They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery but, in the design community, it’s a topic that certainly provokes some heated debate.
As a designer, we know it’s important to keep challenging yourself, to stay abreast of current design trends, and to be in touch with the latest colours, styles and products. But, at the same time, we want (and expect) designers to find their own indelible style and create unique pieces.
Where do you get your design ideas from? Do you research? Do you visit international (when we’re allowed out of the country) trade fairs, or visit local design shows? Do you watch television? Or read industry journals?
Maybe you’ve seen a kitchen or bathroom you really admire? Maybe you spotted a colour combination you’d never envisaged before but now you want to give it a try? Possibly you saw a corner solution or a kitchen island design or a shower screen that’s exactly what you need for a project?
So, at what point does your admiration go from taking inspiration to clear imitation? These are very murky waters and designers, artists and musicians have been navigating them for years. Think of how many times recently you’ve heard of a musician accused of copying a riff or melody from another song.
When we return from visiting an overseas design show, I’m often asked to give presentations to industry associates about the latest trends and interesting designs we’ve seen. It’s something I love but I’m always very conscious to open my presentation with a disclaimer. In presenting each of the designs, I’m not advocating we transport the kitchen or bathroom in its entirety into an Australian home. Rather, I’m showcasing elements of the interior space that are relevant to the way we design here and the types of design work we do.
I ask members of the audience to take inspiration from the designs I present and to find something in the designs that they can take and apply – in their own way – to a future design. In this way, they are still making something that is indelibly theirs, rather than a direct copy of someone else’s work. The challenge is to apply enough of your own style and character to the design that it becomes uniquely theirs, and distinct from the original form of inspiration.
But how many new ideas can an industry generate? Even Shakespeare, venerated for his writing, wit and creativity, plagiarised many of his plays. Yet we today hold him to such esteem his plays are studied by students in high school and university. Is it because so much time has passed, and the original playwrights long deceased, that it ceases to be an issue? If so, how long is enough time? We have no way of knowing whether it was an issue for the original playwrights at the time but it would be safe to say that recourse was probably not the same as today.
If another designer takes inspiration from your work or ideas, how much do they need to change to make it their own? Who gets to decide how much is enough? Ultimately, if it gets that far, a court is able to assess and decide but it’s rarely worth the time and money cost of taking such an action.
There are no easy answers but having continual open discussion around the issue is vitally important for all in the design industry. We’d love to know what you think.
