Slow Movement enters the design mainstream

I love the Slow food movement. It is important to cook and enjoy food, not rush out to the local fast food emporium. Now, it seems that the slow movement has also entered the realm of design. The Slow movement in design wants us to allow for reflection, association and appreciation to become part of the design process. This translates into a renewed enthusiasm for traditional over high-tech, the local over global and the artisanal over the mass-produced-with the additional value in the design content of made-to-last quality over the cheap and disposable.
Chief among the stylishly slow practitioners is a New York based textile company called Pollack whose line is available to the trade in Toronto through Primavera Interior Furnishings. Pollack's design director, Rachel Doriss recently gave a presentation at the Textile Museum of Canada.
Doriss talked about her grandmother and her skills with a sewing machine and knitting needles. "We live in a super-throwaway society now", observes Doriss. "There used to be a fix-it guy who could fix your washing machine and your TV. Now, if it's broken, we just throw it away and get a new one."
Doriss' designs and desire to work slowly are running into problems as small companies go out of business. Hopefully, there will always be companies that agree with her philosophy. I certainly do.