You have to wonder what the pioneers of industrial design would make of this day and age.
The original promise of ID was to harness the power of mass production to create useful objects for the masses. But now, in the second (or arguably third) century of ID as a field, we’re awash in disposable junk, much of it plastic, none of it durable enough to be passed down to grandchildren.
And there has been a reaction. So accustomed have we become to junk, that to design something durable is practically seen as subversive. As a case in point Hidden NY, an online tastemaker turned product brand, commissioned this aluminum Hat Organizer from industrial design studio Caliper:
It’s not clear if it will actually go into production; the product appeared on Caliper industrial designer Yumy Gu’s account, and is part of a collection of sheet metal objects designed for Hidden by Caliper which apparently number in the hundreds. “Over the last four years, CALIPER has worked closely with HiddenNY, developing hundreds of home goods for monthly drops and collaborations,” the firm writes. “The material database and form language developed via these products has become an integral part of HiddenNY’s storytelling.”
Given that the Hat Organizer is made of anodized aluminum, you can only imagine how much it’d cost. We’re slipping into a bifurcated product landscape with cheap junk on one side, for those who are struggling. On the other side, expensive, overbuilt products for those with discretionary income.
