NAVIGATION
94. Lifestyle: A Rosetta Stone
The designer discovers or creates his unique
Rosetta stone, a primer that helps him to decode
and translate the intricacies of other fields.
Armed with a key, he approaches his design
challenge as an interpreter. Although he needs to
work within the natural boundaries of his craft,
he can introduce his audiences to new things,
educating them as to how viable and valuable
they are within the framework of fashion.
Whether it's pop culture or science and technol
ogy, gaining insights into other areas stimulates
the design process and spawns new ideas.
The arts have always stimulated the creative
mind, but dedicated practice of another art
form-whether it is painting or performance
gains admission into a new dimension of that
artistic outlet. Analyzing horticulture and the cu
linary arts provides insight into how to cultivate
plant life and prepare food. Animal, insect, and
sea life also broaden the scope of understanding
of how things work. Even if in-depth comprehen
sion is not the goal, a casual acquaintance with
the subject can be enough to trigger an idea if
the designer is open to it.
194 Fashion Design Essentials
Fashion and art:
preschool masterpiece by
Zak Atkinson as inspiration
