Raymond Loewy - Realization of the Paradigms

According to Loewy, the work of the designer is an equation with two elements: “A good taste solves only one half of the problem. The trick is to grant products an own profile in comparison to all competitors.” Success can only appear if the product is universally designed.

Loewy mentions several style means which have helped him to realize his principles. He speaks of the possibilities of the diagonal, the arrangement of the components, the effect of the characters as well as curves as a counterbalance to straight lines. Besides, he was probably no friend of computer-aided design: “Anything sketched with the help of a computer reveals itself by its soulless appearance!”

The greatest possible effectiveness, effortless servicing, reduction in costs, better packaging, an optimum storage as well as frictionless usage count to his determinants of product creation — in connection with clearly understandable instructions. Visual appearance follows at last.

Beside the determinants Loewy stresses “insistent fiends” according to product design. Particularly noise and odour nuisance as well as physical limits like air or water resistance count to it. Moreover he does not forget natural limits: some engineer has to implement the concept, and what is the use of a good one if the product cannot be realized technically.