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trendspotting will destroy your heart

January 21st, 2009 • posts i've written

I’m at a conference in Florida right now. Generally, I’m not blown away. And I do so enjoy being blown away.

A specific session has left a disgusted look on my face now for 24 full hours. A very seasoned, very well trained former Creative Director and now head of all IP at a global brand got up and told us that trends are dead. In fact, no new ideas exist. Ok. Thank you for that thirty second tidbit. At this point, he should have walked off-stage.

But he wasn’t finished with us. This chap spewed vitriol over the erosion of his art, he maligned all of these people “that go to community college and learn how to use Photoshop.” He spoke with a general malaise over the lack of new ideas; everything was mid-century modern repeated to him. Of course, as all Creative Directors do, he swooned over architecture (“the only field that is creating new ideas”). He said design is not a craft, and he pretty much said D.I.Y. is best left to moms at Michael’s. He told an anecdote of painfully watching a couple trying to match paint in the hardware store to their sofa cushion and photos from magazines (when they should be consulting with a colorist). He gave lip service to recombinance, noting some was great but most was the work of obvious amateurs. Of course, he thought Louis Vuitton was cutting edge. He said Project Runway proved there’s no talent left. He said that he no longer finds traveling and staying in hotels as enjoyable as he once did, and that his trips to Tokyo were even leaving him wanting. He said he was bored. He said the inmates are running the asylum. He was scared. And the worst part, he wasn’t even charismatic in his cynicism. (something I strive for)

He built his career on traveling around the world trying to spot emerging trends. He has spent his life feeding on the creativity of others and ripping them off. His fiefdom is falling and his castle is crumbling. Rejoice.

We live in a world surrounded by beautiful and accessible design. We live in a world where creativity and ideas ricochet between us faster than we can even fathom. We live in the most fascinating world that’s ever been, and you say you’re bored. I truly pity you.

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4 Responses (add your comment)

That guy January 21, 2009
at 9:21 am

Great post, I found it on Twitter – you sum up his speech & viewpoint economically and counter & parry with a optimistic & realistic finale suited to the Obama-era
Eric January 21, 2009
at 9:25 am

Great wrap-up thought; exactly what I was thinking from the second paragraph: this guy is just bored with his own little world, so he extrapolates and projects to the world at large. He assumes since he’s “seen everything” (because that’s possible), everyone else must have seen everything. It also assumes time has ceased.

Poor guy. At least his hateful language likely won’t be embraced by any agencies; no one wants haters and naysayers in their organization.
Kyle January 22, 2009
at 3:34 am

I’ve just found your blog and I’m so glad I did, haven’t seen such fresh interesting content in forever.
Flourish Klink January 22, 2009
at 8:54 am

Really interesting post and great thought. I definitely appreciate this stuff! Especially in the context of Obama, as “that guy” mentions – this is sort of a dominant argument at the moment, isn’t it? Whether we should be jaded/tired of what’s happening or whether there’s something new going on.