Original version

BBC World Service Online

The Forum

Documentaries

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Discover world history, culture and ideas with today’s leading experts

The Forum: 20/08/2011 GMT

Discussion & Talk

20/08/2011 GMT

BBC World Service - The Forum, 20/08/2011 GMT

Design in art, fashion and nature.  Is innovation or imitation the key to success?

Design in nature, art and fashion.   What can we learn from lizards and leaves and should design strive to imitate or innovate?

Design is all around us – not only in artificially created realm of art, architecture and fashion, but also in the world of nature.  What lessons can we learn from leaves, lizards and penguins and is it possible to build a city on the principles of sustainability?  In fashion, why is it that we cannot help ourselves from following the herd and how do you go about creating a design classic?  

This week’s Forum guests are celebrated designer and architect Ron Arad; historian of modern fashion and culture, Pamela Church Gibson and biologist and consultant in the new field of biomimicry, Janine Benyus.

Illustration by Charlotte Kingston:  the Galapagos shark counts his royalties (sitting on his Ron Arad chair).

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Forum

20/08/2011 GMT

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Online

About BBC World Service