Setting aside the fact that more and more people wish to stay out of the traditionally binary definition of gender, the gendered identity of the products are pretty frankly regressive and not very wholesome. The oversimplification of our taste, preferences and desires based on the gender binaries is a pure generation of human-made social norms instead of nuanced nature.
To remain a hedge above other competitors in the market, product designs must attract more customers by communicating the meaning of the product. Just as the appearance of products, designing and restyle an existing consumer product architecture can influence buying decisions in many ways.
Similarly, gender has been a design dimension in product development for ages. Within certain branches like clothing, shoes, perfumes, jewellery, it has been a long tradition between male and female products. The design uses solid visual cues like colour, texture, typography, imagery and shape to signal the femininity or the masculinity of products. To reflect and respond to the contemporary shifts in culture, the visual design of products and even stores are increasingly moving away from visual opposites to a more gender-neutral aesthetic. For example, the U.S. retail giant Target phased out gendered aisles in their toys section and started to categorise products according to age groups instead.
It is difficult to refrain from an anciently grounded marketing strategy that is chiefly derived from human-made social gender norms. But, product designers, through their refreshing strategies, have significantly elevated aesthetics that are neutral and free from gender associations while also making sure that products get sold too. The new era of genderless design language focuses more on shared values and rather than gender ideas.
The whole internet is full of examples painted in the hues of pink and blue stereotypes, primarily targeted towards a single-gender. However, with the demeaning importance of gender identity in socio-political aspects, economics handsets have also carved themselves into a basket that promotes collectivism. Designers have gradually cultivated a gender-sensitive design norm. Using neutral colours like beige, greys, pale yellows and greens with matte finishes are good alternatives to heavily stereotyped colour and glossy idiosyncrasies. It is unlikely for a material to be kindred according to gender, but wood, glass, and plant fibres resemble gender regardless for the concerned audience because of its subtle and abstract textures. Applying softer fluid lines with a mix of round corners and tight lines can ease the tension of the products’ painterly interests. Additionally, a curated choice of customisable neutral bases will present the uniformity of the product across genders. Last but not least, simplicity and minimalism will serve the design motto of “less is more”. Reducing aesthetics and amplifying the functional essence of the product will have a more universal appeal
But, people often misunderstand the meaning of gender equality and gender neutrality. It may look like one is trying to deliver masculine attributes to feminine aspects, but it is just an act to revert to gendered products with a tendency of giving opposing visual clues. It is not about shifting the orientation of the product to opposite direction balances and providing a common place for all genders to stand. Its real scheme is not about the number of gender choices to be given but about “should there be a choice given for choosing genders?”
For instance, think about clothes inspired by car designs and graphics but depicted with colours and not just black and metallic shades. This does not necessarily give feminine meanings to a masculine-identified product or women-oriented product and vice versa but is only trying to blur the boundaries between binary notions. The emphasis nullifies the stereotypes while also keeping the products exciting and appealing to a broad audience.
Today, product designs are helping society to eradicate the gendered meaning of the market and achieve a truly genderless finesse. Methodologies of human-centred methods rearrange the designing focus by emphasising its needs on a deeper level. As design plays an increasingly strategic role in business-driven cultures, a critical and speculative blueprint will engagingly shape everyday life under a social, cultural and ethical perspectives.
