ROGER: Focus

German design in the year 2005 – the common “made in Germany”is long since gone.Everybody tries to push through their own interests and feather their nest.The only thing that is interesting and makes us happy is the economy – which is pacified by diverse organisations of design with red dots and other awards that are supposed to provide their products with competence for design. Design degenerates into a mere marketing-tool. Criticising is frowned upon and disturbs the peaceful lethargy. Literature and magazines are full of coloured portfolios and praise design.

And yet, there are enough reasons for discussions. For instance, where are resolutions for the future searched for? Who certifies design more competence than the mere process of making products and other media pretty? Who informs the public about design and emphasises its importance? No one – because there is no collective representation of interests.

So there are not many possibilities left: Either one joins a lobby or – in case one cannot afford this – tries to make a name for oneself on the market of attentions off one’s own bat.And this just doesn’t work that well with a grim look but rather with flashy public appearances satisfying the cliché, as the famous designers prove. So is the festival of colours of Karim Rashid or the guru-gown of Colani the only means to acquire the desired standing? Do we really have to pull down our pants first to get good jobs? Fair enough, the black-white-coloured-naked masquerade of the designers seems to work well as own brand, but so far they are unable to present the actual essence – the umbrella brand design that is, because most outsiders usually consider it as inferior or simply applied art.

Come on, follow us out of the big design bubble and have a look at how designers present themselves in grand style within a design scene. But be open-minded to get inspired by design at the same time – far away from its marketing as part of a permanently growing entertainment and diversion industry.

Does design have a chance to withdraw itself from an ongoing aestheticising of consume? Are we able to express our goals and interests in a self-confident and emphatic way? And most important: do we agree at all?