XN000022-1979-07-03 — Page 14

TUESDAY, JULY 3, 1979

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DESIGN VERSUS FASHION

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ONE OF THE GREATEST ENEMIES OF GOOD DESIGN IS FASHION, MR, DAVID JORDAN, DIRECTOR OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

+ THE DESIGNER'S JOB SHOULD BE TO RECONCILE THE PRACTICAL AND THE AESTHETIC, BUT ALL TOO OFTEN FASHION DICTATES THAT THE PRODUCT SHOULD SHOW NO SIGN OF EITHER, HE SAID.

OPENING A SEMINAR ON PRODUCT DESIGN, ORGANISED BY THE ASIAN PRODUCTIVITY ORGANISATION AT THE HOLIDAY INN, MR. JORDAN ACCEPTED THAT DESIGNERS MAY HAVE TO COMPROMISE BETWEEN PRACTICALITY AND FASHION.

+BUT, EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO COMPROMISE IN THE END, I THINK DESIGN SHOULD ALWAYS START AS AN HONEST ATTEMPT TO DEVISE THE MOST EFFICIENT PRODUCT FOR THE PURPOSE, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, HE SAID.

+WHEN YOU COME TO WHAT WE CAN NOW CALL LATE 20TH CENTURY PRODUCT DESIGN, I SUPPOSE THE GREATEST CHANGE, AND THE GREATEST DIFFICULTY, LIÉS IN THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO DESIGN PRODUCTS THAT WILL BE ACCEPTABLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES, SO THE DESIGNER HAS TO TRY AND PUT HIMSELF INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S SHOES.

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+THAT IS WHERE THIS SEMINAR COMES IN, CREATING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES AND GAIN PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AND INSIGHT IN THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN TECHNOLOGY, PRACTICE AND MANAGEMENT.+

HAVING WELCOMED THE OVERSEAS VISITORS ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT, MR, JORDAN CONCLUDED: +WE ARE VERY GLAD THAT THE APO, WHICH HAS DONE SO MUCH SOLID WORK FOR ITS MEMBER COUNTRIES, SHOULD HAVE DECIDED TO HOLD THIS SEMINAR HERE, AND I'M SURE THAT THE JOINT SPONSORS IN HONG KONG, THE HONG KONG INDUSTRIAL DESIGN COUNCIL AND THE PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE, WILL MAKE A USEFUL CONTRIBUTION TO IT.+

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EXHIBITION OF STUDENTS' WORK ON CHINESE HISTORY *****

AN EXHIBITION ON THE PROVISIONAL CHINESE HISTORY SYLLABUS WILL BE HELD LATER THIS MONTH TO ENABLE SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS TO GAIN A MORE COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBJECT.

ON DISPLAY AT THE TWO-DAY EXHIBITION WILL MAINLY BE THE WORK OF FORM 2 STUDENTS OF 17 MONITORED SCHOOLS FOR THE 1978-79 ACADEMIC YEAR.

THESE MONITORED+ SCHOOLS HAD BEEN SELECTED FOR SPECIAL OBSERVATION WHEN THE PILOT SCHEME OF THE PROVISIONAL SYLLABUS STARTED IN SEPTEMBER, 1977. FEEDBACK FROM THESE SCHOOLS WERE USED FOR REVIEWING AND IMPROVING THE PROVISIONAL SYLLABUS.

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