Netflix has recently released season two of Abstract: The Art of Design, a series which celebrates innovative designers from a range of fields, including fashion, graphics, interface, architecture, automotive, etc. Some of the designers may be familiar to you, if not by name then perhaps by output. For example, Tinker Hatfiled (Season 1 Episode 2) designs footwear for Nike, including popular Air Jordan models, Ruth Carter (Season 2 Episode 3) won an Oscar for her costume design on the movie Black Panther, and Ian Spalter (Season 2 Episode 5) led the redesign of the Instagram logo and app.
Each episode focusses on an individual designer and explores the factors that make them stand out as leading innovators of their chosen fields. To varying degrees, the episodes scrutinise the products, the processes and the personalities of the designers, through the lens of their own personal narratives. The reliance on the designers’ storytelling, gives each individual episode its own dynamic so that they are all slightly unique in content and tone. Personally, I find the episodes that focus more on process to be most engaging. I like to see how the designers find their creative spark, who they work with to develop their ideas, where decisions are made, how they gain insight from their failures, etc. Episodes that focus more on personality, that emphasise the cult of the designer are less interesting, and offer less about what makes their designs worth celebrating.
A behind the scenes look at the series was published by Design Week, and may also be of interest.
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