The Art of Social Responsibility Takes Root Among Designers

High-profile designers of luxury goods are increasingly incorporating social and philanthropic goals into their work on fashion and decor, The Wall Street Journal writes.

Socially minded designers are devoting their expertise to projects such as building better playgrounds and creating attractive low-cost glasses for needy children.

“The fundamentals of design are about serving everyone,” says Yves Behar, the Swiss designer who won the prestigious Index design award for his firm’s See Better to Learn Better eyewear project. “It’s crucial to show that good design can go beyond luxury items. There is a world of need for good design solutions that change people’s lives.”

Major design schools are also building social responsibility into their curricula, said Paul Thompson, rector of London’s Royal College of Art.