Today, I met with my freelance network and we were discussing the way in which creative design and other artistic crafts are being “traded” in today’s marketplace. Open borders via the internet have made made creative services incredibly accessible and very low-cost (see Fivver where you can purchase any gig for $5). Is there still a market for original design? Who is will to pay for it?

Designers are also having to recreate themselves. Someone like Ayse Birsel a product designer turned systems- thought- life-designer is an excellent example of someone who has gone beyond her traditional vocation. She is adapting to the new age where thinking is designed just as well as her JCPenny kitchen collection. The same processes/journey can be applied. I had the privilege of attending her workshop “Design the Life You Love” in NYC in November, 2014. It was simple and authentic breakdown of a complex subject: life.

Even though there are logos are being bought/sold for five bucks, we still believe adamantly that there is a market for original work. Work that involves research, analysis and collaboration. There will be people who will appreciate this just as there will always be people who appreciate music that is recorded with real instruments vs computers or photos that were taken on a manual camera vs photoshopped or clothes made by hand vs mass-produced in cheap factories. The success of platforms such as etsy and dewanda are proof of this. There is something to be said about owning something truly original. A craft remains a craft. The perceived value is perceived.

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