Q – A lot has been written about design in China – from the 200-plus design schools reportedly producing as many as 8,000 graduates annually to its goal of moving from ‘Made in China’ to ‘Designed in China.’ Should designers in the U.S. and Europe see China as a threat or opportunity?
Lorraine – I would say both. First of all, China has a quarter of the world’s population. So the sharp designer is going to try and understand that market, try to set up shop there, or start to court some of the companies they can work with in China. The other opportunity, looking at it in a broader scale, is they [Chinese designers] can raise the bar for the West. That little bit of competition will start to bring new product ideas onto the market. So we’re truly looking at global design issues. And that’s a mentally enlivening thing for everyone. Plus, the hope that more people around the world get better products, when you start adding the Eastern mix to the Western mix. The threats? Yes, they are there. We’re talking huge numbers that can affect salaries paid to designers. In China, they are not paid as much as they are paid in Hong Kong. And price is an issue, especially when you have a market that doesn’t really understand the value of design yet. Other threats? A lot of U.S. manufacturing has moved offshore. All of the countries in Asia are now mobilized, and I mean mobilized, around design. Governments are putting up huge sums of money, including grants for designers. They’re putting design in the high schools now. They’re starting incubation programs to support design firms. They’re giving free to very low rent office space to designers. They’re literally doing everything they can to support design.
Q – How has your perspective of design in the U.S. changed since you relocated to Hong Kong? Lorraine – I’ve gained a huge admiration for the makeup of the U.S. and how that has affected creativity. The U.S. is a melting pot of so many personalities and backgrounds and races and everything has created a milieu of opportunity, ideas and knowledge. Add that to the work ethic that used to exist in the U.S. – I don’t know if it’s still there, quite frankly – you’re set up for incredible strides in innovation and design. So when I look at the diversity in the U.S. and how it hangs together, it’s impressive. I don’t see that in other countries, especially in Asia. A lot of their education [in Asia] is memorization, repetitive types of things. The other difference is that in the U.S., a lot of us as youngsters used to go in the backyard or the garage and tear apart stuff and rebuild it – generally make a huge mess that made our parents crazy. But what was happening is we were experimenting the entire time with materials. We were learning how things worked. And we were figuring out how to put things together -- all of that hands-on knowledge that now comes instinctively when we want to design something. This did not occur in Hong Kong where children were raised in apartments and generally did not have those types of opportunities. So there was a freedom of exploration that came along with all of those things we did in our childhood that you don’t see in Asia at all.
Q – Are there other major differences between design in Hong Kong and mainland China? Lorraine – Hong Kong has that East-meets-West aura. Kids grew up looking at a lot of Western images. They’ve been exposed to a lot of Western ways and culture. This was not the case in mainland China. The Cultural Revolution in China did affect the pride, culture and aesthetics and all that. But it’s starting to come back slowly. Mainland designers are feeling pride about their heritage and feeling that it’s OK to be creative. It’s also emerging in Hong Kong. There’s a pride in their future. So there’s a new Asian aesthetics emerging from mainland China and Hong Kong. But, again, it’s going to be different. Q – You’re in Hong Kong because of your background and understanding of Western design. It’s obvious, too, that Hong Kong wants to be the design leader in the region. How well positioned is Hong Kong to achieving that goal? Lorraine – I see Hong Kong having something to offer that no one else does. And it’s that mix of East-meets-West. Hong Kong is the entrée into the East. People coming from the West can feel very comfortable in Hong Kong. It’s not as much of a cultural shock. But it also has a very good understanding of the East. That’s what is so unique about Hong Kong right now -- the culture and the location. But Hong Kong has really had the freedom, in a way, to do what it wanted. Entrepreneurial-wise, they are years ahead of mainland China. So they’ve got this savvy. Hong Kong also has this service aspect to it that is unequaled. Q – Are there companies in Hong Kong or China that you would hold up as models for what should be done? Lorraine – In China, Haier and Lenovo stand out right now. In Hong Kong, Gold Peak, DAKA, TCL and VTech are doing great design and are paying attention to sustainability. The CEO’s of these companies recognize the value of design and they have active design people at different levels of their organization. So it’s not just entry-level designers handing things off to engineers. You have people higher up in the structure. Design is integrated throughout the Company.
Q – You’ve taught in both the U.S. and Asia. Are there different drivers when it comes to the students?
Lorraine – Yes. I used to love when Asian students would come over to the U.S. They had the best work ethic and always wanted to do their very best. They concentrated on their work so diligently. And, then, you had the U.S. students, who, oh, maybe they’d show up. But the beauty is that they both have their strengths. The Asian students are diligent and hard-working and will follow direction and can work in teams. But the creativity isn’t always there. The freedom of thought that you really need, the willingness to break rules or go out of bounds just isn’t there. Whereas with the American students, there’s this freedom of thought and even rebelliousness that sometimes results in great products
Q – But how can China achieve the level of Western design without protecting intellectual property rights? Lorraine -- I’ve heard several reasons why there is so much copying. One supposedly is they are so used to learning from the master and copying is supposed to be a compliment. But in business you hear things like, ‘Why should I spend all this money in designing something new when I can copy something the other guy is doing that’s successful or I will get copied. So there’s this utility about wanting to become innovative. And that comes from low risk. The other thing is they’ve been successful for so long just manufacturing and copying other things. That’s some of the hurdles we’re going to have to overcome. But Hong Kong is turning around. Hong Kong has not only quit copying, it is one of the premiere places in Asia to protect your copyrights, trademarks and patents. They are now experts at this. Q – What’s the biggest difference between Chinese and Western design? Lorraine -- It comes right from the aspect of the culture, and although it sounds like a generalization, it’s reflective in the design. In the U.S., we still have this utilitarian science-based strength. Look at the macho trucks and the boom boxes that look like they’re car engines…even the finishes are rugged. There’s strength and macho attitude in U.S. products ranging through the scientific and technical. When you look at the emerging products in Asia, there’s a sensuality that the U.S. does not have. And it has to do with subtle curves and natural materials and cleanness – almost purity in the shape and form. And so it’s a very deep, deep design. It can be compared in some ways to the simplicity of Scandinavian design or some Italian design. But the Asian aesthetic is also its own. When I Iook at a very modern piece of Asian design, I can see the spirituality of their culture reflected in it.
http://www.core77.com/blog/business/interview_with_lorraine_justice_3378.asp
http://www.innovationlab.eastman.com/InnovationLab/Lorraine_Justice.htm
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