Latest design trends 2022; Know from top colleges in India

Designing careers are in high demand in 2022, digitisation during the Covid-19 pandemic added to its growth, read here to know what experts say on the latest trends in design.

The demand for design professionals is on the rise, different industries are looking for designers to add value to their products and provide the best user interface experiences. The new age technologies such as artificial intelligence, VR and AR, and digitisation have added to the growth of design careers. Moreover, there are many other options for design colleges to choose from apart from NIFT and NID.

If one is interested in pursuing a career in design, the aspirants can pursue four-year undergraduate courses including BID (Bachelor in Interior Design) and BDes (Bachelor of Design), two-year MDes and MSc in Design or three years BSc in Design.

Design trends 2022: Educators' view

Shiksha spoke to leading design colleges in Delhi and discussed the latest trends in 2022 and other details. While speaking about the latest trends in design, JD Institute of Fashion Technology's Director Rupal Dalal said, "Design is ever-evolving, what might be trending right now could become obsolete by the time this article is published. The key trends to look out for within the design industry are sustainable fabrication, utility products, inclusive dressing and universal design."

"There's never a dull moment in a designer's career, there's always scope for improvement in existing products or room for innovation. The pandemic gave us an opportunity to create a “better normal” instead of us adopting the new one. The new gap created by Covid has resulted in designers exploring modular spaces, usage of antibacterial fabrics, incorporating more locally sourced raw materials, etc. This profession is very dynamic in nature, hence the challenges that turn into opportunities are endless," she added.

Design applied across the industry

Design professionals are in such high demand that each design graduate has multiple opportunities to choose from, so, what has changed that has led to the phenomenal growth of the industry, here is what experts have to say:

We also spoke to Dr Sanjay Gupta, Vice Chancellor of the World University of Design on this and he said, “The major trend is everything is going digital which has been an overriding trend since Covid because people went online and a lot of development started happening on the online platform. That's why we designed programmes like Computer Science and Design, Digital Design, Digital Art and Illustration, so even visual art has become digital.

"OTT has become very big and even a mainstream cinema has taken a back seat. The traditional hubs of filmmaking are breaking up. Now we see that Bollywood movies are not doing well, it is part of the trend because OTT does not require that kind of big studios and big set up and it can be done anywhere. So, video designing is also gaining popularity now. The third trend that PM Modi also mentioned in his speech is gaming. It is not just a video game, gaming is a concept which can be applied anywhere, it can be applied anywhere be it in banking, education, coaching whatever the industry can think of, it can be gamified. Animation and gaming have taken up in a very big way.

So, these were the major trends in design and if we talk about the minor trend - Performing and visual art were badly hit during the Covid pandemic as the audiences were sitting at home to avoid gathering and they avoided going to the theatre and as a result, nothing happened in these fields. But when digitalisation happened, they are back with a bang but in multiple avatars - there are online galleries, personal shows, audiences can just order online performances on demand,” added Gupta.

Traditional design merging with technology

What indeed has changed in the design is its merging with the latest technology including AI, VR-AR and digitisation. The art of design is the same but it is now being done using digital tools.

"Design in today's time has taken over everything from our daily needs to scientific advancements. It has become the building block of human evolution in the 21st century. Design, with its function-centric approach, is a methodology that is not problem-focused but solution-focused and action-oriented," said Dr Jitin Chadha Founder & CEO Indian Institute of Art & Design.

"On the topic of the latest trends in design, it is more exciting now to see how traditional design is merging with technology to bring out the best of both worlds. Design is constantly pushing boundaries in urban planning, scientific research, garment technology, sustainable environment building, human relationship with technology (smartphones and apps), AI, Metaverse, Virtual Reality and many more,” he added.

Pandemic added to design’s growth

"In this post-pandemic world, the relevance of design has increased manifold. We perceive situations and problems differently now. Design helps us adapt to the digital age without letting go of essential attributes of the physical world. It is an opportunity to reinvent and reinforce brand identities in alignment with the changing trends. This has opened up avenues for skilled designers across industries. A multi-disciplinary, practical and iterative education will enable the young generation to re-invent, re-think and re-work experiences. Hence I firmly believe that design has a bright future in India and globally," added Dr Jitin Chadha.

"Design trends emerge from zeitgeist (‘spirit of the times). It may draw inspiration from the Indian cultural heritage of handlooms and handcrafted textiles and products. While there is perceptible leaning towards slow fashion incorporating sustainability, environmental health, and regenerative materials, even fast fashion is engaged in creative solutions for the circular economy. Advanced digital technologies, applied AI, UI & UX, and technical textiles can be significant catalysts of large-scale, efficient production systems. Social issues of gender inclusivity and body positivity also influence design conceptualization and trends," said Prof Banhi Jha, NIFT Delhi.

Students’ viewpoint

When Shiksha asked students of NIFT Delhi how it is studying design at one of the best design colleges in India and what are their future plans, here is what they have to say:

"The journey of being a NIFT Delhi student comes with its own ups and downs, but I have realised after three years of study that is truly enlightening. It has been interesting in the classroom to see the integration of art, sociology, history, crafts studies, cinema costume and several other subjects with contemporary fashion through books, magazines, trend forecast periodicals, documentaries, and market and museum visits."

She added that with the help of peers and faculty, she has learnt to push herself to the maximum potential for each project. She adds: “I have matured as a person as well as a professional. Even during COVID-19, the effort and inputs given by NIFT have made me admire and value my institute more than ever. Like most fashion aspirants, I assumed that fashion is about glamour and that academics and examinations may not be very rigorous. After joining NIFT, these assumptions were proven incorrect. We are encouraged to read, explore, imagine and experiment. Within the broader context of fashion, I have been able to find my own expression of what fashion means to me. I believe that fashion will be increasingly individualistic. To this end, I see the future integrating technology with sustainability. This is likely to alter the role of fashion designers, and so I may venture into designing for humans as well as metaverse avatars.”

Another student Satyam Chandra Dey said: “NIFT Delhi is my dream come true. Design is not just a subject but an experience. It is about creative thinking, addressing a problem and finding solutions through the application of mind and aesthetics. Before joining the institute, I assumed that studying fashion design at NIFT would be easy. I have been on a voyage of learning that academic rigour makes us look beyond the superficial and invest time and significant effort to understand the multiple levels of knowledge and skills required to make fashion a successful career.”

Dey added that his understanding of the industry has broadened, along with a deeper understanding of the crafts sector. “I understand that there are several options of pathways one can follow. As a final-year student, my career goals have expanded. I now aspire to start my professional life as a designer in a high-end retail segment. In a couple of years, I may also step into apparel/costume designing for animated movies/games. I am confident that the range of curricular inputs in the Fashion Design programme will help me forge a career that is dynamic and bring recognition," Dey said.

Read more:

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