An engaging discourse based on the idea of taste in design, initiated by a discussion on Indian classical music, which all the students have to a certain extent, been familiar with since the beginning of the semester, where our instructor plays short snippets of specific tunes and ‘raaghs’ before the commencement of most sessions put forward the question of the taste students have concerning Indian classical music. Almost all students seemed to be unaware of the genre and its specificities or claimed they did not enjoy it, while only a few seemed to be keen on the music, which is to say that they ‘have the taste’ for this specific genre of music.
The concept of taste in design bears sufficient significance because it tends to determine the demographic of the consumer, that who are the people that would prefer to use or engage with a certain design, or what are the key factors a designer should keep in mind for a specific design for it to appeal to the desired consumer audience. The idea of taste in design is highly subjective and may be either individual or collective. The taste may vary among people of different age groups, social and financial situations or, even regions. Specific designs cater to specific tastes, to understand this through an example, coke studio Pakistan, was designed as such to cater to the taste of the youth, by merely adjusting the tunes and making them more contemporary, of songs that are otherwise, preferred among the older age groups.
Taste in design is also subject to financial and social distinctions, which is usually quite prominent through a choice in clothes as an example. In current times it is believed for people belonging to higher classes to adorn themselves with rather simplistic clothing. High-end Pakistani brands like Koel and Chapter 2 by Khaadi both target a specific class of people, price their items at higher rates, and take on a very minimal approach. It is noticeable that the individuals these brands appease to have commonalities in some aspect between them.
The idea of taste in design is also observed in our day to day life and language. Quite often do we hear phrases like “this doesn’t suit my taste” or “this is very me,” where people acknowledge if a certain product or design complies with their taste. Taste extends to almost every kind of design, from music and movies to interiors and fashion, and is an essential component for a designer to keep in mind while devising his design so that success may be achieved in terms of appeasing the desired audience.