
Lastly, I really liked the author’s point about simple design not necessarily meaning easy design. I think this is something that I overlook a lot. A lot of work can appear simple on the surface but the mechanics behind it run very deep, inversely, some things may appear very complex but are in fact simple and I think that’s all up to how good the design is.